India could have its official national pavilion at the next edition of Chemtex and Corrosion Middle East.

Vishal S Goenka, a senior member of the Mumbai-headquartered Chemexcil, the Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Export Promotion Council, said the expo would be the right platform to help India tap the Middle East market.

Speaking on the final day of the Chemtex & Corrosion Middle East, held at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, he said he would report back on what he had seen at the exhibition and recommend that Chemexcil mount a pavilion there next year.

"With more than 8,000 members, Chemexcil was set up by India's Ministry of Commerce to work closely with the country's chemical manufacturers to find new export markets.

India is a leading chemical exporter, especially in the pharmaceuticals and textiles industries.

Goenka was on a dual mission to Dubai. He is also a director of Mumbai's Artex Surfin Chemicals, which plans to set up a blending plant in the UAE.

The company makes electroplating chemicals for metal surfaces.

"The initial investment will be $250,000, with a capacity to produce goods worth $3 million, later increasing to $5 million," said Goenka, adding the company was in discussions with various free trade zones with the aim of setting up the plant, which would act as a hub for the Mideast and North African markets.

Raw materials and intermediates for the plant will be imported from India.

More than 70 companies and industry organisations from 19 countries took part in Chemtex and Corrosion Middle East 2002.

The organiser International Expo-Consults (IEC) says the 2003 show could be up to 30 per cent larger.

"The 30 per cent projected space growth will come from exhibitor demand," IEC vice-president Mohammed Falaknaz said. "Both the Syrian and Australian groups have said they will return with more participants."

Another development will be an industry-specific corrosion seminar sponsored by Nace, the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, which sets the benchmark for corrosion standards worldwide.