In its 2015 edition the expo is bringing cutting-edge technology and plenty of new products, reveal show team members Lisa Milburn and Mike Simmonds.
In this year’s edition of Gulf Print & Pack, at Dubai World Trade Centre on 13–16 April, visitors can expect “a significant emphasis on the future of printing”, event manager Mike Simmonds told Packaging MEA.
As Gulf states look to spur their development through embracing the latest technologies, the trade fair is incorporating a feature on 3D printing along with a host of product launches, he said.
“2015’s show is set to reflect the region’s huge market potential,” he said.
“The show’s growing international scope with exhibitors and visitors alike strongly demonstrates that the Middle Eastern print industry is of ever increasing importance and offers many lucrative business opportunities.”
He added that Gulf Print & Pack is “an important vehicle for doing business and a one-stop shop for printers to discover new products and services to benefit their business”.
“With many advances taking place in print and packing technologies, there is nowhere better in the region to acquire the tools, know-how and contacts for guaranteed success,” said Simmonds.
Lisa Milburn, the trade show’s managing director, told Packaging MEA that the trade show is now largely dedicated to the packaging sector.
“This can be tricky to fully quantify, but of our exhibitors who registered themselves for the show guide, 17% classified commercial presses as an area they represent, 17% digital presses, and 37% package printing,” she said.
“We have actually seen a greater proportion of exhibitors registering themselves across all three technologies.”
She added that the Middle East market is remains “fragmented” and also “predominately led by distributors representing global names from the different sectors of print”.
“That said, we have definitely sensed a greater shift towards digital technology for 2015 as printers look to keep pace with consumers changing consumption habits,” added Milburn.
For the event organisers, this year’s edition of Gulf Print & Pack can be seen as “a peek into the future of the print and packaging industry with a showcase of the widest range of products and solutions all in one place”.
“There could not have been a much better time to focus on innovation than in this year’s edition,” said Simmonds.
“States in the Gulf region have placed a significant emphasis on innovation as a key driver of growth, and are aggressively looking to acquire the tools and adopt industry practices that will help them achieve their goals.
“At Gulf Print & Pack, we will feature many exciting advances in print and packing technologies that will be useful across a wide variety of industries and business sectors.”
Product launches
More than 300 local and international suppliers will be participating at this year’s edition of Gulf Print & Pack, according to Simmonds.
“As economies in the Middle East continue to develop, the print and packaging industry is expected to become more robust in the coming years, providing opportunities for international suppliers to grow,” he said.
“Those seeking to grow their business in the region have chosen to launch their products at Gulf Print & Pack to take advantage of the immense networking potential that the show provides.”
Exhibitors at the event include Tech-ni-Fold (stand F8), which will be launching three creasing and perforating machines that speed up the process of finishing digital print. Tech-ni-Fold’s team will provide an interactive series of demonstrations to show how its rotary technology can transform the finishing of printed work.
Kodak (stand A1) has enhanced its Kodak Nexpress Digital Production Color Press Platform to expand its capabilities and provide printers with new options for meeting their customers’ requirements. The company will be showcasing a Nexpress digital press with a 1-metre-long sheet printing capability live for first time in the Middle East and Africa.
The new configurations of the Kodak Nexpress presses will include the expansion of long sheet capability, the addition of Dura Coat Mode, and the inclusion of Kodak Nexpress Light Black HD Dry Ink in the Fifth Imaging Unit. An automated imaging cylinder cleaning system will also be added.
Innovia Films (stand C104) will show its newly launched Propafilm RCU, which is the first BOPP film officially proven to provide up to 1.5 years protection from mineral oil migration. In addition to providing an excellent barrier, Propafilm has superior optical properties, a low sealing threshold, and a broader sealing range, making it ideal for use in markets such as biscuits, bakery, confectionery, dried foods, tea, and cereals.
Heidelberg (stand B1) will be presenting an integrated portfolio of offset and digital print solutions for commercial and packaging printing.
Prinect will incorporate the digital and offset printing systems on show and the associated prepress and postpress solutions into an integrated workflow. The commercial printing presentation will focus on the regional launch of the new Linoprint CV and Linoprint CP digital printing systems from Heidelberg, which deliver enhanced flexibility, productivity and quality when printing short and/or personalised runs.
Heidelberg will also be joining forces with the Gallus Group, which it took over completely last year, to provide details about trends in digital label production based on the inkjet technology of partner Fujifilm. Series production of the Gallus DCS 340 digital label press will start
this year.
Oki Europe Ltd (stand F20) will showcase its award winning portfolio of graphic arts printers. The theme of the show ‘The Future of Print is Here’ chimes with the Oki team’s watchword ‘The Future of Print is Brilliant’ and will be reflected in demonstrations of the industry’s first five-colour, A3 digital LED printer: the ES9541. This printer offers affordable spot colour in white or clear gloss UV for short-run, digital, print-on-demand performance.
For the first time in the Middle East, Oki will also be exhibiting the ES9431, a colour printer that offers outstanding print quality, high print speeds, low total cost of ownership and unrivaled media flexibility, according to the manufacturer.
The ES9431 has been developed to provide the perfect partner for creative agencies and design teams where producing concepts that are as close to the proposed final design is essential for client approval. The ES9431 can also be used as an office printer for day to day office printing, eliminating the need for two separate devices for office and creative requirements.
Meanwhile, International Distribution Network (stand G90) will be unveiling several new colour management and standardisation software products, including the Alwan ColorHub, which is designed to enable printers to improve colour match, print quality, and productivity with a fully automated colour server for all printing devices. The company lists its benefits as including: colour and printability enhancement, high-fidelity colour reproduction, standards conformance, efficiency and ROI as well as savings on ink, cost and time.
The Alwan PrintStandardise allows printers to print to standards and to improve their printing devices colour match, quality, stability, and productivity with a fully automated process control and calibration server, said the company. The product is designed to offer consistent and repeatable colours, remote quality assurance monitoring as well as a reduction in both costs and times.
Similarly the new Alwan PrintVerifier enables print buyers and printers to check that proofs and prints meet customers’ expectations. It provides effective process, print and brand colour control and reporting, according to International Distribution Network. The Alwan HiFi Software Suite, developed to help meet brand colour expectations across the supply chain will also be shown for the first time.