Nairobi’s Twin Shows to Boost Paper, Print, and Packaging

Twin shows, Pro Paper Africa and Pro Print Pack Africa 2022, a one-of-its-kind robust platform for regional and global paper, printing, and packaging industries and suppliers to explore business expansion into newer markets will be held from 5-7 October, 2022 at the Sarit Expo Centre, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Tapping into the surging market of Africa for consumer-facing industries and home to a population of 1.2 billion, the twin paper industry shows will open its doors for a wide spectrum of global paper players.

“Pro Paper Africa and Pro Print Pack Africa cover the entire gamut of paper industry across the B2B and B2C space, and that obviously has stirred great enthusiasm among industry players across the region and the world. It is also significant that the twin shows are taking place in Africa, which is emerging as a hotspot of consumer and industrial growth with the world’s youngest population,” says Rajesh Nair, Project Director of Verifair, the Dubai-based multi-national trade fair company, organizing the show.

The twin shows have been conceived as a veritable showcase of printing equipment, packaging machines, and materials. It will be a vantage point for exhibitors to connect with printing houses, packaging companies, e-commerce players, FMCG companies, logistics firms, advertisers, and marketers focused on Africa.

“The shows have been designed to provide an end-to-end opportunity across the industrial and consumer spectrum, and in that sense, it is very comprehensive in its outlook and approach,” adds Nair.

Pro Paper Africa is a professional trade fair for paper, tissue, and hygiene industry while Pro Print Pack targets printing, packaging machinery, material, supplies, and accessories.

The shows promise to be a platform for advertisers and marketers focused on tapping new business opportunities in Africa. The one-window format will also allow exhibitors to connect with service providers, stationery suppliers, paper distributors, paper traders, tissue convertors, and hospitality service providers.

With many registered exhibitors gung-ho about the prospects of the expo, Sina Haghi, CEO of Sharjah-based Magic Trading Company (MTC) has this to say, “The shows offer us the opportunity to introduce MTC as the largest supplier and printer of promotional gifts and gift printing equipment in the Middle East. Additionally, we are also looking for ways to expand in Africa and serve the African market.”

According to Nair the booming African market is a predominant attraction, with an estimated 53% of the population in the age group range of 16-34, guaranteeing a long-term market.

US-based global management consultancy McKinsey & Company has estimated that Africa presents a $400 billion opportunity in the next ten years. By 2025, it is anticipated that 303 million households will have a discretionary income, and 90 million consumers will be added to the market in a decade’s time.

“We are anticipating a robust trade visitor flow to the shows, buoyed by the African business opportunity from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Egypt, Lebanon and other East African countries,” adds Nair.

The organisors have arranged buyer-seller meetings to bring more certainty and business predictability to participants of the shows.

“We have very unique solutions to the printing and packaging industry. We would like to promote these solutions in Africa for the benefit of printers in the region, and this is being made possible by our participation in the expo,” says Jayakrishna Valluru, Managing Partner, AGE Graphics.

The fact that the shows are happening in Kenya which is a hub of paper industry in Africa has also heightened the interest. The capital Nairobi, being a regional trade hub, is also a plus point for exhibitors. Nairobi is also an emerging financial centre of Africa.