El Safa Printing & Packaging Press in Egypt is a well known name in the packaging sector of the country. Eighty per cent of the production in El Safa is based on packaging, while the remaining 20 per cent is dedicated for commercial print jobs. Speaking to ME Printer Magazine about the recent packaging trends, Ahmed Fahmy Mirdan, Marketing Manager at El Safa Printing & Packaging said that packaging is a very variable industry, and the sector faced its share of changes during the period of 2011-2012. “We at El Safa Press, which mainly caters to the Middle East and African market, performed many studies to analyze the changes in the market created by the unstable political conditions.”
He added, “We received promising signals from the market and witnessed the big rise in demand during 2012. It was a challenge to invest in such political circumstances. We accepted the challenge and when the time came we were ready to fulfil our market needs with a huge increment in both quality and capacity. Our decisions were taken before drupa 2012. We developed an agreement with KBA to provide us with three production lines, which were presented by the company in drupa 2012. Two of these three lines were installed recently and we expect the last one to be installed before the end of 2012. These production lines come with top notch technology and allow us to produce 18,000 sheets/hour. With 7 to 10 printing units in these two lines, we shifted the competition to a new level in the Middle East and African region.”
Talking about their range of products, he said, “We at El Safa press serve our clients by producing all types of display boxes, food product boxes, medicine boxes, detergent boxes, cheese boxes, labels and carton boxes.” Ahmed continued, “El Safa press is considered to be one of the biggest presses in Egypt and the Middle East. Our line of customers contains the biggest firms in the region, and we cooperate with customers in over 18 countries that include Africa, Asia and Europe. Some of our clients are Nestle, Kraft, Bel, Glaxosmitkline, Pfizer, Henkel etc.”
Observing the changing trends in the packaging industry, he said, “The packaging industry is continuously changing. Our customers are seeking new ways and techniques day after day. Being in an unstable environment, the only way to succeed is to be honest, provide quality products, deliver products on time, and by keeping your resources up to date.”
