Over 125 exhibitors to participate in Print Pack and Asia Plast 2006

by Elmo Leonard

Over 125 exhibitors from India, China, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Germany, Japan and host Sri Lanka will collaborate in a mega event, displaying their printing, packaging and plastic, materials, machinery and equipment, from October, 13-15 when PrintPack Sri Lanka 2006 and AsiaPlast 2006, gets under way.

The event conforms to the trend of regionalising and internationalising such industries, its machinery and its output for common gain and is organised by India's leading organiser of trade exhibitions, Intel Trade Fairs and Expositions (Pvt) Ltd (ITFE) and Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre (SLECC).

The event will be staged at the SLECC, Colombo 10. ITFE organises trade exhibitions covering industries such as packaging, food, pharmaceutical, plastics, auto ancillaries, fire and safety, ITFE managing director Ashok Neelkant said. ITFE has claims of a portfolio of 30 successful trade events and covering 500 companies.

PrintPack Sri Lanka will primarily focus on the printing and packaging sectors and feature packaging machinery and equipment, corrugation and converting machines, packaging materials and products, pre-press and post-press systems and machinery and corresponding products, president, Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging (SLIP) Rohan Victoria said. AsiaPlast 2006 will primarily feature processing machinery, raw materials, semi-finished and finished products, moulds and dyes, ancillary equipment, post-production machinery and specialised services.

Intel project director, Jagadish Nair said that such joint exhibitions provide the ideal and most cost effective marketing opportunity, bringing together key stakeholders and decision makers in these two industries.

They will enable exhibitors to showcase the latest products and services in this highly lucrative market to a discerning spectrum of qualified buyers across geographical boundaries. ITFE's international events include PrintPack Africa, and AfroPlast, both staged in Kenya. Neelkant was jubilant on news of impending peace talks between government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.

The estimated GDP growth of around 21.5 percent sheds light on the island emerging into a highly lucrative market, he said. It is a market which promises a wide gamut of opportunities in the fields of printing, packaging and plastics, both locally and internationally, he, said.

SLECC general manager, Ms. Shanthi Outschoorn said that one of the key objectives of the exhibition is to infuse Sri Lanka's printing, packaging and plastics industries with world-class products, services and state-of-the-art technology. More so, the exhibition is intended as the No 1 exhibition and networking platform for all buyers and suppliers in the related industries.

President, FCCISL, Nawaz Rajabdeen said that India has made great strides in improving her packaging industry, but fell short of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. "If you don't like packaging you will miss the market," he said.