Region's largest packaging event set to present range of solutions

With every type of packaging solution being exhibited, from flexible to metal and PET to closures, Gulf Pack 2005 is the ultimate pack-fest for all buyers of packaging materials, machinery and equipment.

Features of the show include a trade fair presenting over 300 exhibiting companies from around the world, all keen to get a slice of the region's fast growing packaging industry. There is a free to attend Seminar and Workshop programme where valuable insights to the latest industry trends will be presented.

One of the most eagerly anticipated aspects of this year's show will be a presentation by IMES, a leading firm of management consultants, on the dynamics of the consumer packaging market in the UAE. The findings will offer visitors and exhibitors at the show unique information about the market, future trends and potential opportunities.

Globally, according to statistics from the World Packaging Organisation, (WPO), the industry is estimated to be worth over US$485 Billion, with modest growth at around 4%. The survey is poised to underscore the fact that the UAE, and the region as a whole, is one of the fastest growing markets in the world with predicted double digit growth in a number of categories, well above the mature European and US markets. Testament to this comes from one of the event's major exhibitors, Crown. According to Francois Querrioux, Crown's Dubai-based General Manager, "The region is one of the fastest growing for our company, and through recent investments in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Tunisia we have doubled our business in the last three years to meet the continuing market growth."

The research initiative is seen as a catalyst for the formation of the Packaging Association, a UAE based industry group being established by both international and local packaging organisations. This has the endorsement of the WPO and follows on from the visits made by the WPO to the UAE in recent years. Notably, Gulf Pack initiated the dialogue with their Secretary General, Dr Carl Olsmats, in the spring of 2004. According to Sharla Hancock, Gulf Pack's Project Manager, "the survey is something Gulf Pack is very proud to have led and reflects on the effort and investment made by us in establishing the link with them and their Asian counter-parts, the APF".

The free to attend Seminar programme is led by global-liquid food packaging giants Tetra Pak. Specialist guest speakers will be flown in for the event and interested delegates should register in advance on the Gulf Pack website as numbers are limited.

According to Ms Hancock, the regional boom in the retail sector has stimulated a lot of interest from stores and supermarkets in Gulf Pack. "With more and more mega-malls and hypermarkets opening their doors throughout the Gulf, our event offers a number of unique solutions for their needs.

With only weeks to go before the next edition of Gulf Pack, the organisers encourage early pre-registration to avoid queues. The show is open daily from 11AM till 8PM and is taking place in the East Hall of Airport Expo.