The Middle East has emerged as a key growth catalyst in the global plastics trade, as the region's plastics industry is expected to achieve an annual growth rate of up to 30 percent over the next five years. Saudi Arabia, in particular, has helped fuel the regional plastics industry's exceptional growth with large-scale investments that have made the country the Middle East's largest producer by volume of polyethylene, a vital component in the production of consumer plastic products. Global Industry Analysts, Inc. said in a study titled “Plastic Additives: A Global Strategic Business Report”, that in volume terms, North America and Europe account for nearly 55 percent of the global plastic additives market. The US performance additives market is estimated to be $2.6 billion and the same is expected to register a CAGR of close to 1.5 percent over the period 2000-2010. Asia-Pacific represents the largest plastic additives market by value, accounting for a share of nearly 29 percent. Asia-Pacific regions offer the highest growth opportunity for plastic additives, with volume sales registering a CAGR of more than 4 percent over the period 2000-2010. Growing inter-segment competition in the plastics industry is another major factor leveraging the market for plastic additives. Replacement of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and low-end engineering thermoplastics (ETPs) by polypropylene (PP), increased competition from polyolefins in applications that are traditionally dominated by PVC and continuing trade-off between traditional polyolefins and metallocene polyolefins in packaging and film applications highlight the growing competition inter-segment competition in plastics business. Riyadh Exhibitions Company, organizer of Saudi Plas 2009 - The 9th International Plastics Technology Show, noted that while international demand continues to increase, Saudi Arabia's domestic requirements are likewise sustaining the remarkable growth of the plastics industry. Recent surveys have revealed that Saudi Arabia possesses the highest per capita consumption of plastics in the Middle East at 40 kilograms per person, which is twice as much as any other country in the GCC. Saudi Plas 2009, to be held on Oct. 18-21, 2009 at the new, state-of-the-art Riyadh International Exhibition Centre, one of the Middle East's most advanced exhibition facilities, will provide a business-to-business networking platform for key decision makers, industrialists, developers and other industry stakeholders. The event will be held concurrently with Saudi Petrochem 2009 - The 4th International Exhibition for Chemicals and Chemical Technology Industry; Saudi Pack 2009 - The 9th International Packing Machinery and Materials Show; and Saudi Print 2009 - The 9th International Pre-press and Printing Technology Exhibition. Collectively branded as “Saudi PPPP 2009,” the concurrent events seek to leverage Saudi Arabia's status as the Middle East's fastest-growing market for the petrochemical, printing, packaging and plastic industries. Kamil Al Jawhari, project manager of Saudi PPPP at Riyadh Exhibitions Company, said “Saudi Arabia has all the elements to be a major player in the global trade of plastics. The abundance of cheap raw materials, its proximity to European and Asian export markets and high availability of low-cost energy are some of the key factors that have sustained the dramatic growth of Saudi Arabia's plastics industry. In addition, massive residential and commercial developments that are currently being built across the country will urgently require the latest in plastic products and technology.” “This is certainly a very exciting time to invest and look for gainful business opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East region. Saudi Plas 2009 will thus play a crucial role in providing a centralized platform for international suppliers, buyers, manufacturers and other stakeholders of the global plastics industry to discuss and identify new avenues for growth and to address emerging challenges,” Jawhari added. Saudi Plas 2009 will showcase a wide range of products, machineries and value-added services including plastic molding machines, plastic injection systems, compounds, chemicals and supplies; plastics for packaging, plastic bags and containers, PVC pipes, plastic furniture, plastics for household items, plastic healthcare products, plastics and petrochemical processing machinery, and consulting services. Over 390 international companies, including 170 new participating firms, have already confirmed participation in Saudi PPPP 2009. The confirmed exhibitors now represent a substantial 77.4 per cent increase in participation, while exhibition space has been expanded by 100 percent to reach 15,000 square meters.
