Back to a country where they really love technology. Even with a new branch

That is one of the reasons why it is one of the leading Czech exporters today – and in recent years it has been gaining an increasingly important position in the region, which is one of the traditional bastions of lovers of technological innovations. That is, in the Middle East.

In recent years, its products and technologies – typically multifunctional relays, electronic devices or intelligent electro installations – have been part of large projects at the birth or renovation several times. In the United Arab Emirates, they are part of Dubai’s luxury hotels The Meydan, Mövenpick and the Rotana Towers network, Ferrari’s private showroom and many residential projects. In Saudi Arabia, they participated in the Private Palace project, in Kuwait for a change on the highly award-winning House 2035 project.  In 2020, ELKO EP also became one of the partners of the Czech pavilion at the WORLD EXPO 2020, where it managed the meeting room, offices and technical room using intelligent electro installations.

That is why the owner and founder of the company, Jiří Konečný, looked forward with great anticipation to this year’s Middle East Energy Dubai trade fair, which was again held at the World Trade Centre in Dubai after a one-year break caused by the coronavirus pandemic. “For us, trips to Arab countries are always an extraordinary experience. Firstly, because we have the opportunity to measure our innovations with the biggest players around the world, because in this region the building and modernization is being done on a massive scale. Then because the local people really love technology, this can be seen in the interest in our news and innovations,” says the man who went to the fair together with Petr Drastich, who has been living in Riyadh for a long time and has ELKO EP’s Middle Eastern activities under his thumb. The new head of the local branch Pooja Das also attended.

New ELKO EP branch in Dubai

It will be responsible for the projects that ELKO EP implements in the country. “There are a number of competitors in our market, but we are technologically further. This was also evident from the reactions of the guests to Middle East Energy, where we presented our products. Within three years, I would like iNELS or ELKO EP to be the first choice in the region for smart home installation projects. At this moment, we will focus on residential and retrofit projects,” says the energetic woman who is joining ELKO EP from the local company ELCA SYSTEMS.

This year’s 47th edition of the fair in the capital of the United Arab Emirates focused on five specific areas – smart solution, renewable and clean energy, backup generators and critical infrastructure, transmission and distribution and consumption of energy. It attracted eight hundred exhibitors and over fifteen thousand visitors.  The ELKO EP stand in Dubai was also supported by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United Arab Emirates, Jiří Slavík.

Relationships are better offline

“What excited me the most this year was the very opportunity to meet. We have had two economically successful years, but relationships cannot be developed as much just through online video or e-mail. Fortunately, we had already opened our own branches and sales offices in the region before the lockdown, so we were able to continue to operate. But it was more about maintaining positions than about the strategic development that this promising region undoubtedly deserved. In this respect, this year’s Middle East Energy has given us a boost again. In three days, we attended dozens of meetings with developers, investors and potential business partners. If at least part of the promised projects were implemented, we would again grow significantly within the region,” adds Jiří Konečný.