Preparations are ramping up for this year’s Gulf
Print & Pack 2019 – the Middle East’s leading trade show for the commercial
and package printing sector – with almost half of exhibitors taking part
hailing from outside the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Gulf Print & Pack 2019 returns to World Trade
Centre in Dubai from 15-18 April. Overseas exhibitors confirmed as taking part include:
ATECE Group (the Netherlands), Berhalter (Switzerland), Holweg (France),
Novurania (Italy), OMM Graphic (Malaysia), RotoMetrics (US), Tong Shin Pack Co
Ltd (Korea), UPM Raflatac (Finland), and Winpack Machinery (Taiwan).
The show boasts a growing number of first-time
exhibitors, including Lemorau (Portugal), Frimpeks (Turkey) and Pulse Printing
Products (UK), alongside a growing number of companies from the Indian
sub-continent making their show debut. They include: Apex Industries, Technova
Imaging Systems (both from India), and Roshan Packages (Pakistan).
Returning exhibitors include internationally
recognized brands Bobst, Canon, HP, Konica Minolta and Xerox. Most of these
will be showcasing their machinery to potential buyers at a series of live
demonstrations taking place throughout the four days of the show as part of a
newly introduced “Innovation Trail” feature. Gulf Print & Pack 2019 is the
only platform that brings all these manufacturers together under the one roof
in the region.
Lisa Milburn, managing director, Gulf Print &
Pack, commented: “We are delighted with the international response from
overseas exhibitors at this year’s event. At its core, it has typically been Middle Eastern and African,
but already we are looking forward to the most far-reaching edition of the show
yet, with a particularly strong representation from Europe and Southeast Asia.
It is proof that overseas companies are eager to take advantage of the
opportunities presented in the region. It truly is a global show.”
The number of pre-show registrations from outside
the MENA region are already way ahead of 2017 and come from countries as
diverse as Bahrain, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. With the show displaying the newest in
multi-substrate presses, wide and narrow format digital presses, laser
die-cutting, smart labels/packaging, and software, it is aimed primarily at
printers, service providers, brand owners and designers.
Explaining why the show plays such a key role in
connecting all these industry stakeholders, Chris Lynch, head of production
technology, Xerox Middle East & Africa, said: “Gulf Print & Pack 2019
promises to be another ‘must see’ event for those in the business of printing
and packaging across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. By connecting industry
leaders, suppliers, market-creators and print service providers together with
consumers of print and packaging, this event has rightfully earned a reputation
for helping grow the market in new and exciting ways.”
Echoing this momentum, as a first-time exhibitor,
Susana Teixeira, CFO & Sales, Lemorau, said: “Lemorau decided to attend
Gulf Print & Pack 2019 in order to achieve more visibility in the Middle
Eastern market. Lemorau already has some customers in Dubai and looks forward
to expanding in this market by exhibiting at the show.”
Gulf Print & Pack 2017 attracted a total of
9,237 visitors from 98 countries – 60% of which came from the UAE. A total of
252 exhibitors took part. Close to AED30 million worth of machines were sold
during the event. Gulf Print & Pack is organized by F&E, one of the
most influential and long-standing names in the Middle East's events sector. Entry
to the exhibition is free, but visitors should pre-register at
www.gulfprintpack.com
