Techno Middle East, supplier of packaging material for the food processing, bottling and canning industries, has changed its base twice over the past 40 years but is now well-entrenched at its UAE location, to where it moved in 1979.

The company was founded in Lebanon in 1963 but had to change its address with what it says were the political moving sands of the Middle East. It was based in Beirut until 1975, then Tehran until 1979 and Sharjah since then.  The company has branch offices in Jeddah, Riyadh, Beirut, Baghdad, Kuwait, Amman and Algiers.
Sales in 2003 grew five per cent over the previous year, said Techno Middle East management consultant Fadi Sawaya. For many commercial establishments, 2003 had been a difficult year what with the war in Iraq and generally trying economic times.
But Iraq is also where the company hopes to develop its business, having already implemented two orders there for Baghdad Soft Drinks Company, the Pepsi bottlers.
“We are receiving a spate of inquiries from Iraq,” said Sawaya, adding the country would be an important element in any increase in turnover in 2004 and the next few years.
Techo Middle East supplied a canning line to the Iraqi bottler following an order it received in 2003, and earlier this year it supplied the same company two complete Pet lines including blowing moulds, a filler, packaging equipment, a coder, a bottle inspector and a carbon dioxide unit. The moulds came from Sipa, the filler from Klockner Holstein Seitz (KHS), the bottle inspection unit from Industrial Dynamics (Filtec), the coding equipment from Videojet Technologies and packaging from Dimac. 
Another major order coming this year was from Dubai Refreshments Company for a Dimac shrink-wrapping machine.
Since joining the Aetna Group in 1987, Dimac has become a leading manufacturer, supplying machines to a wide and diverse range of sectors including bottling, preserves, food, Pet food and pharmaceuticals. Its range includes low- and high-speed shrink-wrapping machines, wrap-around case wrappers, RSC case packers, tray makers, horizontal cartoning, combination lines and counting and packing machines for handling can ends.
Dimac’s heat shrink film packaging machines are designed for easy operator use. The touch screen panel can be used to control all machine parameters and production statistics, manage and modify sizes and integrally control tunnel temperatures. The maximum monitoring level can be reached via modem to permit problem diagnosis, programme settings and upgrades.
Techno Middle East also supplied last year canbody production equipment from Soudronic AG Group to major Saudi producers.
Soudronic is recognised as the pioneer of seam welding machines for the production of metal cans. The company has continuously expanded its market position and offerings during the past 50 years. In 1985, Soudronic began with the development of welding systems for tailored blanks. Today, the company is the world’s leading supplier of complete production lines and welding systems for both the metal packaging and the automotive industry.
The company designs, constructs, installs and maintains fully integrated canbody production lines that have a maximum speed of 1,200 cans per minute.
Techno Middle East will introduce by the end of this year a new shrink packaging machine from Kisters Maschinebau, whose main advantage is that it will be suitable for small packs, said Sawaya.
“Companies want to have both cartons as well as shrink wrapping. For example Pepsi Dubai uses both kinds. So this machine has great potential.”  
Techno Middle East has a warehouse at Freight Works in Dubai. Delivery for big orders is made directly by the manufacturer but Techno Middle East sends its engineers to set up the equipment. “Demand for packaging equipment is on the rise. People are looking at aesthetics; packaging has to look good and be functional and very effective, and that’s what we give them,” said Sawaya.