Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association to recognize plastics innovation at GCC industry summit

Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) today announced that the 2012 Plastics Innovation Awards will be held alongside the 3^rd Plastics Summit in Dubai in April.

Launched at last year’s summit, the popular awards recognize those companies and individuals at the forefront of the development of plastics products and solutions in the Gulf.

“Rewarding excellence plays a huge part in encouraging the regional industry to grow,” said Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General of the GPCA.

“The response to the inaugural awards was very encouraging and we expect this year’s event to be even bigger. The awards complement the GPCA’s overall effort to promote best practice in the plastics sector and raise awareness of its contribution to the wider economic development of the industry in the region, which is seeing an annual growth figure of 8.5%. By stimulating further discussion and debate, they also go hand in hand with the Plastics Summit.”

The deadline for entries into the 2012 Plastics Innovation Awards is March 15.

The awards feature three main categories: plastic packaging and consumer goods; construction and industrial products; and sustainable plastic products and processes.

Two additional awards will be made for Best Support and Talents in Plastic. The Best Support prize recognizes important ancillary companies like mold, equipment and machinery manufacturers, and service providers such as resin producers, thermo-formers, IT specialists and NGOs.

Talents in Plastics goes to teams and individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Gulf’s plastics industry, such as investors, entrepreneurs, researchers and academics.  

All award entries will be evaluated by an independent expert jury, that will honour them in a special reception in association with leaders of the GCC plastics industry.

The 3^rd GPCA Plastics Summit runs from April 3-5 in Dubai on the theme ‘Plastics conversion: growth opportunities in challenging markets’. This is in partnership with industry speakers from the GCC and from external markets. Additionally, there will be a pre-event seminar focused on showcasing opportunities to market plastic products from GCC producers in global markets, in particular India, Europe and North America. Representatives from specialist global enterprises within in the sector will be attending and speaking at the seminar.

Senior executives from GPCA members including SABIC, Equate, Tasnee and Mauser are among the event’s confirmed speakers.