New group launched to promote 'Made in UAE' paper, tissue products across local, international markets

A new business group for the paper and tissue industry in the UAE – DuPAT – has been officially launched under the umbrella of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) to promote `Made in UAE' products locally and globally.

The new group, formed at ProPaper exhibition, will seek to promote the UAE's $2 billion corrugated board packaging, including the tissue paper industry across markets.

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Industry experts estimate that the tissue and hygiene paper market alone in the UAE is worth $525 million, while kraft paper size is worth $450 million.

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“The group's mandate is to enhance the acceptance and visibility of 'Made in UAE' products across markets, explore potential export opportunities, and contribute to the non-oil economic diversification of the country.

"DuPAT will also support the industry actively adopting sustainable business practices in line with the UAE Net Zero by 2050 goal,” said Salahuddin Sharafi, chairman of DuPAT and Union Paper Mills of MAHY Khoory.

“DuPAT has a clear vision on sustainability and it will be our responsibility to help the UAE paper industry align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by embracing circular economy initiatives to reduce carbon footprint,” said Aejaz Ahmed Munshi, director of DuPAT and general manager of Star Paper Mills.

Abdul Jebbar, vice chairman of DuPAT and founding chairman of Hotpack Industries, said the new body will also ensure that the standards of the GCC Standardisation Organisation (GSO) will be implemented for tissue and paper products under the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA) to safeguard consumer rights and to foster fair competition among stakeholders.

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) paper and pulp industry is on a growth surge, poised to cross over $20 billion in the next six to seven years, with GCC countries led by Saudi Arabia and UAE at the forefront of a demand upswing for paper packaging products fuelling the rise, industry experts said, quoting independent market reports.

Increasing consumer sensitivity to hygiene is also fuelling growth in the tissue sector in the MEA region. In the UAE alone, the market for tissue and hygiene paper is expected to grow by 1.94 per cent between 2024 and 2029 from the current $525 million, as per Statista.

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