Mideast security fair Intersec opens in Dubai

The 16th edition of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) security fair and exhibition Intersec opened in Dubai on Sunday. As many as 1,120 exhibitors and delegates from 54 countries participated in the three-day fair, representing a 22 percent year on year growth. This year's Intersec is the biggest exhibition ever since its inception 16 years ago, according to the fair's organizer Epoc Messe Frankfurt. Ahmed Pauwels, chief executive officer of Epoc Messe Frankfurt said the Middle East security market is expected to grow by 10 percent in 2014 to reach a volume of 6.3 billion U.S. dollars. Globally the security market volume for surveillance cameras, armored vehicles, scanners, security clothes, biometric reading systems and related products will reach 244 billion dollars by 2016. The presence of Chinese firms in the ongoing fair is notable. With 177 exhibiting firms, China runs the second biggest country pavilion at Intersec behind the host country UAE. "We are participating at the Intersec for the third time," said Tim Shen, marketing director overseas business center at Dalhua Technology from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in southern China. Dalhua produces video surveillance systems "and we recorded year on year growth of 70 percent in 2013," said Shen.