Dubai, United Arab Emirates; April 26, 2015: With GCC chemical exports reaching US$54.6 billion, streamlining supply chain functions will be the key to maintaining a competitive advantage, says the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), ahead of the annual GPCA Supply Chain Conference.

"The Arabian Gulf region is ideally placed to capitalize on forecasted growth in Asia and Africa over the next five years, utilizing export-oriented strategies in order to flourish, said Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary-General, GPCA. "To meet this growing demand, bold steps must be taken to help drive seamless trade of goods and services throughout the region and to push forward for a GCC customs union. It is only through a coordinated and forward thinking approach that the GCC's ambitious economic development goals for 2020 can be met."   

The GCC exported approximately 80% of its total product portfolio to more than 80 countries last year, amounting to 66.1 million tons of chemicals, according to GPCA estimates. As the petrochemical industry is forecast to grow by 6% every year by the end of this decade, with the region producing over 190 million tons of petrochemicals by 2020, exports will account for a sizable share for forthcoming capacity, says the GPCA.

Increased competition and the need for product differentiation puts new and unique pressure on supply chains in the GCC, explains Dr. Sadoun. "Infrastructures in the GCC are undergoing transformational changes, with new networks, facilities and capabilities coming online, to leverage economies of scale and meet growing demand.  We must continue to finance the development of 'hard' infrastructure that makes up the backbone of all good supply chains, but also continue to invest in 'soft' infrastructure like training, education and customer service to take the GCC supply chains to the next level."

The GPCA Supply Chain Conference, now in its 7th edition, will be held at Dubai's Intercontinental Festival City from May 3- 5, 2015. Held on the theme of 'Strengthening the Supply Chain Backbone - Paving the Way Forward for 2020', the conference gathers top executives from petrochemical companies, ports, consultancies and customs authorities to explore strategies that improve accessibility to and from the GCC that help the region achieve its developmental goals.

The "GCC Women in Supply Chain" report, a joint project between the GPCA and Accenture, will also be released during the event.

For more information on the agenda and speakers, please visit http://gpcasupplychain.com/  

About the Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association
The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) represents the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf. Established in 2006, the association voices the common interests of more than 240 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, accounting for over 95% of chemical output in the Gulf region. The industry makes up the second largest manufacturing sector in the region, producing up to US$102.6billion worth of products a year.

The association supports the region's petrochemical and chemical industry through advocacy, networking and thought leadership initiatives that help member companies to connect, to share and advance knowledge, to contribute to international dialogue, and to become prime influencers in shaping the future of the global petrochemicals industry.

Committed to providing a regional platform for stakeholders from across the industry, the GPCA manages six working committees - Plastics, Supply Chain, Fertilizers, International Trade, Research and Innovation, and Responsible Care - and organizes six world-class events each year. The association also publishes an annual report, regular newsletters and reports.

For more information, please visit www.gpca.org.ae

© Press Release 2015