25 players in the regional paper industry has created increased competition, says organizers of 3rd Paper Arabia exhibition

Dubai, UAE, 4th July, 2010: The UAE produced US$ 27 million worth of paper in 2009, a 25 percent increase in the production capacity, which rose to 10 million metric tonnes from 8 million metric tonnes in 2008.

Further evidence on the evolution of this industry comes from the fact that Al Fajer information and Services has decided to hold the Paper Arabia every year, instead of every two years. According to Al Fajer, the show demonstrates the UAE’s stature in regional and global paper industry and its expanding reach across the world as an efficient business hub with robust infrastructure.

Paper Arabia 2010, a three-day exhibition, is to be held at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre from September 26 to 28, 2010. Al Fajer Information and Services, which is organizing the show, says that the paper, tissue and converting industries will be displaying latest technologies at the forthcoming expo.

Satish Khanna, General Manager, Al Fajer Information and Services, said: “In the Middle East, regional demand for paper is higher than the domestic supply where two third of the consumption is imported. Some of the new international players from the paper, tissue and converting industry will make their debut for the first time through Paper Arabia 2010. This show offers opportunities to the manufactures and suppliers of finished products, equipment, machinery, paper chemicals, services, supplies of paper, tissue and converting sector to reach to the Middle East and North African markets.”

The paper industry is registering spectacular growth with several production centers and paper converting businesses flourishing. In two issues of this exhibition, Al Fajer succeeded to bring to the notice of international key players in this industry the lucrative business of being in the regional paper industry and the need to meet the local demand.

The show in its third edition will place special emphasis on hygiene and disposable products seeing the surge in demand on various products like wet wipes, baby diapers and sanitary napkins. Paper Arabia, with more than 150 exhibitors from 30 countries from across the world, will be a key platform for traders and industry players to interact. The show’s participants include leading global names from the paper, tissue and converting sectors.  

Manufacturers, converters, distributors and traders from all over the world in this industry will come to Paper Arabia to make business and share expertise. Exhibitors who participated in the debut show in 2007 and in the 2009 edition would have noticed that it attracted elite players from the paper, tissue and converting industry. This show will continue to offer opportunities to the manufactures and suppliers of finished products, equipment, machinery, paper chemicals, services, supplies of paper, tissue and converting sector to access the Middle East and North African markets.

There are some 25 players in the paper industry in the UAE and regional business expansion of these companies has also brought in increasing competition. In this context, industry sources indicate that the industry could be on the verge of a consolidation to shore up profitability according to a leading paper supplier in the Gulf.

Khanna added: “The expo serves as a launching pad for new technologies targeted at the Middle East region. The show’s participants include leading global names from France, USA, UK, India, China, Germany, Taiwan, Indonesia, Austria, Korea to name a few. France which tops the list of providing highest superior quality of paper and relevant machinery in the world will participate via a national pavilion where the Chinese pavilion will capture a wide range of household paper products and machinery equipments.”