Industry Automation Shift Tops Food Sector’s Future Transformtion Agenda As Gulfood Manufacturing Returns In Person
Gulfood Manufacturing, the largest food and beverage processing and packaging show in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), will welcome a strong global line-up from 55 countries when it returns live and in-person this November.
Some 1,250exhibitors will be at the event, which runs from 7 – 9 November at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) with solutions to transform an industry that is increasingly important to the UAE’s economic diversification drive. In March of this year, the UAE launched Operation 300 Billion, an ambitious 10-year programme to double the contribution of both light and heavy industrial manufacturing sectors to the economy, providing AED300 billion (USD81.6 billion) to GDP by 2031.
Gulfood Manufacturing 2021 will address the sector’s pressing issues, including sustainable packaging, automation, and global F&B supply chain dilemmas.
“From robotic packing solutions and integrated manufacturing breakthroughs to tech-based ingredients, the show and conference progamme will furnish delegates with first-hand experience of all the megatrends and innovations redefining the global food manufacturing sector,” explained Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President, Events Management, DWTC.
“Gulfood Manufacturing is powering smart innovations in food manufacturing this year, which is reflected in the appetite from all the major industry names to be here and use the event as a platform to chart the sector’s future, answer challenges and meet rising demand for automation.”
SPEARHEADING THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL FOOD MANUFACTURING
With Dubai firmly established at the forefront of industry evolution with the launch of its Food Tech Valley initiative that seeks to triple the UAE’s food production, LohMirmand says Gulfood Manufacturing is now at the centre of a movement which will totally transform the sector.
“Key issues of food self-sufficiency, sustainability and conservation of resources have been rising up industry agendas for years, but now have increased impetus following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,with logistics and distribution challenges, and the changing weather patterns seen globally recently. Added to these is a renewed consumer post-pandemic drive for produce and ingredients provenance and a growing trend towards health-based eating patterns,” added LohMirmand.
“Gulfood Manufacturing 2021 will address all these issues and, as the only global manufacturing event taking place this year, in a safe and secure environment, will attract the industry’s futurists who wish to redefine the sector’s processes and procedures and make it fit for purpose in the new reality of a conscious consumer-centric world.”
EXHIBITORS LAUD SHOW’S TIMELY RETURN
The exhibitor line-up includes many of the world’s leading manufacturing innovators and global food processing and packaging players who will demonstrate sector-breaking production advancements including the move towards collaborative robots (Cobots) and machine vision lasers for the verification of packaging dimensions. Many of the innovations will be demonstrated to visitors via Gulfood Manufacturing’s Innovation Tours.
A vast range of industry heavyweights have already confirmed their participation, including Schneider Electronics, GEA, Krones, Cargill Tate & Lyle, Multivac and many more.
ipack, a UAE-based producer of aseptic packaging material for products such as milk, juices, cheese, tomato paste, and others, has hailed the show’s timely return and the chance to address industry challenges.
“The return of Gulfood Manufacturing is more important than ever post-pandemic, presenting us with the ideal opportunity to address several challenges and respond to emerging trends by showcasing one of the safest,high-quality packaging materials in the market,” said Ruben Rizk, Head of Sales & Marketing for ipack.
“We are anticipating a hugely successful event and engaging with a huge number of potential partners in a safe and successful environment.”
Fellow key exhibitor, SIG Middle East, a leading systems solutions provider for aseptic packaging, believes digital transformation, emerging trends and consumer demands have given industry players even greater scope to demonstrate innovation to the world at Gulfood Manufacturing.
AbdelghanyEladib, President and General Manager, SIG Middle East said: “We see the emergence of industry 4.0 and a digital transformation that is reshaping the F&B manufacturing industry. This has led to the creation of a new era of digital operations boosting transparency, efficiency and sustainability,and enhancing the manufacturing process. Another growing digital trend is maintenance, a market that is set to be worth almost USD11 billion by 2022, up 39 percent since 2017. With SIG’s planned 360 controller, we have a digital solution to transform every aspect of filling plant operation.”
MAJOR PLAYERS ADDRESSING END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES
Running alongside the exhibition will be Gulfood Manufacturing’s probing knowledge exchange programme featuring the heraldedFoodtech Summit, Innovation Tours, Food in First Workshops and ConnexionsProgramme.
Additionally, to ensure the entire food chain ecosystem is catered for, three sector-specific events will be co-located alongside Gulfood Manufacturing: Private Label and Licensing Middle East, the only Private Label and Licensing Exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa; yummex Middle East, the region’s most established sourcing platform for the sweets and snacks industries and Speciality Food Festival, the region’s leading event for the gourmet and fine food industry.
