Gundlach Packaging opens region's first tea tag printing factory

Dubai, UAE: 29 May, 2013: Gundlach Group, the German packaging and printing specialists, today officially opened its inaugural international facility in partnership with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), working closely with its tea subsidiary the Dubai Tea Trading Centre ('DTTC').

The first of its kind in the Middle East, Gundlach's new printing facility offers the tea trade the flexibility of sourcing its tea tags and envelopes from within the region to further streamline their supply chain and enhance efficiencies. With 80% of its products currently being exported out of Germany, this new facility highlights Gundlach's international focus and Dubai's ability to enable Gundlach to tap into new markets.

Today's official opening ceremony was attended by DMCC officials Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Sanjeev Dutta, Director of the DTTC, as well as representatives from Gundlach including Paul von Schubert, Chairman of the Gundlach Group; Dr. Uwe Schürmann, Managing Partner, Gundlach Packaging DMCC; and Sanjay Sethi, Director, Gundlach Packaging DMCC.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, DMCC, said: "We are pleased to launch Gundlach's new facility together and are confident that the addition of an international packaging and printing factory will strengthen Dubai and the region's position as a critical hub for the global tea trade.

The DTTC provides international industry participants seeking growth in the region, as well as local companies looking to scale up their business, with the services, infrastructure and network needed to enable their growth. As a result, since its establishment, 67 million kilos of tea has been transacted and value added at the DTTC and the UAE has become the world's largest re-exporter of tea with a 60 per cent market share."

Mr. Paul von Schubert, Chairman of Gundlach Group said: "The Middle East and specifically the GCC is a key market for us. This is a strategic step for the Gundlach Group to be closer to its customers in the region. We have decided to invest in Dubai as we consider it to be amongst the most vibrant, growing industrial hubs in the world and thus imperative to have our presence here. We have an excellent partner in DMCC and we look forward to further contributing towards DMCC's objective of developing Dubai into the world's leading tea industry hub."

The Gundlach factory offers the trade both gravure as well as flexographic printing options for tea tags and tea envelopes. With existing business relationships with the major international tea brands in the world, Gundlach is now focused on further growing and strengthening its presence in the Middle East and adjoining regions.

For more information, visit www.gundlach.ae, www.dmcc.ae, www.dttc.ae

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About the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) is a strategic initiative of the Government of Dubai, was established in 2002, with a mandate to provide the physical, market and financial infrastructure required to set up a commodities market place in Dubai. The Centre attracts key players throughout the entire value chain of a wide range of commodities sectors, together with relevant support industries such as finance, logistics and insurance. DMCC has established a robust infrastructure, including free zone status, trade networking platforms, secure vaults and purpose-built storage facilities. Resident companies of DMCC are offered highly attractive benefits under a free zone status, including 50-year guaranteed 0% corporate and personal income tax, 100 per cent business ownership, full ownership of business premises, and a secure regulated environment. DMCC has also implemented a dedicated compliance policy in the organisation, which is in line with the compliance related laws and regulations of the UAE Federal Government and the competent international bodies. DMCC owns three fully operational towers which host the majority of the physical, market and financial infrastructure including the Jewellery & Gemplex facility, the specialized diamond and pearl exchanges and gold vaults.

About Gundlach
Founded in 1847, the Gundlach-Group, Bielefeld, Germany is a family-owned group of expert companies who offer its clients in various branches individual solutions in three segments: packing and printing, publishing and technical solutions for process intelligence.

Packaging for the tea, tobacco and food industry, self-adhesive labels for all industries, shrink sleeves, wraparounds, pos-displays and pos-concepts as well as the edition of 16 special interest magazines and databases in 4 branches such as renewable energies, automotive, bike and sports are complemented by Digital Signage, mobile ad distribution and software for production excellence.

About the Dubai Tea Trading Centre
The Dubai Tea Trading Centre (DTTC) is a subsidiary of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, a strategic initiative of the Government of Dubai. DTTC operates within the Commodities Division at DMCC, to offer its members expanded storage facilities including temperature controlled storage, office space and business centre, networking facilities, a dedicated blending and packaging unit and professional advisory and tea tasting services. Located close to the Jebel Ali Port, DTTC provides comprehensive services for its members who include tea producers, exporters, regional importers, tea merchants and tea professionals from across the entire value chain of the global tea industry. www.dttc.ae

For media enquiries:
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Henriette Svensen
PR & Corporate Communications Manager
+971 4 375 2207
henriette.svensen@dmcc.ae

Brunswick Group
Katharine Crallé
Associate
+971 56 174 0292
kcralle@brunswickgroup.com