BOBST Meeting on Packaging industry developments

Tunisia: 7th - 11th of October 2002: This meeting discussed the issue of packaging, printing, ribbed cardboard, folding Boxboard and paper manufacturing. The BOBST team has shared the latest developments occurring in the packaging industry and its products.

One of the main achievements that took place in this meeting was the opening of the new technical training center in Tunis.

The speech of the president of the Arab Federation Board of Directors in Tunisia

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am honored to share with you today the opening session of the BOBST Group meeting regarding the development of the packaging industry. I would like to take the opportunity to especially thank BOBST as this meeting is taking place less than two weeks prior to the election of the new Board of Directors of the Federation. It directly contributes in achieving its objectives on more than one level.

On the One hand, this meeting is taking place in Tunisia and gathers a considerable group of industrials that are members in the Federation. It is considered as a message to all the others meetings of the Federation. Dealing with the packaging issue, The Federation is also targeting at least four other sectors such as printing, corrugated cardboard industry, folding boxboard and paper manufacturing mainly the white and kraft testliner.
On the other hand, we are gathered today in order to get acquainted with the latest developments that are occurring in the packaging industry and its materials especially its connection with the production components such as ink, paper and machinery in such a way as to have a full control of the totality of such components.

It is essential to bring up the importance of this sector on the economical level, as it is certain that every 1% increase in the packaging ratio contributes in diminishing the loss in the foodstuff by 1.6%
It is sufficient to point out that more than 250kgs are used per head annually in the United States of America, as the corrugated cardboard is considered an essential pillar to this industry since it represents for example more than 50 kgs per head in some of the European countries and around 10 kgs in some of the Arab countries. This situation creates opportunities in reducing its margin in terms of quantity.

Needless to say, packaging products take new dimensions in our daily life as they are not only limited to a logistics importance to protect the goods and ensure their safety, warehousing and distribution but the packaging plays a crucial marketing part that directly contributes in the marketing and promotion strategy of the goods.
The latest developments in the paper and cardboard manufacturing, processing and printing reinforced our position in comparison with the processing products that are facing many changes on both the information and manufacturing levels.
There is no doubt that the latest developments are to be considered as a revolution due to constant revelations in the development of the machinery, materials, production components and its usage as the new F, N and G opened new horizons such as opportunities, challenges and new developed markets in the promotion world in particular the POS displays coinciding with the Litho laminating outbreak not to mention the preparation on the digital printing level.
Therefore, such meeting achieved another objective which to escort technology development. Today, we are facing an outstanding opportunity to get acquainted with the latest technology in this domain.
While we reiterate our thanks to BOBST group, we found ourselves facing a company that constantly contributed not only in the history making of the sector industry for its leading role in several accomplishments in the packaging machinery and its development but BOBST is planning today the future of this sector by presenting its solutions to different lines such as the outstanding printing on corrugated cardboard, hq graphics, the litho laminating and the latest development regarding flat or rotary cutting.

Perhaps, the main accomplishment is the greatest move of technology into training our working team in the new training center which will operate today in Tunisia. This is a crucial achievement that we all greatly appreciate.

To conclude, I can only reiterate my thanks to the officials of the group for organizing this seminar hoping for further meetings in the near future.

Thank you.