Food packaging specialist Al Bayader International has launched a new line of products specially conceived for the $20 billion UAE and wider Middle East F&B market.

The new line for manufacturing the tOWERPAC range of containers was inaugurated by Salma Ali Saif bin Hareb, CEO, Economic Zones World – the holding company of Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (Jafza) – and Ibrahim Al Janahi, deputy CEO and COO of Economic Zones World. 

Salma said: “We welcome manufacturers like Al Bayader International who not only invest with the long term in view but also cater to local market needs. We at Jafza are passionate about locally based companies differentiating themselves and in association the region by developing market-leading products that cater to not only local needs but also the demands of the wider global economy. We are all aware of the importance of the manufacturing sector to the UAE economy in the long run and we greatly appreciate the efforts of companies such as Al Bayader International.”

Haddad: new range brings savings

Designed to interlock via an ingenious screw mechanism, tOWERPAC is also available in a retail shelf-friendly flat-bottom version. The containers range in size from 1oz to 24 oz and are the perfect food packaging solution for a growing F&B industry, the company says.

Nidal Haddad, group CEO, Al Bayader International, said: “We have a responsibility towards our customers to help their business grow and thrive in a challenging market. If we have to reinvent products and processes to make it happen for them, then that’s what we’ll do.”

The tOWERPAC range required a Dh15 million ($4.08 million) investment for a state-of-the-art production line at Al Bayader International’s manufacturing facility in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. The investment is part of a Dh80 million outlay aimed at addressing the market’s fast-paced growth.

“This investment will help accommodate estimated demand for this new product family,” explained Haddad. “Our overall and continuing investment addresses the economic growth forecast for the region, which, according to recent market research from Business Monitor International, is set to top Dh27.5 billion – for the mass grocery retail sector – by 2015 or 73.8 per cent of the overall food and drink market which itself is expected to grow by 5.3 per cent, while the food packaging industry is expected to grow by double digits.

Quality control at the plant

“The conceptualisation, design and production of the tOWERPAC range necessitated the collaboration of leading experts and companies from all over the world and the integration of market and customer feedback. From leading technical consultants and business analysts to established manufacturing and mould-making companies, we strongly believe that the tOWERPAC range will result in huge savings on inventory costs, more efficient utilisation of shelf space and easy access to products for retailers.”

FOOD SALES ROCKETING
With UAE retail sales expected to touch Dh151 billion by 2015, the country’s mass grocery retail (MGR) sector is one of the Gulf region’s largest by value, accounting for 69.2 per cent of the total food and drink market. Food sales in the UAE are expected to increase by 36.1 per cent to Dh38.3 billion by 2015 (BMI data).

Haddad said: “In the last 10 years, we have significantly pushed substantial investments in industrial, logistics and marketing strategies. We have consciously pursued an industrial strategy that embraces in-house design, research and development and manufacturing with the aim of achieving 85-90 per cent self-sufficiency.”

Al Janahi commended Al Bayader for their strategic approach towards manufacturing for local markets.

He said: “We are delighted to be a part of Al Bayader’s remarkable growth in the region. It is good to see a UAE company differentiating itself by developing market-leading products. The new manufacturing line reflects Al Bayader’s matured business outlook and capability to respond to market dynamics ahead of time. I am sure the factory in Jafza will enable them to meet rapidly growing market demand for packaging products in the region. As a business facilitator I assure them of our full support in all their ventures and wish them great success ahead.”

Some of Al Bayader’s products at table

The tOWERPAC range of containers from Al Bayader International is the culmination of over three years of research and development and is described as a marvel of food packaging design and innovation.

Al Bayader International has established itself as an innovative Middle East-based manufacturer of comprehensive packaging solutions delivering added value to the global food and beverage industries. Established in the UAE in 1990, it today has over 300 business partners across the globe. It boasts a catalogue of more than 1,000 innovative packaging and disposable solutions and leads several GCC and Arab markets with a substantial market share.

The company has a product for every need and occasion from disposable tableware to containers including clear plastic boxes, clear cups and lids,  foam trays, cups and platters, aluminium foil rolls and plates,  baking moulds and sheets, bags for food wrapping, hygiene and protection and decoration accessories. These products are produced in a range of materials including plastic, foam, aluminium, wood and paper.

The Al Bayader Group obtained the HACCP certification at the end of 2010.