Leading industry professionals and experts from around the world will attend the 8th Flexible Packaging conference, later this year, in Dubai, UAE.

The event, organised by specialist plastics industry consultancy AMI, will take place on December 6 and 7, at the Shangri-La Hotel.

The conference will provide a unique networking opportunity and a highly effective forum to meet and discuss the latest developments, opportunities and challenges in the dynamic flexible packaging industry, said a statement.

New for 2016, the conference is being expanded to include Africa alongside the Middle East. Africa is an exciting emerging region for flexible packaging, with infrastructure development, a burgeoning middle-class, and urbanisation propelling demand for a wide range of consumer packaged goods. Investment by local and international packaging groups is also driving the flexible packaging industry forward in Africa, it said.
 
Flexible packaging is a constantly evolving market, and worldwide, the way in which consumers view and interact with packaged products is changing. With a growing focus on convenience, value and sustainability, traditional packs continue to be substituted for innovative and flexible options designed to meet these consumer needs, it added.
 
There is increasing recognition of the role packaging plays in the protection and preservation of goods, together with greater focus on environmental considerations and product life cycle. As such, the packaging value chain has become increasing complex and flexible materials are in the spotlight like never before, said a statement.
 
The diverse programme opens with an overview of the global flexible packaging market by AMI Consulting and presentations from the Obeikan Investment Group and the APO-African Packaging Organisation will give delegates valuable insights into how end user demands are shaping new product development. To further explore this topic, Oktay Aral, packaging director (flexibles, foils and polymers) from pladis’ innovation office, will give the brand owner’s perspective on how to understand the packaging needs of the consumer.
 
The programme also examines emerging trends in nanotechnology and printed electronics with speakers from renowned research and educational institutions Polytechnique Montreal and Munich University of Applied Science. Delegates will also learn about novel developments to enhance film properties and performance from companies including Exxonmobil, Borouge, Dow and many more.
 
The latest trends in converting will be discussed by Super Film, Kroenert and Yparex and the conference will close with a session on enhanced manufacturing including papers from Windmöller & Hölscher, NDC Technologies & Piovan Group.

The Flexible Packaging Middle East & Africa conference is sponsored by Exxonmobil and supported by the Film & Sheet digital publication, it added. – TradeArabia News Service