Page 106 - ITA Journal 3-2018

Preview: Tube Southeast Asia 2019
Tube Souteast Asia 2019
Rapid urbanisation, increased infrastructure spending heightens demand in the tube and pipe industries
Riding the wave of opportu- nity, Tube Southeast Asia 2019 returns to the Bangkok Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), Thai- land from 18 – 20 September
Cities all over Southeast Asia are on a growth trajectory, as indus- try projections indicate about 100 million people in ASEAN are expected to migrate from the countryside to cities from now through to 2030. From an eco- nomic standpoint – urbanisation which generally brings about improved productivity, better incomes, education, healthcare and transport, also comes with its own set of challenges. Hence the need for ‘smart cities’, where infor- mation and communications tech- nologies are integrated to improve operations across traf c ows, public transportation, energy and water usage and even healthcare services. In the case of Thailand, the country plans to transform its economy into a digitally powered ecosystem – creating no less than 100 “smart cities” over the next two decades.
The set-up of the ASEAN Smart City Network (ASCN) to support urban- isation will serve as a common platform for each of the region’s countries to share best practices, link member cities with private investment and secure funding. The effect of ASCN was seen in March this year, where the Aus- tralian government pledged A$30 million (S$30.3 million) into ASEAN smart cities. While in June
last year, the World Bank and the Swiss government established the US$13.4 million (S$18 million) Indonesia Sustainable Urbanisa- tion Multi-Donor Trust Fund to ensure the country’s urbanisation process is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
In tandem, Southeast Asian nations are expected to spend US$323 billion on infrastructure developments, from clear water, clean air, energy, roads, ports, rail- ways, to education and healthcare – promising business prospects for the region’s construction compa- nies. In Thailand, its government has pledged 1.5 trillion baht (S$62 billion) over the next ve years to boost growth and develop its three eastern provinces as the Eastern Economic Corridor, with infra- structure spending to remain a key driver for the economy and new development projects.
These market opportunities led by rapid urbanisation coupled with Southeast Asia’s booming infrastructure developments will undoubtedly trigger higher demand for tubes and pipes thanks to its versatility and rising application across a myriad of industries, from upstream, to midstream and down- stream. Likewise, its use in end-use industries from automotive, house- hold appliances to consumer elec- tronics will further bolster demand.
The strategic and timely staging of Tube Southeast Asia 2019, will thus pave the way for companies involved in the tube, pipe and
Messe Düsseldorf Asia Pte Ltd
3 HarbourFront Place #09-02 HarbourFront Tower Two Singapore 099254
Tel.: (65) 6332 9620 Fax: 865) 63374633
tube@mda.com.sg mda.messe-duesseldorf.com
ITAtube Journal No3/October 2018
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