BakuBuild-2010: results and future trends

As the event winds down to a close, let's think of this exhibition as the building of a contemporary, world-class home. This will help us to objectively assess the results of the event – a work done by a huge group of participants of BakuBuild 2010. The exhibition demonstrated the functionality and advantages of modern, high-quality construction. It also reflected the intellectual and industrial potential of the global construction industry, which is part of the event's concept. The individual stand designs, their original goods and services, and their infrastructure have been as successful as a trendy design studio or a fashion salon. Myriad visitors, judging as independent experts, lauded our exhibition as a place where visitors could learn how to modernize their home, become familiar with new principles of town planning, or find convenient accommodation in the big city.

The exhibitors displayed advanced methods of residential and industrial facility construction, and offered great ideas, technologies, materials and supplies, as well as standards for ensuring building control and meeting international quality and seismic safety standards. In other words, this show, with the skilful support of its participants, provided all of the information necessary to design and build a reliable house using environmentally friendly and durable building materials, ideal shuttering, a strong double façade of refractory composite material, a central fire system, an uninterrupted power supply, and video cameras. Right in the middle of the exhibition area visitors were able to see a large assortment of road-building machinery from Germany, Turkey, Korea, the UK, Russia, Italy and other countries.


Three specialized exhibitions were organized under one roof, which strengthened the forum and structuring of BakuBuild-2010. It indeed played an important role in enhancing the country's export potential. According to industry experts, the exhibition is useful for Azerbaijan, as every third party here represents local entrepreneurship. It is important to note that domestic companies not only competed in a range of thematic categories, but also demonstrated the progressive, business-minded approach of the Azerbaijani people, as well as numerous examples of active integration with foreign companies. A few years ago, local businessmen were the ones looking for profitable cooperation with foreign firms, but today the desire is mutual. Many foreign visitors use this exhibition as a marketing tool to monitor and study the market carefully, while developing business proposals. The increased business space does not only mean economic benefits. It also means that Azerbaijan is experiencing social development and increased professional literacy as cultural relations and civilized dialogue grow with our foreign counterparts. The platform of major market players provides for fairness and quality assurance, and education and pride, and also facilitates the further development of bilateral economic and trade relations. Now, the basic foundation of the professional growth of Azerbaijani exhibitors is openness, transparency, and the willingness to make an independent examination of their products, which is required in doing business.

Several national stands combined their expositions at the show, and distinguished themselves by taking part in the general business forum for cooperation. Germany, Finland, Iran, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Italy were present in Baku, representing many advanced foreign companies that hoped to make a favorable impression on local professionals.

In fact, a lot of guests repeatedly stressed the high level of professionalism among their Azerbaijani counterparts. The preliminary statistics already show that every sixth-seventh visitor attracted the attention of foreign exhibitors, as a future partner, potential customer or engineer. For them, it was interesting to exchange opinions, or even to conduct a master class.

The exhibition also became a serious counterweight to the global crisis, which prevented similar activities in other countries. Some participants explained their visit as a way to try and solve the "crisis" and increase sales, while others said they wanted to expand their advertising operation, enter a new information environment. Meanwhile, others still said they aspired to gain a particular market share. But the important thing is that all of these strategic actions meet two factors -- first, implementing foreign PR and business plans was made possible thanks to BakuBuild-2010 and second, Azerbaijan proved to be a reliable partner country with high economic growth and construction rates during such troubling times. Both the united stand and individual exhibitors made this statement at the event.

Visitors welcomed the project idea of the "Innovations Zone", where companies presented new products and technologies at stands marked by a special sign. These stands attracted extra attention. The Ukrainian-Azerbaijan Business Forum was also successfully held at the event. An important component of the business program was a roundtable discussion on "City for All", which was dedicated to innovative technologies and urban planning, taking into account special provisions for the elderly, the disabled, and young residents. State structures described in detail their original plans projects in this area.

Let us ask ourselves now at the close of the event a rhetorical question: "Are we pleased with the exhibition?" The guests may use different words to answer this question; however, simply saying “I don’t want to leave” would characterize the opinion of most guests and participants, who masterfully created a large comfortable house, where it is pleasant to live and work.


/Today.Az/