Nepal Buildcon and Wood International Expo 2018 kicked off on Friday at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu.

The programme was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa. On the occasion, Thapa said that such events would provide an opportunity for all participants and stakeholders to exhibit their products, expertise and technology and exchange ideas.

This is the fourth edition of the expo, and this year the theme is ‘Build Nepal, Invest in Development’.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri said that many exhibitors from India had come to the expo to work in partnership with Nepal’s building and infrastructure sector.

While the Buildcon expo is focused on architecture, building, construction, design and engineering, the Wood expo is focused on woodworking machinery, furniture production technologies, tools, fittings, accessories, raw materials and products.

The three-day event hosts more than 150 stalls related to construction, building, furniture and finishing, featuring over 220 domestic and internationals brands and products. More than 10 new technologies and products are scheduled to be unveiled at the fair.

The major attractions are heavy construction equipment, wood and woodworking machineries, prefabricated building structures, unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) windows machinery, doors and windows, architectural hardware, bathroom fittings, laminates, veneers, plywood, tiles and sanitary ware and roofing.

Other attractions to be showcased at the event are pre-engineering building, power tools, windows, concrete block machinery manufacturers, earthmoving equipment, material handling equipment and composite panels.

The show was organised for the first time in Kathmandu in 2015. The exhibition aims to bring architects, developers, engineers, contracting companies, material suppliers, furniture developers and technology providers at one spot for displaying and sourcing products.

Rajendra Bahadur Singh, chairman of Media Space Solutions, Prem Anveshi, managing director of Futurex Trade Fairs and Events, Hari Ram Shrestha, president of the Nepal Engineers Association, and Sujil Shrestha, vice-president of the Federation of Furniture and Finishing Entrepreneur Association, also attended the function.

The organisers of the event have expected to host more than 30,000 visitors. The expo is jointly organised by Futurex Trade Fairs and Events of Delhi and Media Space Solutions.