Arabian Flexible Packaging achieve BRC and HACCP accreditation

This Al Ghurair Group company is the first to receive both certifications in its category in the United Arab Emirates

Dubai, August 18, 2009: Arabian Flexible Packaging, a member of the Al Ghurair Group of Companies and one of the largest and most diverse flexible packaging converters in the Middle East, was recently accredited with BRC-IOP (British Retail Consortium - Institute of Packaging) Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials: Issue 3 and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certifications.

The BRC-IOP accreditation is a global standard that is earned when organizations show they are actively implementing required benchmark levels on issues, including commitment to continual improvement, hygiene, product quality and safety as well as factory standards. Arabian Flexible Packaging has been accredited in Category 1, for packaging that comes into direct contact with high risk products.

HACCP is a systematic preventive approach to food safety that addresses physical, chemical and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection. HACCP is used in the food industry to identify potential food safety hazards, so that key actions, known as Critical Control Points can be taken to reduce or eliminate the risk of the hazards being realized.

In line with Mr. Ahmed Al Ghurair, Managing Director of Arabian Flexible Packaging's company vision, the BRC - IOP and HACCP accreditations were achieved by conscientiously putting into practice the measures required by the systems. Intensive audits and inspections were carried out by Bureau Veritas Certification, Denmark for BRC-IOP and Dubai for HACCP compliance.

Commenting on the accreditations, Mr. John Hetherton, General Manager, Arabian Flexible Packaging, said: "The accreditation from HACCP and BRC-IOP are significant milestones for the company, as it reaffirms the high standards we consistently maintain and deliver. Our vision has always been to provide innovative services and packaging solutions on a broader level. The accreditations that we have received reflect our efforts to meet our promise to our customers to provide the utmost quality standards. It gives us immense confidence in our quality levels and the drive to move forward."

"By extending our ISO 9001:2000 compliant quality management system to BRC - IOP and HACCP, we reaffirm our commitment to our local and international customers in providing them with high quality and food safe products," he further added.

Based in Dubai, Arabian Flexible Packaging offers a wide-ranging product mix, including laminated reels, cold seal and heat seal lacquers, extrusion and pouches, making the company unique and the only one-of-its-kind in the entire region.

Arabian Flexible Packaging offers an unparalleled range of flexible packaging options both within the UAE and abroad, and is the Middle East's leading flexible packaging manufacturer. The company exports to four continents across the world and covers the packaging of leading global brands. With Arabian Flexible Packaging's complete range of technologies, the business is in a unique position to offer tailor-made packaging solutions that suit the needs of each individual product.

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About Arabian Flexible Packaging
Arabian Flexible Packaging, a member of the Al Ghurair Group of companies, is one among the largest and most diverse flexible packaging converter in the Middle East. Established in1993, Arabian Flexible Packaging has become synonymous with high quality packaging.

The company operates two of the most advanced and high capacity plants in the Middle East - The Corrugated Box Division, a fully mechanized high capacity plant equipped to covert over 100,000 metric tons per year of high quality corrugated board; and Flexible Packaging Division, one of the most modern, state of the art and high capacity flexible packaging plants in the region which is capable of printing on a variety of substrates like Polypropylene, polyester, nylon, foil paper etc.

Based in Dubai, Arabian Flexible Packaging operates with over 180 employees under its wing. The office is strategically situated to provide all customers from any region with cost effective flexible packaging with the fastest possible time to market.

Arabian Flexible Packaging can manufacture a cost effective, high quality, tailor-made packaging solution on rotogravure printing presses.