Massive growth in the global and Middle Eastern printing and packaging industries has led organisers of the 2009 Gulf Pack and Gulf Print exhibitions, the region’s leading tradeshows for the print, publishing and packaging sectors, to tip the upcoming events as being the largest in their history.

According to Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E) - one of the region’s most experienced exhibition and conference organisers and the company behind the biennial Gulf Print and Gulf Pack shows, which will run from the 6-9 April 2009 at the Airport Expo Dubai, growth in advertising, publishing and consumer spending across the Middle East’s food and beverage markets, is driving the industry forward at a staggering rate.
“Market statistics are phenomenal and the potential for growth is equally as impressive,” said Sue Rothwell, group event director, F&E. “The packaging and printing industries transcend many others and consumer spending, whether it is through advertising or drink consumption, is on the rise and having a direct knock-on effect for the industry. As such, this growth is attracting the attention of many of the world’s top manufacturers and suppliers of packaging and printing technology and machinery.
“Our 2007 outing was the biggest to date and confirmed the exhibitions’ standings as the fastest growing events of their kind in the world. With the coming years’ predicted industry growth rates, we expect the 2009 shows to surpass these records and become the largest yet.”
According to Pira International, the leading information provider for the printing, paper, packaging and publishing industries, the Middle East printing market was estimated at 5.3 billion in 2007 with industry forecasts predicting an average 7.7 per cent annual growth rate till 2012, swelling market worth to $7.6 billion.
This unparalleled industry growth and the massive number of publications coming on stream are being spurred by regional economic prosperity, strong inflow of foreign investments, changing lifestyles including significant increases in literacy and certain restrictions on visual media.
The regional printing market’s end-users, which primarily include publishing, commercial printing and package printing, are key factors in industry development. Packing printing accounted for the lion’s share of business in 2007 with a 41.8 per cent market catchment, followed by the print advertising, commercial printing and newspapers sectors accounting for a combined share of 33 per cent.
And the region’s packaging industry is expected to follow suit with suggested growth figures predicted by Dubai-based management consultants, IMES, forecasting that the UAE alone is expecting 15-20 per cent annual increases in packaging categories such as dairy, soft drinks and flexible packaging.
The company also announced plans to hold a four-day thought-leadership conference parallel to the exhibitions to further boost content delivery and knowledge flow.  To be chaired by well-known ‘industry heavyweights’, the sessions will cover the latest trends facing the industry including the growth of the newspaper industry in the Middle East, new trends in technology, security and counterfeiting in printing and packaging and education and training.
“Gulf Pack and Gulf Print are being positioned as significant knowledge platforms for the regional industry with a dedicated programme of seminars and conferences running in parallel to the exhibitions. These educational sessions will debate industry-related topics and help the market keep abreast of the latest trends and products,” said Rhona Greenhill, conference director, Gulf Pack and Gulf Print.
New for 2009, will also be the introduction of a one day conference dedicated to the labels market – which is expanding globally between 6-7 per cent annually.  Developed in conjunction with the highly successful Labelexpo event and Labels and Labelling magazine, this conference will focus on the impact that new technologies, such as RFID and Track and Trace, will have on the region.
“With markets such as retail, pharmaceutical, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), airline cargo and travel due to increase dramatically across the Middle East, the opportunities for suppliers of traditional label production are massive. As such, the need to understand the implications and advantages of such technologies will become paramount,” added Greenhill.
“Emerging markets such as the Middle East with high GDP growth offer suppliers and manufacturers a superb opportunity for expansion beyond the mature European, American and Japanese markets where growth is slowing. As such, a dedicated forum to examine the possibilities for the regional industry is a must for those wanting to stay ahead of the curve.”
The 2007 showing for Gulf Pack and Gulf Print played host to more than 12,000 visitors from 60 countries – across the entire Middle East region. Over 400 exhibitors from over 30 countries took part in Gulf Print & Gulf Pack in 2007, concluding more than $150 million worth of business.
With offices in Dubai and the UK, F&E has an expanding team of skilled and dedicated exhibition professionals, with an additional established international network of sales agents and associates.