Changing consumer demographics and consumption are driving important changes that will reshape the packaging business in the Middle East, with the UAE expected to lead the growth of the industry in the next five years.
As the UAE’s packaging industry is set to grow to an estimated AED21 billion market value in the next five years, according to a report published by Mordor Intelligence, packaging industry stakeholders are gearing up to showcase the latest technologies and innovations that will leverage this potential for growth at the forthcoming Gulf Print and Pack, the Middle East’s leading trade show for commercial and package printing scheduled on May 24-26, 2022 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Among the factors that will drive the forecasted growth in the UAE and the wider region is rapid urbanisation, which normally translates to increased consumer spending and production of consumer goods.
“In highly urbanised markets, especially these days, people are consuming products on-the-go, which require packaging solutions that are convenient and portable; or products that can be consumed immediately, which will then need microwavable packaging. These solutions and other innovations will be on spotlight at the show, with leading local and international brands showcasing their latest machineries that will play a part in the realisation of the region’s growth potential,” said Barry Killengrey, show director, Gulf Print and Pack.
Referencing the report, Killengrey says other important trends influencing the growth of the packaging industry is increased online retail purchases, as well as the continued recovery of the F&B sector, especially the last-mile delivery market, which demand innovative packaging solutions that help drive a better consumer experience.
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Among the companies confirmed to exhibit at Gulf Print and Pack is Labelgraff, a company that provides solutions to print directly onto packaging materials, enabling FMCG companies to make their packaging more sustainable, and solve their challenges in marketing, branding, and labeling inhouse. “Direct-to-Package is the new concept we are introducing this year, a new system for short-run packaging, with vacuum conveyor and single pass inkjet head to print directly on bags, boxes, packages and other packaging materials,” said Amjad Ashqar, Product Manager at Multisystem Technology.
For Jayakrishna Valluru, General Manager, Age Graphics, the trend to “Go Green” is the key business driver for the printing and packaging industry this year. “The industry needs to adhere to the government regulations on ‘single-use plastic’, which will have a massive impact on the industry in terms of providing environment-friendly products to its consumers. Our focus is to get environment-friendly materials/machines that will help the packaging/printing industry with their sustainability objectives. We have recently installed our first bag-making machine for this year and are currently in talks with almost ten prospective customers for similar sales and installations.”
With exhibitors from over 20 countries, Gulf Print and Pack is set to attract visitors from around the world who are looking to discover the latest printing and packaging solutions to add value to their business and their customers. The show is free to attend with online registration still open at www.gulfprintpack.com.