NAG present at Airport Show Dubai
Last 7 – 9 May 2018 the 18th edition of Airport Show in Dubai took place. This show offers companies in airport development around the region an invaluable opportunity to view the latest global technologies, meet aviation experts from around the world and share ideas, best practices and create new opportunities for our industry to collaborate. Several NAG members participated in this Airport Show: Colson Europe, SABA Adhesives & Sealants, SACO Airport Equipment, Possehl and Vanderlande.
Arjen Hagevoort, Export Manager at SABA Adhesives & Sealants, was present at the Airport Show. He shares in short why he participated in this show: “We participated mostly for fact finding: to see, to hear what the current situation and possibilities are in the Middle East and also for Africa & Asia. Because people from all those regions came to visit the Airport Show, it was an interesting possibility to get in touch with them.
The added value for Arjen was the match making program, business connect: “The match making program, organized by the Airport Show, made sure that the quality of the visitors was high. As a result, there are now several contacts with who we discuss possible follow-up steps.”
Nabil Bouhouch, Sales Manager at SACO Airport Equipment, was also present at the Airport Show as well and shares his experience. “It was my first time with the NAG at the Holland Pavilion. At SACO, we know and we have been operating in the European market for a long time. As we have the ambition to expand our business to other countries and areas and given the enormous increase of activities in the Middle-Eastern and African market, we decided to participate at the Holland Pavilion of the Airport Show. With the ultimate goal to strengthen our presence in the Middle-East and to shift from an opportunity driven approach to a more structured approach.”
What really was a highlight of the Airport Show for Nabil was the possibility of the Business Connect system. This exclusive networking program provides experts and decision makers the possibility to pre-schedule meetings with exhibiting companies, to meet face to face during the event. “Because of this system, I have spoken very easily to almost all buyers who were in my area of interest. An important benefit for me as well was that it cost me less energy than usual, because the system provided the possibility for pre-scheduled meetings.
Participating in this Airport Show had added value, so we could gather information about actual leads and projects in the Middle East and Africa. We were looking to form a more concrete idea about the opportunities and risks involved when doing business with countries in the Middle East. Next to that, we could benefit from the support and network from the NAG. This insight of the market and intelligence was partially gathered during the Airport show but also during the event organized by the Netherlands Business Council, which we had the opportunity and the pleasure to attend to thanks to the presence of the NAG represented by Sjoerd Keizerwaard. During this event we had the opportunity to talk to Dutch people, living and running businesses in Dubai, and learn from their experiences.”
Will there be a next time? “I would certainly participate with a show at the Holland Pavilion with the NAG more often because, depending on the market / region, our company wants to stand independently. I support the idea that we, as Dutch companies, have to radiate and sell the Dutch culture above our individual products.
Concluded: “For me personally it was a good and instructive experience to participate in this Airport Show. I now know exactly what I need to do to achieve my goals and succeed in doing business over there. Next to that, interaction and sociability with the other members of the NAG present at the stand was a pleasant experience.”
