Zahir Hassan, general manager of Zabeel Printing Press, told Khaleej Times, that, “Dubai has emerged as the polestar for the printing industry in the region as huge printing jobs come to the emirate from both Europe and the FarEast, which was previously preferred destination for printing as the quality is comparable to anything that are available elsewhere in the world today. The products and solutions are being offered at competitive rates, making Dubai a cost effective outsourcing centre.”
He added: “Presently, there are 200 active trade licenses for the printing sector in Dubai and the emirate’s total investment in the printing sector is around 1.7 billion which includes the newspapers, magazine and periodicals. By the end of this year, the growth will increase tremendously as Dubai is an open market and creates more growth in most businesses in the emirate.”
Moreover, with the setting up of the International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) spreading over an area of 35 million sq ft, sandwiched between the Emirates Road and Shaikh Zayed Road, the business cards printing Dubai sector is expected to emerge as a major outsourcing centre for printing solutions across the world.
Dubai Media City’s IMPZ, the first dedicated trade zone created in the region for media-related production activities, once completed will make the emirate a nerve centre for the printing industry in the region as it will bring together a cross section of the printing industry and effectively pool their resources and expertise.
According to Mohammed Al Hashemi, vice chairman, Representative Committee of Printing & Publishing Group and managing director, Al Hashemi Trading, “The International Media Production Zone will provide a tremendous boost to the printing industry in our region as the initiative will open the way for new ideas and encourage more modern technologies and methods into the region’s printing industry.”
Senior officials of Emirates Printing Press feels that the International Media Production Zone will benefit the print industry as most of the facilities such as pre-press, post-press, warehousing and consumables will be at one location. This will bring great advantages to the print buyer, who will get services ranging from pre-press to distribution from one location. Also, being a capital-intensive industry, the printers within the Zone can work together and utilize the services of each other instead of making costly investments in equipment that is already available with other printers in the Zone.
Foreseeing, the growth potential in this sector, Al Ghurair Printing & Publishing House company has booked 500,000 sq ft for the first phase of the project with an option for another 500,000 sq ft area for future expansion at IMPZ.
Last December, DCCI (Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry) organised a seminar for its Printing and Publishing group and at the seminar, Fahid Al Gergawi, director of trade and business developemnt of DCCI, said :”Dubai is way ahead of East Asia both in terms of quality and price and as such lot of businesses are now moving to the emirate, which is poised to see growth both in terms of business and capacity in the near future.”
Hassan concluded, “The ‘Gulf Print’ exhibition will be staged at the Dubai Airport Expo this September and this event can bring the major players of the industry from the local market and other markets of this region to have their own version of an exhibition dedicated for the Gulf region.”
Courtesy Khaleej Times
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