Dubai has the potential to be the Middle East’s manufacturing hub, according to Saif Al Ghurair, a member of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Economic Board.
Al Ghurair was speaking at the inauguration of Private Label Middle East (PLME), the region’s first contract manufacturing event, at the Dubai International Trade Centre (DIEC). He said: “Dubai’s growing infrastructure, facilities and liberal foreign investment rules make it a very attractive destination for companies setting-up regional bases.”
PLME 2004, running at the DIEC until Thursday, features manufacturers exhibiting goods ranging from exotic tea to cleaning and detergent products for an own brand market that some industry sources estimate is growing at over 30 per cent a year.
“There is a noticeable trend towards private and own label products and it is forecast private label products in the region’s large retailers will account for about 8 – 25 per cent of total sales over the next three to five years,” said Justin Boutros, Managing Director, Channels Exhibitions organisers of PLME.
“The number of companies who have registered to visit the event illustrates the potential for own brand products to really take off in the Middle East as retailers discover the marketing and financial benefits of branding their goods and today we had visitors from all around the region.” (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
