Infrastructure developments and the mega projects in the region are boosting spending on audio visual solutions and major vendors are gearing up to reap the harvest.
From high-definition slim bezel signage monitors to a range of intelligent, interactive LED displays, the market is embracing modernity, simplicity in design and intelligent innovation.
Ravinder Kumar, general manager of business solutions network at Sharp Middle East, told Gulf News that the industry is in a consistently growing trajectory.
“We need to discount the ongoing drop in oil prices but the overall audio visual industry is growing. The infrastructure projects in the region are promising for many years to come. The biggest countries are Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar,” he said.
Led by products, equipment, and services for megaprojects and events such as World Expo 2020 in Dubai, 2022 Fifa World Cup Qatar, and transport and Smart Cities projects in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the hospitality and retail sectors are set to see the most benefit.
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According to trade association InfoComm International, the Middle East’s audio visual market is set to post one of the world’s fastest growth rates after Asia, increasing by 76 per cent from $1.57 billion (Dh5.8 billion) in 2012 to $2.76 billion in 2016.
The audio visual market for the Middle East and Africa region is set to reach $4.63 billion by 2016, out of this the GCC is expected to contribute more than $300 million.
Buoyancy of growth
Audio visual technology covers every industry vertical, and can include high-definition displays and projectors, lighting to sound systems, and streaming and webcasting technology.
Kumar said that the buoyancy of growth has been predominant in health care and education besides infrastructure. Retailing sector has been strong due to the malls, theme parks and entertainment parks.
Sharp has launched the world’s first 8K TV and the world’s largest 120-inches 4K commercial screen, which is worth $250,000.
“We are looking at multiple sectors for the 120-inch screen, predominantly for high-security area control rooms and for some high-profile customers to use it homes,” Kumar said.
Richard Tan, Executive Director, InfoComm Asia Pte Ltd, said that the UAE is a hub for entertainment and sports, with its audio visual market for venues and events crossing $50 million by 2016.
“The Middle East posting one of the world’s fastest growth rates in audio visual technology shows that we’ve gone from an era of talking about the benefits of audio visual technology, to organisations actually purchasing solutions — whether high-definition displays for exhibition sites and stadiums, virtual check-in kiosks at hotels, or security systems for metro projects,” he said.
Robert Nurgberg, director of Marketing (B2B) at LG Middle East and Africa, said that the industry is going to explode in the next couple of years. The biggest sector for video walls is retail and transportation sectors.