Finex 2013 Connects Iran With World

By Sadeq Dehqan & FarzamVanaki

The Fifth Fajr International Inventions and Innovations Exhibition (Finex 2013) with the objective of helping commercializing and improving inventions was held in Imam Khomeini Mosalla on February 4-7.
According to Iran Daily reporters, 330 inventions were handed over to the board of referees, 260 were presented to be commercialized and 80 commercialized inventions were showcased.
It was for the first time that the exhibition was held officially at international level with 31 countries displaying 60 inventions.
Bosnia, Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, South Korea, Thailand, Poland, Germany, Russia, Australia, Kuwait, Romania, Qatar, Cyprus and Turkey were among the countries that participated in the exhibition. They showcased their products in the fields of mechanics, electronics, advanced and middle technologies.
The main characteristic of the innovations was that they did not have any domestic or foreign counterparts.
Baqer Mohajerani, in charge of holding the exhibition, in an interview with Iran Daily said the most important purpose of holding the expo at an international level was to connect Iranian and foreign inventors.
“By adding an international sector to the exhibition, we tried to prepare the ground for domestic and foreign inventors to exchange modern technologies and their latest achievements.”
Referring to last year’s event, he said, “Although the fourth course of this exhibition was not international, 18 countries were invited selectively to take part in it.”
“However, due to the favorable participation of the foreign countries in the fourth course, and member countries of the International Federation of Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Group and Indian Ocean littoral states handing over applications to take part in the fair, measures were adopted to obtain necessary permits for holding an international exhibition.”
“We sent invitations to all the countries in which Iran has established its embassy as well as all the embassies located in Iran and asked them to send their plans and innovations to the secretariat of the exhibition.”
“We received some 160 foreign plans, of which we selected 60 inventors from 31 countries,” he added.
International organizations including International Federation of Inventors Associations (IFIA) took part in the exhibition.
At the end of the expo, medals and letters of appreciation were distributed among the selected participants and superior inventors.
A Lebanese inventor, Hussein Hazime, who had participated in the expo explaining about his invention said, “Using my invention, blind and deaf people will no longer need to use cane. This instrument will be installed on their bodies, its sensors will receive environment’s signals and after analyzing them will transfer them to disabled people by sending voice messages. Even if someone suffers from both disabilities, the instrument signals the messages by vibrating.”
He added the instrument will be charged by using solar energy and its production expenses are low which make its mass production possible.
“My motivation behind inventing this instrument was to help disabled people,” he added, “I am ready to cooperate with any country to start its mass production.”
Majid Hashemipour, an Iranian professor who was taking part in the exhibition as the representative of Eastern Mediterranean University of Cyprus, said, “This university is among the major ones in the Middle East which has about 15,000 students from 71 countries. It has also about 1,000 Iranian students.”
He said it was a positive point that despite the West’s sanctions imposed on the country, some 30 countries are taking part in the exhibition.
He added his university is participating in the expo by showcasing 2 inventions. “One of them is an electronic automobile with the capacity of carrying two people.”
Hare Eminoglu, a student from the same university commenting on the second invention said, “It is an instrument that can be used for gathering ziziphus lotus fruits and ripe fruits that fall from trees. It has the ability to easily pick them up without damaging them.”
Cenneth Lindkvist, a member of Stockholm’s (Sweden) Inventors Association, said one of the inventions presented by his country is a food container that can hold the food warm for hours because of the special alloy used in its body.

7.561m Tons of Gas Condensates Exported By PSEEZ

Some 14.531 million tons of light and heavy polyethylene, gas condensates, propane, butane, benzene and paraxylene worth $11.804 billion were exported from Pars Special Economic Zone during the 10 months of current Iranian year (March 20, 2012-Jan. 19, 2013).
Director General of Pars Special Energy Economic Zone (PSEEZ) about 7.561 million tons of the total figure, valued at $732 million pertained to gas condensates, IRNA reported.
The official also said that about 7 million tons of non-oil commodities worth $4.8 billion were exported from PSEEZ.
China, Japan, UAE, India, Indonesia, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Turkey, Romania, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Afghanistan were the main destinations for PSEEZ’s exports, he added.
Pourheydar said that about 545,531 tons of goods worth $1.79 billion were imported through PSEEZ Customs Department. “Laboratory equipment and chemical material constituted the major part of imported goods.”
More than 8,786 tons of commodities worth $578,675 were transited into the country through the zone while the figure for exporting transit stood at 426,677 tons worth $33 million.

142 Firms to Participate In Int’l Gold, Jewelry Expo

Some 142 Iranian and foreign companies will take part in the Fifth International Gold, Silver, Jewelry, Watch and Relevant Industries Exhibition slated for February 14-17.
The event will host 120 Iranian and 22 foreign firms from Turkey, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, China, Thailand and Germany, IRNA reported.
It will display various types of domestically-made gold ornaments and jewelry, precious stones, sets and instruments for making gold, fire-proof boxes and other relevant equipment.
Holding training workshops on the sidelines of the exhibition is also on the agenda.
Six trade delegations from Russia, Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and UAE will also visit the exhibition.
It will provide an opportunity for producers and exporters to get acquainted with machinery, products and modern technologies.

280,000 Tons of Staples For Distribution

Domestic Economy Desk

Some 280,000 tons of staple goods and fruits will be distributed across the country in closing days of current year (to end March 20), announced minister of industries, mines, and commerce.
Mehdi Ghazanfari said the ministry has prioritized production sector and people’s means of livelihood, IRNA reported.
He explained that the goods and fruits would be distributed at affordable prices across 31 provinces.
Close to 70,000 tons of chicken meat, 30,000 tons of red meat, 30,000 tons of rice, 20,000 tons of cooking oil, and 30,000 tons of sugar would be offered via fairs, chain stores, and shopping centers until March 15, he said.
About 100,000 tons of fruits including 60,000 tons of oranges and 40,000 tons of apples would be secured domestically, he added.
Ghazanfari also said producers would sell their commodities with discounts during direct commodity supply fairs. “They will sell meat, fruits and citrus, rice, sugar, and edible oil below the market price.”
He said close to 20,000 tons of chicken meat is being distributed at the price of 51,000 rials per kilogram, and huge distribution of rice is underway nationwide.

Sponge Iron Production To Increase

Domestic Economy Desk

The direct reduction unit of Arfa Iron and Steel Plant located in Ardakan, Yazd province will be inaugurated in near future in a ceremony to be attended by high ranking officials.
Managing Director of Arfa Iron and Steel Company Ahmad Keyvan Ara said the unit has the capacity to produce 800,000 tons of sponge iron annually, IRNA reported.
He also said about 2 trillion rials plus €200 million have been invested in the project, adding necessary infrastructure including water and electricity have been provided.
Steel manufacturing unit of the plant will also become operational in near future, he said. “The full operation of the Arfa Steel and Iron project will generate 1,000 and 5,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region.”
Iran has increased its steel production output by more than 9 percent and is the world’s 15th steel producer, the World Steel Association (WSA) announced.
According to the WSA’s latest report released in January, Iran’s steel production output hit 14.463mln tons in 2012, showing a 9.6-percent growth in comparison with the year before.
Among 62 world major steel producers, Iran jumped two steps higher and became the world’s 15th steel producer in 2012 and ranked above UK, Spain and Canada.

Orchard Crops Export Up 14%

Domestic Economy Desk

In spite of illegal Western sanctions, Iran has witnessed a positive trend in terms of producing orchard crops, said director general of Agricultural Jihad Ministry’s Office for Fruit.
Rahmatollah Parichehr told IRNA the volume of exports has grown by 14 percent during current Iranian year (started March 20, 2012), against the figure for last year.
He said over $2 billion worth of horticultural products particularly pistachio and raisin have been exported in the past two years.
Export of orchard crops has seen a significant growth in terms of value and weight, he added. “This year, apple and citrus have joined export items.”
Iran has a vast potential in terms of exporting various fruits in light of production rate, he said, “Per capita production of fruit stands at 220 kilograms (kg) in Iran, whereas the figure is 90 kg in other countries.”
“This shows that Iran produces orchard products more than required. Therefore, the country has a potential for exports,” he added.

Pardis Mehr Units

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated 3,000 Mehr Housing Units in Pardis New City of Tehran province on Tuesday.