As the world emerges from the pandemic and governments focus on stimulating their economies and prioritising a more sustainable and resilient future, spending on infrastructure will rank among the top priorities.
With economic activity and job creation stimulated by infrastructure development, the final result is often greater than the initial injection of spending. Thus, infrastructure investment will remain critical in creating a positive legacy of economic expansion that is more resilient and sustainable. In the short term, infrastructure investment is a formidable tool for raising output through increased construction activity and employment, and is essential in securing a ‘V-shaped’ – rather than ‘U-shaped’ – recovery.
While COVID-19 exposed the infrastructure gaps in healthcare, telecommunications and logistics which many ASEAN governments sought to fill urgently, many other areas of improvement or which required upgrading swiftly came to the surface. From Thailand to Vietnam, Indonesia to Singapore, infrastructure building is at the top of the agenda, including improvement works on national expressways, highways, airports, mass transit projects to infrastructure development on renewable energy projects, logistics and transport, public health, and info-communication technology. On the global stage, Southeast Asia plays an increasingly important role and with the combined GDPs of the ASEAN trading group, it is the fifth largest economy in the world.
With capital projects and priority infrastructure expansions in the region kicking into high gear, the introduction of new trade fairs such as GIFA and METEC Southeast Asia, organised by one of the region’s leading exhibition organisers – Messe Düsseldorf Asia – are ideally timed and will complement investment decisions in the region. Both trade fairs will take place at BITEC, Bangna from 5-7 October and will present a comprehensive spectrum of products and solutions from additive manufacturing, casting machines to processing equipment and new technology for the user industries – from automotive, building and construction, energy and gas, to users from metal and steel plants.
According to Gernot Ringling, Managing Director, Messe Düsseldorf Asia, “Thailand has a strong and resilient market particularly for the automotive sector. Though recovery to pre-crisis levels may take some time, safety concerns could boost demand for passenger cars and the move to electric vehicles will continue. Consequently, die casting technology market will see significant growth potential and, similarly for emerging economies such as Vietnam and Indonesia with major infrastructure projects underway, this bodes well for the manufacturing sector,” added Ringling.
“As we emerge from the pandemic, infrastructure and economic growth of ASEAN points to several key infrastructure projects which are in the pipeline and will be instrumental in creating value for Thailand’s economy. Wires, tubes, cables and pipes, casting technology and steel products are often the unsung heroes of many an industry and yet they are absolutely essential across almost every industry in one form or the other,” he said.
On the back of the growing demand and need for quality resources, materials, solutions and technology to drive the various investment projects, co-located with GIFA and METEC Southeast Asia are the well-established wire Southeast Asia and Tube Southeast Asia which have been anchored in Bangkok since 2007 – all four synergistic trade fairs will take place from 5-7 October at BITEC, Bangna. The trade fairs will feature innovations and cost-effective solutions serving the wire, cable, tube, pipe, and steel and metals sectors in Thailand across several industries – from automotive, building and construction, energy and gas, to users from metal and steel plants.
Wire & Cable, Tube & Pipe, GIFA and METEC Southeast Asia 2022 trade fairs will welcome 200 companies from 30 countries around the world as they expand their footprint into Asia and in the ASEAN markets. The trade fairs provide an opportunity for public and private sectors to network, exchange best practices, and do business with leading companies around the world, while also reinforcing Thailand’s number one position as the destination hub for the manufacturing sector.
Set against the backdrop of ASEAN potentially spending an estimated US$323 billion on infrastructure developments in the next few years, the four trade fairs’ timely staging will provide a mutually beneficial platform for the industries to share best practices and shape partnerships that will inspire cross-border expansion, establish their corporate presence, discover business prospects in Thailand, or for local companies to step into the global arena.
Visitor registration to the trade fairs are now open. For more information, go to: www.metec-southeastasia.com, www.gifa-southeastasia.com; www.wire-southeastasia.com, www.tube.southeast.com.
