1029 After the great success of its first edition, and voila, since yesterday morning, more than 180 exhibitors are gathered at the Lahore exhibition center for the engineering and health fair until Saturday evening, where professional visitors can find all the advice there to complete a project to manufacture tractors, motorcycles, medicines and medical equipment. Unmissable, this 100% economic event brings together producers and consumers. More than thirty foreign delegations came to the show to discover the products (Made in Pakistan). The show is inaugurated by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Trade Mr. Malik Ghulam, and the Director General of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) in the presence of several national and international personalities.
By Muqadas Shehzadi, journalist
in Lahore (Pakistan)
From the 23rd to the 25th of the current month, the Lahore exhibition center will welcome thousands of visitors and official delegations from more than 30 African countries and the rest of the world. The agricultural equipment manufacturers, who came in force, showed a lot of audacity and new technical skills. This major meeting is an opportunity for professional networking and the establishment of business contacts and partnerships between national and international economic operators. This was well illustrated during this second edition where exhibitors are driven by a real will and an increased determination to conquer the hearts and pockets of consumers.
Everything is beautiful, everything is done to seduce visitors who will come from everywhere, from Africa and Europe and elsewhere. As every morning, moreover, over the minutes, the living room fills up. A joy runs through the crowd of visitors who cross the three large halls in a great atmosphere. Fuse everywhere, in front of custom-designed stands offering quality products with, icing on the cake, discounts to customers, some of whom have sometimes come from afar, find with happiness and perhaps for some with “appetite”, the great fair to discover new products where all segments of the industry are present. A highlight for the promotion of "Made in Pakistan". There is something for everyone: products from the mechanical industries, furniture, textiles, the electronics industry, the chemical and petrochemical industry, the mechanical industry and handicraft equipment. In front of the fabric stand, a couple from the city center, not far from the center of the exhibition, speaks: “We left early this morning. It’s a real pleasure to be here to discover our production”, he rejoices. According to Muhammad Zubair MOTIWALAN Director General of Pakistan Trade Development Authority. “Through the engineering and healthcare show ,TDAP has decided to invite the whole world so they can see for themselves the precision and the perfection with which our affordable engineering products are manufactured for international supply chains.
The same goes for our healthcare sector which has effectively captured the African market because of its quality yet affordability. The previous of the event allowed Pakistan to strengthen trade ties in our targeted markets. This year, we hope to expand our outreach across the globe. We believe that it will also be an extraordinary opportunity for our delegates to familiarize with a market that has both the potential and the will to thrive. ” he said. On his behalf, Dr. Fareed Iqbal QURESHI, Secretary of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. “The engineering and healthcare show is one such forum that has built a reputation of highlighting our non-traditional export sector. In 2022, this neophyte event attracted 325 foreign delegates from 46 countries who held successful b2b meetings with our manufacturers and trade chambers. The tremendous success of the event could be gauged from the fact that in the immediate two fiscal quarters following the event, there was an increment of 16% in the exports of exhibiting sectors to targeted markets. Upholding the same spirit, TDAP is organizing the 2nd edition of this grand event where the trade promotion organizations, trade associations’ chambers and regulatory bodies from all over the world will hold meetings with their Pakistanis counterparts. Factory visit will also be organized for the delegates so that they can experience for themselves the quality of our manufactured goods. We firmly believe that this grand event will open new avenues for Pakistan and its trade partners”. he wrote on the show catalog. .
A tour of the pits.
At the stand of Murshid Farm Industries, founded in 1965, which specializes in assembling tractors and provides agricultural products, machinery and services, a stand manager will tell us "at first, everything started as a small agricultural business, but Murshid Farm Industries has excelled to become one of the most reputable Massey Ferguson tractor suppliers in Pakistan, Africa and several countries around the world. On the partnership front, the official added that in a brief statement that a partnership "demonstrates the confidence that the American firm has in the Pakistani market and industry, it is also a strong message to managers, workers and Pakistani farmers to help revive the national industrial sector," he said.
The United motorcycles company offers a variety of motorcycle products (Made in Pakistan), such as motorcycle ambulances, motorcycles – transporting people, including motorcycles for the disabled. The general manager Mr. Sallam Ullah of the United motorcycles company will tell us that "our products (motorcycles) are very solid and of good quality, are manufactured locally, here in Pakistan, for the prices, they oscillate, for example, for the two wheels prices vary between 495 and 650 dollars and three-wheeled motorcycles the price is minimum 1650 dollars” he explained. Another sector, that of protective clothing (vests, gloves, etc.), the commercial director of the company will tell us on his part, that "We have products that meet quality standards with a good price quality. We try to be in tune with the latest fashion trend,” he says. He add: “We are here to highlight Pakistani expertise in this area. We have a wide range of products exported to several countries. We are working on expanding our markets internationally and to Africa. He indicated that serious contacts have been established with several countries and negotiations are very advanced to be able to launch our export operations,” he stressed. He indicated that Pakistanis are beginning to take an interest in local products of superior quality which has nothing to envy to those from abroad. Sales manager at the company Murshid, manufacturer of tractors, confirms the trend towards the export of its products (tractors and agricultural equipment). He says that the group's ambition in the years to come is to export and conquer the market, particularly in Africa such as the markets of Senegal, Mauritania and also European countries such as Spain and the countries of the Middle East. “We are at a very advanced stage in the negotiations. There are only a few procedures left to settle,” he said. He says that the sector is growing and manages to meet national needs, while generating a surplus for export. The fact remains that, according to him, the sector comes up against shortages of the raw material. "The raw material is a real challenge," he said. In short, all unanimous, the exhibitors at the show share almost the same concern, namely to work for the promotion of the national product to raise it to a quality capable of placing it on the international market.
Second from the left, Mr. Abdelkarim SAIGH, general manager of Sarl VMS Industrie, manufacture of cycles and motorcycles, during discussions with the managers of the company, United motorcycles.
According to Mr. Abdelkarim SAIGH, general manager of Sarl VMS Industrie, manufacture of cycles and motorcycles, when he will tell us that, "I came from Algeria especially to discover Pakistani products that meet international standards, and that will be, for me, an opportunity to discover new products, to take advice from experts, and also to visit some factories specializing in the manufacture of motorcycles, because I am in the field. But our concern, in our sector, I would say that it is indeed one of our main problems. We lack an orientation towards international markets. We try to export when internal demand is satisfied, but this cannot be improvised, it takes an organization with a clear export vocation, a competitive product and perseverance”, smiles shyly.
Mr MAMACHE Sid Ali, managing director of Eurl Proshield specializing in beacons
For his part, the managing director of Eurl Proshield specializing in beacons, Mr MAMACHE Sid Ali, "For the first time that I have visited this major show (moreover, it is its second edition) and I am really satisfied with my first trip here to Pakistan, for me, it's an immense desire to make known this beautiful and very welcoming country and for the show, I hope to make productive meetings there with other professionals and why not, find partnerships for the future ! As an entrepreneur and guest at the fair, at the same time, for me this fair is of great importance due to the various factors. In addition, my intention is to export my Gyrophare product, because the latter does not exist here in Pakistan” he underlined, remember that Eurl Proshield, manufactures intervention and safety shoes and is active in the importation of certain products that the company needs. The Algerian delegation warmly thanked Mr. Qazafi RIND, trade and investment counselor at the Embassy of Pakistan in Algiers for his efforts and his commitment to the success of this mission. For the second day of the show, Dr. Fareed Iqbal Qureshi, head of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), granted each delegation about thirty minutes to discuss future partnerships with the sole objective of winning – winning, in the end Mr. Abdelkarim SAIGH, general manager of Sarl VMS Industrie, manufacture of cycles and motorcycles received the trophy from the hands of the head of TDAP as a sign of much more encouragement in his activities.
Mr. Qazafi RIND, Trade and Investment Counselor at the Embassy of Pakistan in Algiers