Al Bayader International, a regional pioneer in the fast growing disposable products market, will unveil the second phase of its ambitious $22 million regional expansion programme at the Gulfood show in Dubai.

The company has signed a contract for the construction of a new $4.6 million, 11,0002 complex in Qatar, comprising  offices, production and logistics facilities in the new Doha Industrial Area.

The investment follows the opening of a $4 million state-of-the-art logistics facility last December at Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai.

Al Bayader International CEO Nidal Haddad said the company has, in recent years, transformed from a supplier of foodstuff packaging to a provider of innovative packaging solutions, with a catalogue more than 900 products.

The company will continue its investment programme in areas such as buildings, manufacturing equipment and transport, he added.

'With such a large product base and a fast-growing client list, extreme pressure was being placed on the old warehousing and distribution centres across the region,' Haddad noted.

'The additional capacity provided by the Qatar and Jebel Ali facilities will allow us to further improve logistics operations, increase our own production capacity and afford easier access to many more potential export destinations,' he said.

Qatar was one of Al Bayader's first regional branches, commencing operations in 2004 and the new Doha facility - which comprises an EPS foam thermoforming production factory, warehouses, offices and a showroom - is expected to be completed in early 2009.

Haddad said the complex would see the introduction of high speed extruding and thermoforming production line for the manufacture of EPS boxes, trays and tableware.

With more packaging in homes today than ever before, coupled with a regional population boom set to exceed global levels, Al-Bayader International, will be even better placed to meet the needs of consumers for the long term future.-TradeArabia News Service