Emirates Printing Press (EPP), a leading commercial printing press based in the UAE, has announced the opening of its third printing and packaging facility, built over a 255,000-sq-ft area in Dubai Industrial Park.

Certified to the BRC Global Standard for Packaging and Packaging Materials, the plant follows the same international standards that EPP adheres to across its business lines, and applies meticulous attention to detail in quality control, said the company in a statement.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Abdulla Belhoul, CEO, Dubai Industrial City; Mohan Valrani, senior vice chairman and managing director of Al Shirawi Group of Companies; Mohamed Al Shirawi, CEO at EPP, as well as senior representatives of Dubai Industrial Park and Emirates Printing Press.

The facility is home to two 10-colour rotogravure printing machines (Windmoller & Holscher and Bobst Rotomec 4003 with a printing speed of 27,000 meter per hour) and one cutting-edge 10-colour Omet XFlex – the first in the GCC region – with combined offset, flexo and rotogravure capabilities designed specifically for specialty flexibles, said a statement.

The machines include a host of built-in features, such as the auto viscosity controller and BST inspection cameras, which ensures consistent output, it stated.

According to EPP, the new facility expands its capabilities into the rapidly growing packaging field.

On the new facility, Belhoul said: "Our organisation is delighted to be part of the innovation in high-quality printing and packaging solutions. The new printing and packaging facility pioneers a revolutionary approach in global printing techniques."

"The collaboration with EPP aligns with our objective to forge valued partnerships that enable our clients to effectively address their customers’ needs and grow their businesses in sustainable ways," he stated.

“The printing and packaging industry has greatly benefited from the significant surge in demand for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG). The food packaging market is now registering healthy profits and is expected to continue growing rapidly in the coming years,” he added.

“Given the anticipated growth, we look forward to attracting more stakeholders from this industry that promises high returns on investment,” Belhoul concluded.

Al Shirawi pointed out that EPP was a proud advocate of Dubai’s printing industry and the advances it had made in quality and innovative printing and packaging, especially under the auspices of Dubai Industrial Park.

“The international food packaging industry adheres to the highest standards of consumer safety, sustainability and environmental protection,” he said.

“These standards guide our investment in the most modern packaging and flexible packaging machinery and operator training so our customers can rest assured that their products, regardless of the complexity of their packaging, will reach consumers in perfect condition,” he added.