West Africa: Double-digit growth of imports of plastics, printing and packaging machinery

showimage West Africa: Double-digit growth of imports of plastics, printing and packaging machinery

Source: VDMA, Graph: fairtrade

plastprintpack West Africa 2013 from 3 – 5 December in Accra, Ghana

According to VDMA-The German Engineering Association, the imports of plastics, printing and packaging machinery and equipment to West Africa in 2011 increased by up to 75 per cent. Against this backdrop the Accra International Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana will open its gates from 3 to 5 December 2013 the 1st plastprintpack West Africa. The International Trade Show on Plastics, Composites, Chemistry and Printing & Packaging Solutions and Material is organised by the trade fair specialist fairtrade Messe from Germany.

Among the ECOWAS-The Economic Community of West African States as a regional group of 15 West African countries, Ghana has developed into a „Donor darling“ of the international giver community. This success is founded on political and economic stability. Further on Ghana belongs to the out-performers in Subsahara-Africa, with gdp-growth rates of considerably more than 7 per cent (ECOWAS average: 5%). This growth is driven by divert industry sectors. Private investments into the branches of oil and gas, mining, agriculture, food processing industry, retailing and energy as well as public investments into infrastructural projects made Ghana an important hub for business with West Africa. (Source: GTAI – Wirtschaftstrends Ghana 2012/13, January 2013). According to Martin März, managing director with fairtrade, Ghana is the ideal venue for this leading cross-border trade show.

As stated in the study of GTAI, growing population, increase in consumer consumption as well as the great distance between West Africa and the major consumer goods industries in Europe and South Africa, make a local production certainly worthwhile. These tendencies are supported by the import figures of VDMA for plastics, printing and packaging machinery and equipment into the ECOWAS countries. Compared to the year 2010 the imports in the plastics sector grew by 37.7 per cent from 96.9 up to 133.5 million Euros. A rise from 36.7 to 64.5 million Euros represents an increase of 75.7 per cent in imports of printing machinery and equipment. And in the same period, the imports in the packaging sector to the ECOWAS states increased by 52.1 per cent up to 223.3 million Euros.

Industry experts agree that this is not the end of this development. „I am convinced: in 10 years from now we will witness the great Africa boom. By then, for us working in the field of packaging technology, business-wise the continent will play a similarly important role as Asia does today,“ claims Friedbert Klefenz, President of Bosch Packaging Technology and Chairman of the board of the packaging machinery sector within VDMA.

The trade fair specialist fairtrade Messe recognized this potential and launch the plastprintpack West Africa. The 1st International Trade Show on Plastics, Composites, Chemistry and Printing & Packaging Solutions and Material is scheduled to be held from 3 – 5 December 2013 at the Accra International Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana. According to the organisers this event will be the „place-to-be“, to meet buyers from West Africa as well as technology leaders from Europa, Asia and America. Two decades of experience in organising trade fairs and a strong institutional partner AHK- Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Ghana make these targets realistic.

To create valuable synergies for exhibitors and visitors alike, printpackplast West Africa is held in conjunction with agrofood West Africa, the 1st International Trade Show on Agriculture & Livestock, Food, Beverage & Packaging Technology and Food, Beverages & Hospitality.

www.ppp-westafrica.com

fairtrade Messe und Ausstellungs GmbH & Co KG
Seit ihrer Gründung 1991 zählt die fairtrade Messegesellschaft zu den führenden Veranstaltern internationaler Fachmessen in den aufstrebenden Märkten Osteuropas, des Nahen und Mittleren Ostens und Nordafrikas. Als inhaber-geführtes Unternehmen mit Sitz in Heidelberg verfügt fairtrade über ein weltweites Netz von Partnern und Repräsentanten. fairtrade ist ISO 9001:2008 zertifiziert. Als UFI-Mitglied organisiert fairtrade Messen nach den UFI Qualitätsnormen.

About fairtrade:
fairtrade ranks among the leading organizers of professional international trade fairs in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North Africa ever since its foundation in 1991. Headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, fairtrade maintains a powerful network of agencies and partnerships throughout the world while focusing on achieving an ever higher degree of customer satisfaction, providing excellent service and generating valuable business contacts for exhibitors and trade visitors alike. ISO 9001:2008 certified and as a member of UFI The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, fairtrade organizes events according to the UFI quality norms.

Kontakt:
fairtrade Presse
Dominik Rzepka
Kurfuersten Anlage 36
69115 Heidelberg
+49 6221 456522
d.rzepka@fairtrade-messe.de
http://www.fairtrade-messe.de/

Pressekontakt:
fairtrade Messe
Dominik Rzepka
Kurfürsten Anlage 36
69115 Heidelberg
+49 6221 456522
d.rzepka@fairtrade-messe.de
http://www.fairtrade-messe.de/