Gulf packaging, printing and publishing shows could go annual

F&E is also planning to run an industry-led conference alongside the shows.

The 2003 editions of the shows get underway at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre from January 12-15. Overall, exhibitors from 17 countries will take part in the sister events with PrinTech featuring an Iranian industry group.

Together the exhibitions are 16% larger than their previous showing in 2000 taking up 1,400 square metres.

The move to take the shows annual, was announced at a press conference today at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The press conference was attended by: Ahmed AbdulRehman Al Banna, the DCCI's Assistant Director General for Studies and International Affairs; Ahmed Hassan Bin Al Shaikh, Chairman, UAE Printers Association; Dominic McGill and Sharla Hancock, Project Managers of Fairs and Exhibitions.

Al Banna said PackTech International and PrinTech/PubliTech International are important for Dubai and for the role they play in promoting the industry sectors both in the UAE and the wider Middle East.

He said the shows are very successful having been introduced in Dubai in the late nineties. 'They have grown each time they have been held with more international companies participating,' he said.

Al Banna revealed that currently there are 200 active trade licences for the printing sector in Dubai and the emirate's total investment in the packaging, printing and publishing sectors has now reached Dhs4 billion. Of the total, Dhs1.5 billion is accounted for by the newspaper, magazine and periodicals segment.

Al Banna said in terms of the import and re-export quotas for the sectors, in 1996 Dubai's import of printing related materials was Dhs292 million and re-exports were Dhs 39 million. In 2001, Dubai's printing-related imports touched Dhs 329 million, re-export figures remained almost the same.

Explaining why the shows are to go annual, McGill said:
'There has been significant expansion of the agriculture, fisheries, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage processing, dairy and consumer durable industries which are just a few developing sectors served by the packaging and printing industries.'

'This combined with the fact that the successful emergence of the Dubai Media City has spurred the Middle East's publishing sector, suggests the region could sustain yearly shows, instead of the current biennial timescale.

'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,' said McGill.

For the first time PrinTech/PubliTech has the official support of the UAE-based Printers Association, formed early last year.

'By working closely with the association we hope to continually improve the show and deliver exceptional quality to exhibitor and visitor alike,' said McGill.

Mr Al Shaikh said currently the UAE's capital growth in the commercial printing press sector has reached Dhs120 million annually. He said between 60-70% of the investment was centred on Dubai.

PrinTech will feature exhibitors from the Middle East and Far East. Leading Chinese companies, such as the giant CRON Corporation, winner of the Chinese Government's Scientific and Technological Creation prize, are to launch various printing solutions at the show.

'High-precision pre-print and printing equipment will be on display,' said McGill.

PackTech International, which is backed by the UK-headquartered Confederation of Organisers of Packaging Exhibitions (COPE), will feature industry groups from Taiwan, Turkey and China. 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 show will be a technology window to the future of the Middle East's food processing and consumer durable industries,' said Hancock. 'Industry analysts say the packaging sector is growing at between 15-20% annually in the Middle East. Technology is in the limelight as most market players say automation is the key as they move to reduce labour costs.'

PackTech's Turkish group will take up 126 square metres and, for the first time, the show has participants from Greece, Armenia and Malta.

'These are very much B2B shows,' explained Hancock. 'For example, a Saudi exhibitor - HEET - which made its debut at the last PackTech International, says the show enabled it to win substantial UAE orders.'

When last held in September 2000, PackTech International attracted almost 5,000 visitors from 44 countries.

'What was particularly significant was the spread of the visitor base,' explained Hancock. 'Though 75% of the visitors came from within the GCC, there were healthy showings from the wider Middle East, most notably Iran, from North Africa, the Levant and Indian Sub-continent.'

Almost half the visitors represented companies with 50 or more employees and more than half specialised in the packaging and bottling sectors. 'Close to 2,000 visitors said they had purchasing authority of over US $100,000, with nearly 900 having authority to spend upwards of US $500,000,' explained Hancock.

Declared on-site sales amounted to US $3 million with exhibitors expecting to quadruple business generated in follow-through orders.

'Overall exhibitor satisfaction, as shown through an on-site poll, was very high,' said Hancock. 'Exhibitors particularly commented on the high quality of visitors and we hope to even better performance this time around.'

PackTech International and PrinTech/PubliTech International will be open daily from 10am until 2pm and from 5pm until 9pm. Children under 16 are not allowed to enter.