The US$2 billion UAE paper industry players are realigning their strategies to sustain growth, focusing more on the domestic and neighbouring GCC markets to counter geopolitical headwinds, rising raw material costs and logistics bottlenecks hampering exports to global markets.
At the premium B2B trade event, ProPaper 2026 in Dubai, experts said the UAE paper industry had remained resilient and stable, thanks to high-impact government support through a slew of measures, including `Green Corridors’ and alternative supply chain routes to ease trade gridlocks in the wake of disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz.
ProPaper 2026, the region’s premium B2B event was inaugurated by HE Fahad Al Gergawi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Foreign Trade along with HE Ibtisam Ali Al Saadi, Acting, Assistant Undersecretary, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, and key industry players.
Initiatives
“Initiatives such as Make it in the Emirates provide a strong foundation. But our By connecting resource recovery, manufacturing and material innovation, we can build stronger industrial ecosystems and create greater regional value,” insisted Abdel Rhman Obaid, Group CEO, MAHY Khoory & Co. Group.
“Our immediate priority is to serve the domestic UAE market, where our products have received a positive response in terms of quality, service and reliability of supply,” said Majid Rasheed, Managing Director, Star Paper Mill.
Lifelines
For the UAE, supply chains are more than just the movement of goods. They are the lifelines that keep our economy moving, our industries operating and our people supplied with the essentials they need every day, noted Hamad Abdulla Al Ghurair, SVP, Special Projects & Commercial, PURL by Al Ghurair.
The overall cost inflation the UAE paper mills are facing include an over 32 per cent spike in imported pulp prices and a staggering three to four times rate hikes in shipping and transportation costs.
“Innovation and sustainability are two key drivers of growth for the paper industry and ProPaper provides an opportunity to industry players to collaborate on these fronts,” asserted Jeen Joshua, Managing Director Verifair, organisers of the B2B exhibition.
