Gulf Pack 2005 organisers, speaking ahead of the event scheduled for December 11 to 14 at Dubai’s Airport Expo, said response was tremendous to their on-line pre-registration system with attendees already registered from Bahrain, India, Iran, Iraq, Gambia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Ukraine to name just a few.

“With regards to the exhibitors, this is set to be the biggest and best yet and we expect to be completely sold out of stands by the end of November, said Gulf Pack project manager Sharla Hancock in the third week of the month.
“We’re really focused on gaining awareness about the show amongst visitors. We’ve been advertising around the region for a few months now and this will build up over the next few weeks regionally and further afield,” Hancock said a few weeks before the start of the expo, organised by Fairs and Exhibitions.
This year Gulf Pack and its twin Gulf Print will be separated. “Both shows are physically larger in terms of the space they occupy with a 26 per cent total increase of surface area occupied by exhibits,” said Hancock.   “As a result of this demand and the forecast regional growth we will be opening a second hall for the next event.  The next shows will be independent and operate across two massive halls at the Dubai Airport Expo.”
The official said growth in the number of exhibitors regionally and internationally demonstrated that the packaging industry and the market viewed Gulf Pack shows very favourably. There was also indication that previous shows generated good sales.
“Sometimes exhibitors and visitors are reluctant to divulge financial information to us about sales results. For those that did provide the information, we estimated that on-site sales amounted to over $17 million at the 2004 edition, with much more being generated post-show,” she said.
And Gulf Pack had certainly altered conceptions about the potential existing for the packaging industry in the region.
The world now knows Dubai because of the great marketing the emirate has undertaken for its airline and the efforts made to promote the area as a tourist destination, but at the end of the day people visit trade shows to do business and to find out what’s new, Hancock observed.  “The packaging market is highly dynamic throughout the region, something that will be reflected in the research we’re presenting at Gulf Pack 2005. It’s fair to say that growth in this part of the world is way above other parts of the world.”
The growing business potential in the region has prompted companies from far and wide to seek market penetration there.
“This year we are welcoming back exhibitors from countries including China, Germany, India, Taiwan, Turkey etc.  In addition, as a result of appointing new agents around the world we will be hosting exhibitors from countries including Croatia, Greece, Indonesia, Pakistan, South Korea and the USA.
“ In fact at last count we were up to 42 countries.  We also have great pleasure in welcoming over 50 companies from the Middle East with strong participation from Saudi Arabia,” commented Hancock
“Over 350 companies will be represented at this year’s show. Many of these are repeat exhibitors, some of whom are taking bigger spaces. Many new exhibitors will also be included, such as Crown Bevcan, one of the largest packaging firms in the world.”
As in past Gulf Pack events and at other exhibitions, participating companies will unveil their new products and technologies. But, Hancock observed, it was always difficult to persuade exhibitors to divulge potentially “secret” information ahead of a trade event like Gulf Pack. “Suffice to say that the nature of the event itself will attract many product launches and we ourselves will be contributing to this by providing new and interesting information with the results of a packaging survey we initiated.”
Meanwhile, the formation of a UAE packaging association, which Gulf Pack has strongly backed, is making progress. A constitution being drafted will be ratified during the Gulf Pack event.
“The industry needs one and we’re keen to be leading this process to the benefit of all concerned,” Hancock said.  “Ultimately a co-ordinated industry group will serve to benefit itself as well as service providers like ourselves. To bring the UAE in line with the rest of the world we need an association to represent the industry in the region, and to share and exchange ideas with other such associations globally.
“As we mentioned earlier, the market is clearly growing - talk to Crown Bevcan, Tetra Pak and most packaging companies and they’ll all agree with this sentiment. But what we’re trying to do is to provide specific information. This is why we initiated the first UAE Packaging Survey undertaken in association with IMES.
“As part of its efforts to raise awareness of packaging issues among young people, Gulf Pack holds a design competition.  This year it is anticipating around 30 entries from 4 colleges and universities. Judging will take place on the first day of the exhibition and the awards ceremony will take place on the third day of the show – Tuesday, 13 December.
A feature of the event is presentations and seminars arranged by companies such as Tetra Pak. The organisers aim to have information available on the complete event calendar well before the show. The seminar programme will be on the website www.gulfpack.info from December.