KSA tops USD 2 billion GCC packaging market with 70 per cent share

Saudi Arabia, the largest economy in the GCC, is also the region’s leading packaging market. The Kingdom has a firm 70 per cent hold on the Gulf’s USD 2 billion packaging industry, with its local sector expected to further expand at an average rate of 4.58 per cent from 2011 to 2015. A thriving food manufacturing industry, sustained industrialization and urbanization and a huge petrochemical sector rank among the top growth drivers for the Saudi packaging business.

In the World Bank’s Doing Business 2011 report, the KSA ranks 11^th out of 183 global economies in ‘Ease of Doing Business' to lead the Middle East. The country’s business-friendly environment has spurred strong demand for printing, packaging, signage and graphics over the past few years. A resilient advertising base is another growth factor, with ad spending in the Kingdom increasing 8 per cent to USD 643 million for H1 2011. The KSA and the UAE are the only two countries in the Arab world that have not dropped their advertising expenditures for the period.

Saudi Pack/Print/Sign and Graphic 2011 (Saudi PPSG 2011), the 10^th International Packaging, Printing, Sign and Graphics Technology Exhibition to be held from November 18 to December 1, 2011 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, will introduce local, regional and international visitors to the Kingdom’s limitless business opportunities. The bi-annual business event is the largest and longest-running of its kind in the region and will gather exhibitors and guests from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

“All the necessary elements are in place to sustain Saudi Arabia’s position as one of the Middle East’s top markets for signage, outdoor media, and screen and digital printing. Saudi PPSG 2011 is an important platform for learning the unique business mechanics, regulations, technologies and trends affecting the Kingdom’s PPSG businesses. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with industry leaders, view the latest products and services, and gain a better understanding of real growth opportunities available at both the domestic and regional level,” said Kamil Al Jawhari, Project Manager of Saudi PPSG at Riyadh Exhibitions Company.

Over 462 exhibitors from 30 countries participated in Saudi PPSG 2009. The latest edition will welcome representatives from Austria, Italy, Germany, China, Korea, Taiwan, the UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, India, Pakistan and East Africa, among others. Equipment to be put on display include commercial printers, package printing converters, paper production equipment, paper equipment materials and special printing applications. The show will be an ideal business-to-business platform for participants to strengthen business ties and forge new ones.