Dubai - The Middle East's largest packaging trade fair is set to welcome visitors to Dubai from 11 - 14 December. The seventh edition of Gulf Pack aims to break the previous show's record of attracting visitors from 71 countries, lured to the lucrative Middle Eastern markets by the promise of increasing business opportunities.
According to Carl Olsmats, the Secretary General of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), the global market is worth around US$485 Billion, of which the machinery market constitutes around US$25 Billion. The fact remains that the anticipated growth for the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region as a whole is expected to be much higher than the international growth of 4%.
Rather than guessing at this, the organisers of Gulf Pack have taken the initiative to invest heavily in sponsoring the first authoritative industry study. The survey, being undertaken by IMES and co-sponsored by Dubai's International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), will for the first time map out what the market opportunity is really about. According to Sharla Hancock, Project Manager of Gulf Pack, "the survey is presently at the fieldwork stage. The project will be completed ahead of our next show with IMES presenting a special seminar on the findings during the event." Copies of the report will also be made available at this time.
Whilst many exhibition organisers add on workshops and seminars for their visitors, Gulf Pack have gone one step further. During their last show they obtained the views of the industry to find out what they wanted to see next time round. "Research and future trends figured highly, so making the decision to initiate our packaging survey was a simple choice," said Hancock. Other topics will also feature, exploring various types of packaging material and systems.
The organiser's efforts in responding to the packaging industry is central to the success of the event. This seems to be paying off as many exhibitors have signed up for the fair, including individual exhibitors as well as national pavilions.
Gulf Pack has also been active in supporting the WPO World Star Packaging Design Awards for Students, along with the Asian Packaging Federation's own activities in the region. Ms Hancock said that we aim to host a major packaging conference along side future editions of the show, "we want to make it a truly global event and can only do this with the co-operation of its main associations."
On a more regional front, Gulf Pack has been a key player in the formation of the region's only industry group. Working in co-operation with the IMPZ, it set out with the aim of making the group really worthwhile for its members. So far there is plenty evidence of this with the packaging survey, setting up a robust data base and hosting the design awards.
Creating opportunities for students is another aspect of Gulf Pack's commitment to the UAE and the Gulf area. The show was the first to host a dedicated awards process to stimulate local students undertaking graphics and packaging design courses. The second outing for this is to be held during Gulf Pack 2005 under the careful guidance of its previous mentor, Professor Maureen Wayman at the UK's Manchester University.
On a recent visit to Dubai the WPO's Carl Olsmats said that around 95% of everything we buy and use is now packaged. Not surprising therefore that Dubai's sharp eye for business is well and truly focused on Gulf Pack.
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For more information, please contact:
Maida Talhami
Momentum
Tel: +971 390 1630
E-mail: maida@momentum.cc
© Press Release 2005
