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RIYADH: The second Saudi Wood Expo opened on Monday at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center with the aim of elevating the Kingdom’s wood and woodworking sectors.

The expo was inaugurated by Abdulaziz Al-Ahmadi, deputy minister for industrial development.

Over the next three days, the largest dedicated event in the Kingdom catering to the wood and woodworking value chain is set to welcome more than 10,000 visitors, promoting business networking and partnerships, according to organizer, dmg events.

Showcasing the Kingdom’s rapidly expanding wood and woodworking sector, the exhibition highlights ��������’s drive to meet surging demand while advancing the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The expo brings together an array of wood products, machinery and finishing solutions that cater to the country’s expanding construction, fit-out and design industries.

Speaking to Arab News at the expo, Matt Denton, president of dmg events, said: “It’s an incredibly exciting time for the Saudi exhibition industry in particular, and for the expo sector worldwide in general. What we have got here is a really hot and emerging market driven by the Vision 2030. There are so many great initiatives; what you really have to do is coordinate with suppliers and match them with local contractors to meet the demand.

“Saudi Wood Expo is one of 39 events we are doing this year. We are representing the market price where we can bring international exhibitors to showcase their products and match them with the local exhibitors and buyers. Here people are looking for partnerships and I think the market is booming because of that,” Denton said.

With large-scale urban developments underway across ��������, including residential, commercial and hospitality projects, the expo provides a timely place for suppliers to meet serious buyers and source products for upcoming projects.

“Over the next three days, Saudi Wood Expo will support ��������’s ambitions for sustainable and future-ready development aligned with international wood and woodworking sector standards,” said Muhammed Kazi, senior vice president, dmg events.

“With demand for timber, finishing products and woodworking technologies rising alongside ��������’s Vision 2030 projects, the exhibition provides a timely space for sourcing solutions and strategic cross-sector collaborations that will shape the market for years to come,” he said.

Poland’s Ambassador to �������� Robert Rostek, who attended the opening ceremony, told Arab News: “I am very happy to attend the unique and big Saudi Wood Expo with the presence of the Polish companies. They came for the first time to see the potential of the Saudi market and I do believe the next edition of the expo will have more and more Polish companies.”

This year’s expo brings a strong international presence, such as Germany’s Ilim Nordic Timber, a leading producer of high-quality softwood lumber, and Imos, a software developer offering advanced solutions for customized furniture production.

From Italy, exhibitors such as Freud, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of circular saw blades, and timber engineering specialist Rubner, will showcase the latest innovations.

The lineup also includes Austria’s CAD+T, which will showcase integrated woodworking solutions that combine 3D design, automated production data and flexible ERP tools to streamline workflows from concept to completion.

Among regional exhibitors is the UAE’s DesertBoard, debuting their flagship, Palm Strand Board, a sustainable material engineered from agricultural palm waste.

With �������� producing more than 300,000 tons of palm fronds annually, DesertBoard’s showcase highlights a regionally manufactured solution that supports Vision 2030’s drive for circular economy practices and low-carbon construction.

Local exhibitors play a prominent role, with Al Tajweed and Amaleed showcasing its long-standing expertise in wood design and finished products, and companies such as Fian Group, Iconic Trees — ColdWater Veneer and Al Sharq Al Masiya demonstrating the Kingdom’s growing capabilities in supplying specialized materials and woodworking technologies for construction, interior projects and furniture factories.

Faris Omar Al-Jaafari, MD, Amaleed, told Arab News: “It’s the first day of the expo, until now things are going well, we have good support from the organizers and are looking forward to good networking opportunities with suppliers, exhibitors and buyers. It’s a great opportunity for local exhibitors to showcase their products with famous international exhibitors. We are hoping to close contracts here.

“We are specialized in solid woodworks, it’s all handmade and locally produced, we have been in the market since 2003, and look forward to great collaborations,” he said.

“Building a Greener Future,” a talk hosted in collaboration with ITCO and Egger on Tuesday, will examine how the use of sustainable materials and smart sourcing is transforming construction and design, highlighting industry steps toward a greener future.

RIYADH: �������� on Monday expressed its condolences to the families of victims of an earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan late Sunday.

The earthquake has killed more than 800 people and injured at least 2,800, authorities said on Monday, as rescuers struggled to reach remote areas due to rough mountainous terrain and inclement weather.

Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the health ministry in Kabul, called for international aid to tackle the devastation wrought by the quake of magnitude 6 that struck around midnight local time, at a depth of 10 km.

The Foreign Ministry expressed the Kingdom’s solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and wished the injured a speedy recovery.