Taiwan to mount major technology pavilion at Mid East packaging show

The 138 square metre industry pavilion will house 12 Taiwanese companies, most suppliers of hi-tech packaging machinery.

"The Taiwanese industry sees demand from the Middle East emerging from increased agricultural production and the rapid development of a Gulf-wide food processing industry," explained Sharla Hancock, Project Manager, Fairs and Exhibitions (F&E), which organises the show.

"The sector has been buoyed by recent industry figures, released by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which show that sales of food and beverage manufactured in the emirate grew by 4.4% in 2001 on 2000 to hit DHS 3 billion. What is happening in Dubai is reflected throughout the Gulf, particularly in Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where food processing is a high priority diversification industry."

Machinery to go on display in the pavilion ranges from tarpaulin production to bag sealing and cutting equipment, carton adjusters, blow film machines, aluminium foil sealers as well as labellers and date-coders.

The Taiwanese pavilion will be the largest at PackTech International, which will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 12-15. A Turkish industry pavilion of 126 square metres has also been confirmed as has a Chinese industry pavilion.

"In all exhibitors from 16 countries from throughout the Middle East, Europe, the Indian Sub-Continent, Asia and the Far East have contracted," said Hancock. "For the first time, the show will also have participants from Greece, Armenia and Malta."

Running alongside PackTech International will be a sister show - PrinTech/PubliTech, designed to service the region's growing printing and publishing sectors. This sister show, which boasts exhibitors from the Far East and Middle East, will feature a dedicated Iranian printing industry pavilion.

A biennial event, PackTech International is backed by the UK-headquartered Confederation of Organisers of Packaging Exhibitions (COPE).