It would seem as if Nib Insurance SC was the only insurance firm that recognised the existence of potential clients in the construction industry. It was the only company in its sector that attended the Ethio Built’10, which was the second Addis International Construction and the first Real Estate Trade Fair, jointly organised by an Ethiopian and Ecuadorian companies. The event, which opened on Thursday, February 4, 2010, will close at 7pm, Sunday, February 7, 2010. It has attracted mostly local but also a few international companies.
“This is one promotional and image building activity for our company,” Meseret Tilahun, manager of the Marketing and Business Development Department of the insurance firm, said. NIB has aimed to boost the share of the construction sector in its insurance portfolio from 20 million Br in 2008/09 to 25 million Br this fiscal year, Meseret said.
“We are not here to sell policies but to introduce our products,” Meseret told Fortune. Nib was giving out brochures and CDs to the visitors to the event as part of its promotional activity. Whether or not Nib’s efforts translated into future business, the Ethio Built’10 had 53 participants from the construction sector, including two from India, and one each from South Africa and Germany. All 53 exhibitors were housed in one pavilion and eight tents in the open.
House furniture, cobblestone, floor tiles, roof tiles, pipes, electrical equipments and wooden doors were among the products that are displayed. There were also various construction vehicles and machinery. For the real estate section, Ambassador, Akakas and Enyi real estates, as well as Flintstone Homes and Kibco Trading and Real Estate were the only participants. The exhibition organisers had been preparing for the event organised under the theme, “Building a better tomorrow,” they say.
“We printed around 3,000 brochures distributed to key visitors who could potentially form business relations with the participants,” Juan Pablo Camacho, organiser representing HPP World Wide Ecuador, said. HPP World Wide collaborated with Ultimate Engineering, a local engineering company, for the organisation of the event.
[Fortune]