propac arabia exhibition - packaged for success

Scheduled to be held at the Jeddah International Exhibition and Convention Centre from 13 - 17 May 2007, propac arabia is a process packaged for success.

Held alongside the food/hotel arabia exhibition, the last edition of this trio-event attracted over 10,000 professional visitors from across Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries, and deals worth many millions of US dollars were reported by exhibitors. Visitors were presented with a diverse range of products (that included an array of working exhibits) and services by a broad exhibitor profile of international and leading Saudi companies.

Such was the success of the 2006 edition that Linda Sun, Director of SLP Fairs & Exhibitions Co. Ltd., organisers of the Taiwanese group, reported that by the penultimate day participants had "sold 95 percent of our machinery and booked orders for more, about a million dollars of business". And the importance of propac arabia was emphasised by the German packaging and processing machinery company, Rovema, commenting "We regret not displaying our machinery in the exhibition, which we consider are the best in the industry, next time we will surely bring our machines".

The exhibition, organised by Al Harithy Company for Exhibitions (www.acexpos.com), is the Kingdom's only dedicated international event that showcases the entire spectrum of the food processing and packaging sectors. Attracting participation from around the globe, both individual and national pavilions, the exhibition has a truly international flavour.

Fuelled by escalating oil prices the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is seeing strong economic growth and attracting huge investments. The Kingdom's food processing and packaging sector is particularly capitalising on the strength of the economy, investment and rapidly increasing population.

With the highest number of food processing and beverage manufacturing companies in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is the largest and fastest growing packaging market in the region accounting for 72% of the packaging market in the Gulf, which is valued at over US$2 billion. Currently some 75% of Saudi Arabia's packaging products are used within the food and beverage industry.

Increasing investment in the sector is generating particularly strong demand in state-of-the-art and innovative packaging technology with a trend towards aseptic, environmentally friendly minimal packaging technology. As Saudi companies continue to diversify their products there are increased opportunities for foreign companies for joint venture and technology licensing.

The Kingdom's rapidly growing population, higher disposable incomes and greater exposure to international trends have generated increased demand for convenience and fast food increasing demand across the entire spectrum of food processing and packaging. This is especially true amongst the younger population (60% are under the age of twenty) where lifestyle changes are helping to create a more discriminating consumer as well as leading to a rising demand for ready-to-eat meals (that currently account for some 16% of packaged food sales).

A growing domestic manufacturing base and the rising population ensures that Saudi Arabia's need for packaging material, machinery and equipment will continue to increase in the future, ensuring opportunities unrivalled in the Gulf and guaranteeing the on going success of food/hotel/propac arabia, the Kingdom's national showcase and the Region's international forum.