Egypt Business Directory attends PaperME to promote the local Packaging Sector

The Paper Middle East exhibition aims at increasing paper export from 10% to 50% by adding a new sector to its event: Paper Packaging. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) October 28, 2011 - The third run of the International Exhibition for the Paper, Board, Tissue and Packaging Industry took place on the 15th - 17th of September 2011. Organized by Nile Trade Fairs, the event hosted 75 exhibitors from 38 countries in the Cairo International Conference Center.

To watch Egypt Business Directory's video coverage of the event, please visit the Pressroom on the company's website: www.egypt-business.com.

Over 6500 visitors attended the exhibition. Although the amount of exhibitors has decreased in comparison to last year due to economic and political conditions, the addition of the Paper Packaging sector made up for the possible losses.

Egypt Business Directory attended the exhibition and found that Nile Trade Fairs hosted foreign delegations from Lebanon, Kenya, Angola, Sudan, Cyprus, Qatar in order to promote Egyptian export.

Five years ago, the export-rate of Egyptian companies was about 10%. Lebanon, Cyprus, Kenya and Angola used to buy their products from China, Thailand, Indonesia, and India, although Egypt is geographically closer to them.

Alaa Shaalan, Chairman of Nile Trade Fairs explained: "The first year of the exhibition, we wanted to increase the export-rate to 25%, and to 35% in the following year. Our aim was to increase it this year to 50%. But till now, we reached 33%."

Egyptian companies were content with the visiting foreign delegations, and wanted to extend the fair for another day, but that was not possible, according to Shaalan, since the exhibition hall was booked for another event the coming day.

Last year 44 foreign companies exhibited their services and products at Paper ME, yet in 2011, this number dropped by 50%. Nevertheless, the 44 companies confirmed their presence as of next year.

Shaalan added: "The reasons for their hesitation were security and political issues in Egypt at the moment. They already asked for the floorplan of next year. By that time, parliamentary and presidential elections in Egypt will have led to a more stable atmosphere."

Exhibitions like PaperME increase local labor force, decrease unemployment, promote national income, and also give Egypt a market-share in foreign countries.

Shaalan clarified: "Who had a production line, will buy another one in order to meet the needs of the countries that will import from Egypt. Who only sold in the local market, will start selling to foreign countries. All this creates more demand for labor force, and requires the renewal of the companies' machines."

For the past decades, Egyptian factories were known for buying used machinery from foreign countries, instead of brand new ones. Having trade agreements with other countries forces the Egyptian companies to buy new machinery, in order to meet export commodities and foreign quality specifications.

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