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Satish Khanna

Plastics sector benefits from 'green buildings' drive

Dubai, December 26, 2012

 

BASF, a global manufacturer and innovation partner of plastic additives and pigments with its regional headquarters in Dubai, believes that the UAE plastics industry benefits strongly from the emirates’ drive towards “green buildings”.
 
BASF highlighted these trends in connection with its participation in Arabplast 2013, the biggest plastics event in the region and one of the largest three in the world, taking place in Dubai from January 7 to 10, 2013.
 
BASF said that “going green” approach of the UAE has boosted the plastics industry in a wide range of sustainable products catering to insulation in buildings, wire and cable jacketing and fiber optics.
 
Frank Fasdernes, business director, BASF Plastic Additives Africa, Eastern Europe and Western Asia, said: “Sustainability, and in particular environmental friendliness, are the growth drivers of the plastic industry in the region, as we see from the huge interest in eco-friendly construction and ‘green’ buildings. Although bio-based and biodegradable plastics are likely to remain a niche market for foreseeable future, conventional plastics provide an environmental benefit in many applications – from thermal insulation to lightweight automotive components and packaging.”
 
BASF designs tailored solutions for key industries, such as agriculture, automotive, packaging, fiber, building and construction as well as electric and electronics.
 
Fasdernes added: “We try to reach all our customers within the value chain to share experiences and knowhow. We recognise the growing importance of the Middle East and North Africa markets for the plastics industry.  There is continuous growth in the plastics converting industry with substantial expansion of polymer production in the Middle East. This makes the region a major market for plastic additives. Furthermore, it has become a key market for plastic injection moulders.”
 
As the main upstream production facilities are located within the GCC, the plastics industry in the UAE and the region is likely to see an increasing focus on downstream industries. The GCC is becoming an important market for the plastics converting industry. Most prominent are the infrastructure industries, such as wire and cable and also pipes. The packaging sector is also gaining momentum.
 
He added: “Arabplast gives us an opportunity to offer our latest innovations and solutions in engineering polymers. In this context, at the Arabplast 2013 we will show representative examples of automotive electronics applications made of BASF’s polyamide (Ultramid), PBT (Ultradur), POM (UIltrafom) and polyurethanes like oil sensors, fuel pressor sensors or air-flap control units.”
 
Fasdernes said: “Our portfolio includes light stabilizers and flame retardants, antioxidants process stabilizers, and a large variety of pigments for the plastics industry. BASF Plastic Additives offer solutions to meet all plastic requirements, including approved ingredients for food and beverage.”
 
“We see the UAE is serious in its commitment to sustainability. There is awareness as well as resources and many of the projects start from grassroots, enabling planning focused on latest sustainability trends.  Experts have endorsed the impressive efforts to embrace sustainable growth in various fields, mainly construction throughout the UAE and wider GCC region,” he said.
 
“We expect the chemical industry to grow particularly strongly in the emerging economies, and these markets will account for around 60 per cent of global chemical production by 2020. Innovations based on chemistry will play a key role in three areas in particular: resources, environment and climate; food and nutrition; quality of life,” he added.
 
Satish Khanna, general manager, Al Fajer Information and Services, the co-organiser of Arabplast, said: “We are pleased that multinational companies like BASF see Arabplast as an ideal platform to boost their business and operations. Arabplast 2013 will be 34 percent bigger than the 2011 edition, following record number of exhibitors and sponsors.”
 
A record number of companies from 41 countries are participating in Arabplast 2013, a reflection on the growing importance attached by GCC countries to strengthening their manufacturing industries, including plastics and rubber sector, which are known to be more sustainable investments in the long run, he said. – TradeArabia News Service
 



Tags: Green Building | plastics | BASF | arabplast |

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