The annual Big 5 Construct Kenya, a major event in the construction industry, officially kicked off Wednesday in Nairobi.
The event is taking place at the Sarit Mall center.
The opening was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which was graced by Nikolitsa Pantazopoulou, Honorary Consul of Greece in Kenya; Giuseppe Manenti, Director at the Italian Trade Agency; and Ben Greenish, Senior Vice President at dmg events, the organizers of Big 5 Construct Kenya.
Construction industry representatives from Kenya also joined the ceremony.
“As we open this year’s Big 5 Construct Kenya, we’re looking forward to providing an opportunity for 8,000 buyers to connect with exhibitors and access the latest construction materials, equipment, and services to support the supply chain and boost project efficiency. The event showcases cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices, enabling construction professionals in Kenya to easily incorporate these solutions into their ongoing projects to improve performance,” said Greenish.
Big 5 Construct Kenya presents a valuable chance to establish new partnerships and attract investments for a wide range of upcoming and ongoing projects.
The three-day Expo has brought together over 150 exhibitors and over 8,000 construction professionals with an aim of capitalizing on Kenya's promising $6.65 billion growth outlook in the construction sector
The event features products and services under eight construction sectors such as building interiors, finishes, materials, and tools to HVAC R, solar solutions, urban design landscaping, MEP services, digital construction, smart buildings, and others.
Driving strong international interest, alongside the participation of local companies, Big 5 Construct Kenya welcomed exhibitors from a variety of countries, including but not limited to Latvia, Slovenia, Ethiopia, Romania, Poland, Lebanon, the USA, Italy, Egypt, Germany, China, Türkiye, and Greece.
Showcasing local expertise, Kenyan exhibitors such as Chryso Eastern Africa present chemical solutions that help create sustainable building materials, while Alamdar Trading presents power tools by CAT and Universal Engineering Systems showcases expertise in mechanical ventilation by Daikin.
Another exhibitor, Ejot Fixing Solutions East Africa presents advanced fastening technology and a broad range of innovative fastening elements; simultaneously, Nairobi-headquartered Antarc brings furniture, floor, and wall solutions.
Some international companies such as Franna from Australia present pick-and-carry cranes, while Buzon from Belgium exhibits its recyclable terrace pedestals.
China’s Dong Xing Chemical Group presents a wide range of construction and coatings products.
Egypt’s AlexForm showcases the latest steel fabrication and sandwich panels, and Delta Sand Bricks presents Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) products. Türkiye’s Kıraç Galvaniz showcases expertise in steel construction and solar energy systems.
Germany’s Bauer exhibits its construction & machinery manufacturing expertise. Other renowned brands such as Franna, Masa, Bauer, Dar Al-Handasah, Mapei, ELEMATIC, TOPWERK, and Raimondi Cranes, also headline the event.
“Among international participants from other countries, Italy hosts the biggest country pavilion at the event supporting the expansion of the Italian footprint in Kenya’s construction landscape.
"Their participation coincides with Italy and Kenya’s efforts to enhance the balance of trade between the two countries as well as the Italian footprint within the Kenyan construction landscape,” added Greenish. The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) is supporting Big 5 Construct Kenya as the Gold Sponsor.
The event is hosting Continuous Professional Development (CPD) accredited Industry Talks, with the opening day including Eng. Emmanuel Uwalaka, Executive Director at OSH Association sharing insights on health & safety hazards and controls in the industry, while Rose Kananu, Director at Howard Aidevo Consulting highlights the importance of building a proficient project team.
The trio of Roy M. Githaiga, Head of Technical, Kenya Green Building Society (moderator); Winnie Onyansi, Environmentalist, Kenya Urban Roads Authority-Nyanza; and Julien FOUILLIART, Africa Market Leader Building and Infrastructure, Bureau Veritas Africa will discuss the future of megaprojects and their impact on the economy.
Another prominent panel explores the root cause for project failures in the construction industry, featuring speakers from the University of Nairobi, Triad Architects, Synergetic Development Group, PMI Kenya and Safal Building Systems.
The Industry Talks are free to attend and offer visitors an opportunity to earn CPD points and gain valuable insight from industry leaders, subject matter experts, and practitioners.
During the three days, further talks will focus on project management, technology, architecture & design, facilities management and sustainability.
“This year’s gathering will unify the industry to foster and bolster local and international connections and partnerships that will facilitate further growth of the Kenyan construction sector,” concludes Greenish.
Big 5 Construct Kenya 2023 is supported by the Town and County Planners Association of Kenya, the Chartered Institute of Building, Project Management Institute Kenya, the Kenya Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, the Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya, and Kenya Green Building Society, among others.