The GWBT Congress in Dubai covered the challenges and opportunities of the beverage sector
The three-day Global Water and Beverage Technology (GWBT) Congress was held in Dubai from 7 March, alongside the Dubai Drink Technology Expo, gathering leading figures from the growing sector.
Opened by his Excellency Sami Al Qamzi, director general of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai, the expo’s ninth edition featured 110 companies from 27 countries working in the field of beverage manufacturing, processing, packaging, and machinery.
The accompanying symposium, in its sixth edition, was conducted and moderated by Packaging MEA editor Benjamin Daniel in co-ordination with the Index Group, the organiser of the exhibition and congress.
“According to a recent study conducted by Smithers Pira, a worldwide authority on packaging, paper, and print industry, the global packaging market is projected to grow 3.5% per year to 2020, with sales to reach $997bn by 2020,” said Eng. Anas Al Madani, vice-chairman and Group CEO of Index Holding.
“The packaging industry will be witnessing a notable change in the coming years with the introduction of smarter more innovative solutions on all different levels.
“This year, Dubai Drink Technology Expo has succeeded to highlight the new Fluid intelligence The GWBT Congress in Dubai covered the challenges and opportunities of the beverage sector trends in beverage branding and packaging designs in the Middle East, and through its specialised conference it has featured the opportunities and challenges with emerging advanced technologies presenting an ultimate platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences.”
GWBT featured a number of educational sessions and business-to-business meetings and covered topics including: product range in the modern beverage market and technology trends in their packaging; new trends in beverage branding and packaging design in the Middle East; bottled water – producing and providing regional consumers with what they want; challenges in modern beverage packaging and their solutions; operational impact of beverage packaging; product recovery and reduction of water consumption. Panel discussions explored these and other topics in further depth.
Conference chairman Benjamin Daniel said the congress had brought together representatives of all the sector’s key elements.
“GWBT Congress 2017 is indeed a unique congress as it brings together the four sectors of the industry – brand owners, converters, suppliers, manufacturers – on this platform,” he said.
“While there is so much of business and technology changes happening within the world of beverage processing and packaging, this congress helped us to catch up with these professionals, share and exchange worthy knowledge.
“These two days of engaging, powerpacked presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunity enthralled the industry delegates attending the congress.
“Renowned speakers from across the world drove the congress to give us all the global intelligence of the beverage packaging industry with a regional and local perspective, something that we all are looking forward for, as we thrust ahead into 2017.”
Dubai Drink Technology Expo is organised by Index conferences and Exhibitions Organization Est., a member of Index Holding.
The event is supported by Dubai Economic Department, the International Society of Beverage Technology (ISBT), the American Beverage Association, the Tea Board of India, the Arab Asian Beverage Alliance, the UAE Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dubai Exports, and the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA).