Two local printing companies are investing Dh800 million in large facilities at the newly created International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), said a senior industry official.

A number of leading printers are also planning to move their bases at the IMPZ once the infrastructure is in place, officials said.

Packaging industry officials, meanwhile, are closing in on creating the UAE's first national association of packers within the next few days, officials said.

An announcement to this effect is likely to be made before the end of the Gulf Print and Gulf Pack 2004, the Middle East's print publishing and packaging event taking place at the Dubai Airport Expo from September 19 to 22. Over 300 exhibitors are participating at the event, which will also host a number of conferences, seminars and an award presentation for young graphic designers of the UAE.

Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone, is expected to inaugurate the four-day event, which organisers expect to be visited by over 10,000 visitors.

The exhibition will showcase the latest printing and packaging solutions by the world's leading players including Heidelberg, Quark, HP and TetraPak, among others.

"Two local companies are investing a total of about Dh800 million in two separate state-of-the-art printing facilities at the IMPZ. One of them investing Dh500 million, while the other is investing Dh300 million. These will come on stream within the next few years," said a leading official of the Printing and Publishing Group.

The IMPZ, launched in July 2003, is the first dedicated trade zone created in the region for media-related production activities.

The Gulf's printing and packaging industry is growing at a fast pace due to the added demand generated by the new business houses setting up here, officials said.

Ahmad Bin Hassan Al Shaikh, chairman of the Printing and Publishing Group, told Gulf News the availability of new technology and broadband connectivity has enabled many printers to source orders from foreign markets.

"The size of the printing industry in the UAE is in the range of Dh6 billion per year and it is growing between 8 to 12 per cent per year. There are about 350 printing companies active in the field," he said.

"The creation of the Dubai Media City and IMPZ has helped the sector to grow manifold. The IMPZ, especially, will help large investors to bring in the latest printing technology and solutions."

Gulf News