The construction industry in the Middle East is being swamped with outdated, worn out equipment from Europe, according to some exhibitors at the Conmex exhibition in Sharjah.
Buying cheap, second-hand equipment not only endangers workers, the constant repairs and replacements parts can cause project costs to soar.
The four-day event at the Expo Centre Sharjah was the largest display of construction machinery, equipment and vehicles in the Middle East.
It was expected to attract up to 6,500 industry representatives from 23 different countries.
In recent months there has been a spate of accidents in the Dubai area, some of which has been blamed on the use of old machinery.
One of the exhibitors was George Annish, the general manager of Qatar-based dealer Al Hamed Automobiles.
He said: “If people buy second-hand equipment then it often comes from Europe and is in a poor condition.
“They are coming to the Middle East in a bad condition in terms of the engines, the gear boxes and the tyres.
“Buying a new piece of equipment may seem like an expensive investment, but if you are buying second-hand you are taking a risk.”
Despite the large rental and second-hand market within the industry, Ninan George, the marketing manager for Sharjah-based Al Wasit Machinery Trading felt that firms were beginning to see the advantages of buying new equipment, and he estimated that 60 percent of purchases were new.
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