The current Gulf production capacities of plastics resins stands at slightly over 18 Million tons per annum, with this figure projected to increase to over 30 Million tons per annum by the year 2015, according to a recent study.

As a result, the Gulf’s global share of key plastic resins (polyethylene and polypropylene) which is currently 13 and 11 percent respectively will increase by 2015 to 18 and 15 percent respectively. This phenomenal growth as well as the new plastics resins that will be produced for the first time in the Gulf such as the engineering plastics and synthetic rubber will stimulate a new set of downstream plastic conversion industries in the region.

With this backdrop, the Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association (GPCA) is pleased to announce its second GPCA Plastics Summit, which will take place at the Intercontinental Hotel in Festival City, Dubai from April 4th to 6th 2011.

The first day of the summit, April 4th, will mark the welcome reception for all attendees, a perfect setting for introductions, informal discussions and networking. The second day’s agenda will be centered on three themes: ways in which the Gulf can grow to eventually become a global powerhouse in plastic products, analyzing emerging trends and new growth opportunities in the Gulf, and how to efficiently manage plastic waste in manners that will reduce environmental damage. The final day of the summit will focus on success stories within the last year and the lessons learned.

Industry renowned leaders such as Ziad Labban, CEO of Petro Rabigh, will explain how technology has developed and inspired the push for the regional use of plastics. Furthermore, Research Director of AMI, Andrew Reynolds, will discuss the expected trends of global plastics conversion and explain the role of the GCC.

After a successful first summit in June 2010, over 400 industry-wide delegates are expected to attend this highly-anticipated event. The Summit is seen as the ideal medium for delegates to learn about upcoming investment opportunities and explore new ways in which the GCC can create profitable ‘green’ businesses.

The second Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association (GPCA) Plastics Summit will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel Dubai Festival City from April 4th to 6th. Marking the success of last year’s Plastics Summit, this year’s edition is proud to announce the highest possible caliber of industry-wide speakers.

The distinguished industry spokespeople will address critical business and environmental issues in the plastics industry. The high-profile summit will highlight how the plastics industry has evolved and driven sustainable growth through socially responsible initiatives. The distinguished lineup of speakers addressing the Summit includes CEO’s of leading Gulf Plastics producers such as Tasnee, Sabic, Borouge and Equate.

The welcome address that will mark the beginning of the second Plastics Summit will be given by Dr. Moayyed Al Qurtas, Vice Chairman and CEO of Tasnee. Following the welcome speech is the keynote address, which will be delivered by Mr. Ziad Labban, President and CEO of Petro Rabigh. Labban, will discuss the inspirational role technology has played in the plastics industry, and how technological advancements will help the GCC plastics industry’s growth.

The first day’s programme of the Plastics Summit will be broken down based on three different, yet interconnected, sessions. The first session will focus on ways in which the Gulf can grow towards becoming a powerhouse in plastics production. The second session will focus on emerging trends and new opportunities in the Gulf. Notable speakers in this session are John Nash, a Research Director at AMI a global consultancy firm, and Richard Crosby, General Manager for Sabic Innovative Plastics. The former will share insights on global plastic conversion trends and the role of the GCC, whilst the latter will disclose market expansion opportunities and provide his strategic input on them.

The final session of the first day  is dedicated solely to lectures that propose efficient plastic waste management methods. Fittingly enough, Sasidhar Chidanamarri an Environment Practice Programme Manager for Frost & Sullivan, will focus on Plastic Waste Management in the GCC Region. Following that, Laurence Jones, VP Corporate Support at Borouge, will spearhead the discussion on industry-wide cooperation as a tool to sustainable solution to plastics recycling and the session will be concluded by Michael Heyde, CEO, of the Germany based DKR company who will be highlighting a successful approach for  Recycling and Reuse of Plastics

“The success of last year’s Plastics Summit has allowed the GPCA to showcase and boast some of the industry’s most renowned and educated professionals. The organizers are excited to be able to present such high profile speakers, and the attendees will definitely find value from  the caliber of speakers that will share inside information and expertise,” said GPCA Secretary General of GPCA, Dr. Sadoun.

The second day of the Plastics Summit will be dedicated to Innovation and Technologies in Plastic Conversion Industry focusing on Success Stories from Regional Converters..  The second day will be broken down into two sessions. The first session will be centered around extrusion and plastic molding techniques. Dr. Hanna Saad, Executive VP of NAPCO Group, will lead the session by sharing regional trends and developments in flexible packaging. Dr. Mostafa Mehrabani, VP of Obeikan Investment Group, will share further knowledge of new packaging concepts. Mr. Ulrich Droegsler, Director Sales and Marketing, Bishof + Klein GmbH will be presenting his company’s views on how to succeed in an Increasingly Commoditised plastic films Industry in Films followed by a presentation from the Abu Dhabi based Exceed company which will focus on their project for the Geotextiles High-Tech Manufacturing.

The concluding session will focus on Revenue Creation with Technology Innovation in the Plastics Additives industry segment. Laid Demdoum, Technical Manager at Tasnee, and Mohamed Sidqi, Middle East Sales Manager at Adeka Palmarole SAS, and many more will highlight chemical innovation in the plastics additive industry.

Dubai, UAE February 16, 2011 – The Gulf region currently produces over 25 million tons of plastic resins annually out of which close to 3 million tons is converted into finished and semi-finished industrial and consumer plastic products.

Taking into account these staggering figures, the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) has introduced the GPCA Innovation Awards to recognize  excellence in Plastics Conversion. The Awards ceremony will be held during the Second GPCA Plastics Summit taking place in Dubai from the 4th to 6th of April 2011.

Organizations eligible to apply for the award are plastic conversion facilities, research and development centers, regional universities and vocational institutions. The application deadline is the 28th of February 2011 with the shortlist scheduled to be announced on March 23rd of 2011.

“GPCA will be launching for the first time these awards to recognize plastic convertors for their innovative activities in product development, process improvement and environmental best practices and to further grow the downstream industry in the Gulf,” said Secretary General of the GPCA, Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun.

“These awards are especially timely with the Gulf region transforming itself a global hub for the production of plastics resin. Alongside that growth, the plastics conversion industry in the region has made significant strides growing at a rapid pace driven mostly by small and medium sized companies. These companies recognize the high potential in plastics as a future material of choice and the growing applications for plastic products in food packaging, construction, and healthcare sectors among many.” he added.

One of the award categories is dedicated to recognize students and faculties in the universities and vocational institutes, highlighting the importance of spreading the word and generating interest amongst the youth.
According to Sadoun, the Gulf Countries are eager to see more of the plastic raw material processed locally, as this would create job opportunities for locals and add value to the final product. To achieve this objective, several key regional producers like SABIC, Borouge, Tasnee and SIPCHEM have set up innovation centers to support convertors to explore newer applications, processes and technologies. Further growth is encouraged by the setting up of plastic conversion parks such as the Polymer Park in Abu Dhabi (ADBIC), UAE, the Conversion Park in Rabigh (Petro Rabigh), KSA, and Jubail (Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu), KSA. The birth of these parks has spurred foreign investment and interest in establishing a manufacturing base in the Gulf region.

The GPCA has outlined four categories of awards. Category I, ‘Plastic Products’, analyzes  packaging, consumer goods, construction and agricultural plastic products. Category II, ‘Processing and Conversion’, will determine excellence in processing, manufacturing and recipes. Category III, ‘Plastics and Environment’ assesses the environmental footprint of each plastic good. Lastly, Category IV awards the individual or group who has made extraordinary achievements in plastics and plastics conversion.

The Gulf Petrochemical & Chemicals Association (GPCA) is inviting nominations for the inaugural GPCA Plastics Innovation Awards, it was announced today.

Designed to monitor, stimulate and reward excellence and creativity in plastics products and conversion as well as the environmental consciousness of companies in the region, the Awards ceremony will be held during the 2nd GPCA Plastics Summit taking place from the 4-6 April 2011.

“With current plastic production in the Gulf incredibly buoyant and expected to grow markedly over the next 5 years, it is imperative that we encourage and reward those who have made a significant contribution to this phenomenal growth,” said Secretary General of the GPCA, Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun.

“There is immense potential for technological innovation in the region that can help reduce costs, improve efficiency and at the same time benefit the environment. An award show such as this, with its high-level jury, specific guidelines and focus on innovation, is certain to attract the brightest ideas and minds,” he added.

Organizations eligible to apply for the award are plastic conversion facilities, research and development centers, regional universities and vocational institutions. The application deadline is the 19th of February 2011 with the shortlist scheduled to be announced on the 23rd of March 2011.

The GPCA has outlined four categories of awards. Category I, ‘Plastic Products’, analyzes packaging, consumer goods, construction and agricultural plastic products. Category II, ‘Processing and Conversion’, will determine excellence in processing, manufacturing and recipes. Category III, ‘Plastics and Environment’ assesses the environmental footprint of each plastic good. Lastly, Category IV awards the individual or group who has made extraordinary achievements in plastics and plastics conversion.

Summit sees 30% increase in attendance

The focus on Day 1 of the Second GPCA Plastics Summit, currently underway in Dubai, is supporting the growth and sustainable development of the petrochemicals and plastic converting industry in the Gulf region through technology and innovation.
Tackling the importance of plastic innovation, Moayyed I. Al Qurtas, Vice Chairman and CEO, TASNEE and Chairman of the GPCA Plastics Committee, said, “It is critical for the industry to focus on the environment and look for ways to improve the standard of living for humanity. Plastics have the advantage of recyclability at a relatively low-cost and can combat shortages of food and drinking water. Remarkable advances in plastic innovation can lead to a sustainable, environmentally sound and socially responsible industry.”
Nearly 400 key decision makers and thought leaders from the regional and international petrochemicals and plastic converting industry are in Dubai for the high-profile summit, taking place today and tomorrow at the InterContinental Hotel in Dubai, Festival City. This year’s Summit has seen a record increase of 30% in attendance.
Commenting on the increase in attendance, Ziad Al-Labban, President and Chief Executive Officer, Petro Rabigh, said, “The GPCA Plastics Summit is truly a success, considering the regional and global attention it is receiving. The foremost reason for the Gulf-based summit receiving such attention is the potential for growth in petrochemical production.”
“While 50% of global oil reserves and 40% of the world’s gas reserves come from within the region and the neighbouring countries, only 15% of the global petrochemical production comes from within the region. From a global petrochemical production to hydrocarbon resources ratio, here is where the growth opportunities for the plastics industry are.”
“Furthermore, the region is located between current and future large plastics demand centres of the world. Having the hydrocarbon resource base and proximity to markets provides the right ingredients to make this region the hub for plastics development,” said Al-Labban, adding, “To reap the benefits from its natural resource base, the region must optimize the use of technology, enhance R&D initiatives and programs, create business opportunities and develop human resources.”
“The future success of the Gulf region’s rapidly expanding downstream sector depends on collaborative efforts by those in the sector,” said Al-Labban while emphasizing that all the ingredients are in place and being developed to strengthen the region’s development as a hub for plastics development.
He cited a number of examples of partnerships and technology licensing arrangements that are being used to enhance production capabilities in the region, including Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemical Company, Borouge, Qatofin – a joint venture between Qatar and Total – and the joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil Chemical Qatar Limited in Ras Laffan Industrial City.
Other prominent speakers that discussed technology and innovation on the first day of the Plastics Summit included Khaled Al-Ghefaili, Executive Director Higher Institute of Plastics Fabrication; Rashed Al Shamsi, Vice President – Polymers Conversion, Abu Dhabi Basic Industries; El-Awady Ossama, Senior Procurement Manager/Middle East and Africa, Unilever; Richard Crosby, General Manager/Innovative Plastics, SABIC; Steven English, Global Business Leader/Polyurethanes, Dow Chemical; Michael Traexler, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Acrylic Polymers, Evonik Röhm GmbH; Sasidhar Chidanamarri, Program Manager/Environment Practice, South Asia & Middle East, Frost & Sullivan; Laurence Jones, VP/Corporate Support, Borouge; and Michael Heyde, CEO, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kreislaufwirtschaft und Rohstoffe (DKR).
Commenting on the industry response to the summit, Dr. Abdul Wahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General of GPCA, said, “It was a fantastic start to a thought provoking summit that saw an unprecedented number of key leaders turn up to share ideas and look at innovative ways to further the plastics industry. We are glad to see all stakeholders committed to the growth of the industry in this region.”
Innovation in the Gulf’s plastics conversion industry is considered an essential requirement in order to make it more competitive to meet the needs of regional and global markets. As a result, the GPCA is using this Summit as a platform to launch the “GPCA Plastics Innovations Award 2011”.
The GPCA has outlined four categories of awards:

• Category I, ‘Plastic Products’, analyzes packaging, consumer goods, construction and agricultural plastic products.
• Category II, ‘Processing and Conversion’, will determine excellence in processing, manufacturing and recipes.
• Category III, ‘Plastics and Environment’, assesses the environmental footprint of each plastic good.
• Category IV awards the individual or group, for making extraordinary achievements in plastics and plastics conversion.

The GPCA instituted the award this year to encourage innovation in the plastics industry and honour companies which have achieved excellence in this field along with talented individuals. The winners this year contributed significantly to the sustainable development and innovation in the field of plastics.

Green Vision KSA won the award in the Plastic Products category for their innovative and eco-friendly turf system that has been developed locally to replace real grass in regions affected by droughts. The new product offers an authentic grass look and is developed using less energy and less raw material than comparative products. The Jury highlighted the unique position of the product in the region and also globally through an entire and in detail developed system.

Zamil Plastics, also from KSA, won the award in the Processing and Conversion category, for converting plastic parts to metal parts. Zamil plastics have developed a holistic system to convert non-plastic parts to plastic parts to improve cost position for customers. A wide range of injection molding possibilities allows many different plastic products with different properties. The Jury emphasized the complete process opening wide opportunities for the user to reduce costs by converting their products to plastic.

Taghleef Industries from Dubai won the award in the Plastics and Environment category, for its BOPLA sustainable packaging film. The new packaging film solution for the flower industry is made of poly lactic acid (PLA) resins, which is a bio-plastic, obtained from the fermentation of sugars contained in various kinds of plants. Besides using 100% renewable raw materials, PLA is also fully biodegradable.

Thanks to the advantages of PLA instead of traditional films, the BOPLA film allows to achieve the same performance in terms of product presentation and protection compared to conventionally used films, whilst contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Once composted, the bunch of flowers wrapped with Taghleef’s BOPLA film will become a fertilizer to grow new plants. The Jury was impressed about the entire development and commercialization on a big volume scale.

Dr. Mohammed Naser S. Alghamdi and Krishna Prasad Rajan, both from Yanbu Industrial College, KSA, won the award in the Talents in Plastics category along with US$5,000 in prize money for their development of environment friendly, completely bio-degradable bio composites materials based on date-palm fibre. Their research on understanding the rheology of biodegradable fibers in both type of matrices, thermoplastic resin as well as biodegradable plastic, helps to design bio composites. Their achievement will bring new bio composites much faster into a commercialized status. The Jury was impressed with the results of the scientists’ research work on date palm fibres reinforced plastics.

Al-Mady expressed his happiness over the success of the new award, especially the quality of the entries received immediately after the competition was announced. He pointed out that the works submitted by the companies and individuals confirm the ability of the people of the region to innovate. He expected a marked increase in the number of entries in the coming years.

Dr. Moayyed I. Al Qurtas, Vice Chairman and CEO, TASNEE and Chairman of the GPCA Plastics Committee, said, “Plastic is a fascinating and versatile product that can take any shape or texture. The only limit is our capacity to innovate. We would like to encourage and tap into our innovative resources to the benefit of the people. We believe the GPCA Plastics Innovation Awards is the right step to motivate further innovation.”

Waleed Al Hammad, G.M. of TASNEE Marketing, said, “We are happy to be associated with these awards as the sponsors. At TASNEE, we focus on innovation as a key area for serving our customers.”

Thanking the Board and the Chairman of the Board of GPCA, as well as the Jury for evaluating the winners objectively, Dr. Abdul Wahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General of GPCA, said, “It is a delight and pleasure to see this level of gathering, coming together, to recognise those who have done innovative work. This event is a reflection of our commitment to those who have genuinely invested in innovation. The Awards ceremony is in line with the GPCA’s key strategic objective to promote best practices among members. It marks the beginning of a journey that recognises those who are innovative in the industry and investing heavily to be ahead of the rest.”

The Second GPCA Plastics Summit, which concluded today, saw an unprecedented number of business leaders and key stakeholders from the petrochemical and plastic converting industry come together and share thoughts and ideas for continued growth and enhancing its responsibility in modern society.

Moayyed I. Al Qurtas, Vice Chairman and CEO, TASNEE and Chairman of the GPCA Plastics Committee, stressed the importance of how the versatility of plastic and its influence on society is an opportunity to innovate for the betterment of humankind. “The only limit is our capacity to innovate,” said Al Qurtas.

The two-day Summit focused on Growth through Technology and Innovation and saw 24 experts from around the world speak on related topics. The experts discussed the potential for growth of plastics products in the GCC, emerging trends and new opportunities in the Gulf, spearheading effective decisions for plastic waste management, and how technology has helped improve methods of extrusion, blow-/injection- moulding as well as masterbatches, compounds and additives.

Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, the Secretary General of GPCA, said, “It is heartening to see continued industry support to an initiative that drives technology and innovation thought leadership. The proactive nature of the industry is a must to ensure sustainable development in a society that relies heavily on plastics in all walks of life.”

Focusing on environment management and its importance, Sasidhar Chidanamarri of Frost and Sullivan, said that the GCC waste generation is 80 million tonnes. Of this, 53% is construction and demolition waste, 33% is municipal solid waste and 14% is industrial waste. Within the GCC, the municipal solid waste of 26 million tonnes is broken down as follows: KSA 64%, UAE 19%, Kuwait 5%, Bahrain 4%, Oman 4% and Qatar 4%.

“Key drivers for the growth of plastics industry include growing population, changing lifestyles with increasing purchase power, promotion of tourism and accent on urban infrastructure improvements, clamor for sustainable economic growth , acceptance of food-grade recycled pet and food and beverage businesses embracing recycled products. However, the drawbacks that need to be tackled are lack of sorting and segregation facilities, low public awareness, absence of robust regulations and poor implementation, limited domestic demand for recycled plastic, ample fossil fuels, cheap landfill rates and institutional capacity constraints,” said Chindanamarri.

Looking at the positive steps, taken across the GCC, Chindanamarri noted that in Oman, Oman Environmental Services Holding Company SAOC (OESHCO) is embarking on a strategic roadmap to establish 16 engineered landfills, 65 waste transfer stations and 4 waste treatment plants between 2011 and 2015.

In Qatar, there is expected to be an integrated waste management facility that will treat more than 1550 tons/day, comprising of waste sorting and recycling facilities, landfill, composting plant and a 1000-tons-per-day waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration plant. In Saudi Arabia, a new landfill has been designed to international standards with state-of-the-art recycling facilities on site in Jeddah.

In the UAE, Abu Dhabi has proposed new tariffs at AED 225 per ton for businesses, prompting them to reduce waste generation and consider recycling while Dubai is inviting bids for its ambitious 6500 tons per day of WTE to produce 150 MW.

Emphasising the need for industry cooperation as a sustainable solution to plastics recycling, Laurence Jones, Vice President Corporate Support, Borouge, said that it is important to improve the public image of plastics in order to attract the best engineers to come into the industry. “Strong recycling and anti-littering culture as well as collaboration with environmental groups and governments to proactively manage the end of life issues with plastics will go a long way,” said Jones.

On Day 2, the emphasis has been on success stories from plastic converters, who have worked hard at ensuring innovation as a priority. Dr. Hanna A. Saad, Executive Vice President, NAPCO Flexible Packaging Division, KSA, said, “Environmental sustainability has been a key driver at all times. We believe in flexible packaging as it uses less material and energy than most other packaging modes and locally produced LLDPE generates the least carbon footprint. We have down-gauged by 30 – 40% most of the packages that we supply to our customers and recycle all our waste and collect film waste from our major customers for recycling. We recycle in the range of 1,500 tons-per-month.”

Key speakers that discussed technology and innovation on the second day of the Plastics Summit included Muayad Al-Faresi, Vice Chairman, GPCA Plastics Committee; Abdullah Ali Al-Sanea, CEO, San Consult; Hanna Saad, Executive Vice President, NAPCO Group; Mostafa Mehrabani, Vice President, Obeikan Plastic Division, Obeikan Investment Group; Ulrich Droegsler, Director Sales and Marketing/Industrial Packaging, Bishof + Klein GmbH; Paulo Gomes, Business Manager, Packaging (EMEA), Husky Injection Molding Systems; Tony Daponte, R&D Director, A. Schulman; Laid Demdoum, Technical Manager, Tasnee; Mohamed Sidqi, Middle East Sales Manager, ADEKA PALMAROLE SAS France; Tim Hauck, Senior Manager, Plastics Additives, EMEA, Milliken Chemical.

The Second GPCA Plastics Summit was also the platform for the inaugural GPCA Plastics Innovation Awards 2011. The winners were selected by a high-profile jury, led by Moayyed I. Al Qurtas, Vice Chairman and CEO, TASNEE and Chairman of the GPCA Plastics Committee and felicitated by Mohamed Al-Mady, Chairman of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) and SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO. The winners are:

- Green Vision from KSA won the award in the Plastic Products category for their innovative and eco-friendly turf system that has been developed locally to replace real grass in regions affected by droughts.

- Zamil Plastics, also from KSA, won the award in the Processing and Conversion category for developing a holistic system to convert non-plastic parts to plastic parts to improve cost position for customers.

- Taghleef Industries from Dubai won the award in the Plastics and Environment category for its BOPLA sustainable packaging film, which is a bio-plastic, obtained from the fermentation of sugars contained in various kinds of plants.

- Dr. Mohammed Naser S. Alghamdi and Krishna Prasad Rajan, both from Yanbu Industrial College, KSA, won the award in the Talents in Plastics category along with US$5,000 in prize money for their development of environment friendly completely bio-degradable bio composites materials, based on date-palm fibre.

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Jill Raine, Team Leader – GPCA Supply Chain Conference

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