It is a known fact that exhibitions play a pivotal role in developing new markets and also to consolidate their presence in their existing fields.

Arabplast 2007 exemplified a concept successfully and integrated all the exhibitions in the Middle East Region at international standards. The growth of this show within a span of last one decade proved the business potential and its advantage.

Arabplast 2007 was a grand success as far as India is concerned. As nodal agents of Arabplast Exhibition, AIPMA had put its strenuous efforts to make this show a successful one, both for Indian participants as well as for the organizers. We are proud and happy to say that India was the single largest participant country in the above exhibition with 80 participants, covering an area of 1500 sq. metres.

Earlier, at a press briefing arranged by the organisers to which Mr. Harish D. Dharamsi, President of AIPMA, was invited, besides the representatives of Messe Dusseldorf, Germany and the Executive Director of China Orient, were also present. In his address to the press, Mr. Harish D. Dharamsi said that Indian Plastics Industry is poised for 12-15% growth this year and this industry was growing and booming. This was one of the reasons that in Arabplast 2007, a record number of exhibitors were ready to take part and show case their innovations to the world of plastics. He also reaffirmed that plastic is recyclable with no adverse environmental effects. China and India are the big players in the recycling industry.

Arabplast 2007 featured latest technology and also offered an interactive platform for the key industry players in plastics, rubber and machinery. Traditionally, this exhibition always offered an opportunity to the new entrepreneurs to penetrate into the Gulf, Middle East and African Countries with their novel innovative products. No doubt, Middle East is a vibrant market, which has always used the latest technology in a vast number of applications.

Detailed analysis of the exhibition is given below:

Total Number of participants       	:	800 approx.
Number of countries participated	:	35
Total exhibition area		:	21,000  sq. mtrs
Duration of the Exhibition	:	13th to16th January 2007
Venue			:	Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai 

• Petrochemicals now have become a major area of growth for UAE. Dubai contributes nearly 70% of the UAE foreign trade in these products.
• The UAE Petrochemical Industry is valued nearly AED 18-20 billion, which represents 22% of the manufacturing sector. The plastic industry, as downstream activity of oil industry, has a huge potential for growth that is gathering pace.
• The foreign trade of the petrochemical industry in Dubai was approximately AED 12 billion in 2005, of which 80% was imports, 15% re-exports & 5% was exports.
• At the GCC level, UAE ranked second in plastics after Saudi Arabia. Around 60% of the demand has been served from local production itself. But with the expansion of non-oil economy, demand for plastics that growing steadily.
• The entire plastic industry in the UAE comprises nearly 260 establishments, with a capacity of around 300 thousand tones per year.
• The demand for plastic bottles and containers in the UAE is estimated to be grown at around 5 percent per annum and this year it is expected to be more than 21,000 tones, according to a report by Emirates Industrial Bank (EIB).
• The demand for plastic bottles and containers is high as most of the companies first import the product in bulk and re-package their goods domestically.
• The existing capacity for all types of plastic bottles and containers is estimated around 13,000 tones per year.
• Big demand due to construction and engineering projects in gulf region, particularly in UAE. Plastic products in demand - Plastic bottles, plastic bottle caps, pipe, tunes, plastic fittings, electrical installations, packaging and household plastics.
• The demand generated from the booming construction and engineering projects is expected to trigger and estimated annual growth of over 30% in the UAE plastic industry.

• Arabian Gulf region will become the World's largest producer and exporter of petrochemicals and plastics by the next few years according to the industry experts.
• Middle East share in the global ethylene market is expected to grow to 17% in 2010 from 9% in 2004, accounting to 40% of new capacity.
• The UAE's number of plastic and rubber companies has doubled during the last five years with currently over 2000 companies.

• GCC petrochemicals investment is about US$ 30 billion, contributing to almost 60% of the regions manufacturing investments.
• GCC estimated production in petrochemicals is 40 million tones, which represents 7-8% of the world's production. This figure will likely to go upto 10-11% by 2010.
• UAE contribution to GCC petrochemical production is almost 7%
• Arabian gulf region will become the world's largest producer and exporter of petrochemicals and plastics by the next few years according to industry experts.
• The region plays a key role in the global plastic industry, supplying almost 80% of all crude oil worldwide. The plastics sector is developing rapidly with constant increase in the number of plastic and rubber companies in the region.

INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH OF PLASTIVISION INDIA 2007
For the first time AIPMA had organized an International Launch of our mega event, Plastivision India 2007 at Hotel J.W. Marriot, Dubai, on the 13th January 2007 to coincide with the Gala Dinner hosted by the organizers of Arabplast 2007. AIPMA was also the co-sponsor of this dinner. Dignitaries from various fields, overseas countries and exhibitors of Arabpalst 2007 were also attended the Gala Dinner and witnessed the launch function.

AIPMA DELEGATION TO ARABPLAST 2007.
AIPMA led a 150-member delegation to visit the Arabplast 2007 Exhibition from 12th to 16th January 2007. Besides the exhibitors from India, members of AIPMA also joined the delegation and visited the show at Dubai. This event gave them an opportunity to penetrate into the new Middle East and African Markets with their innovative products. The exhibitors from all over the world are looking forward to build business relations with their overseas partners to widen their scope of business. AIPMA was happy to take the new entrepreneurs to the show and acted as their trade partner.