The 18th edition of the Dubai WoodShow has taken place at Dubai World Trade Centre between 15 – 17. March, 2022. Together with our GCC Representatives, PalletBiz Group COO Mr. Thomas Gents participated in the event as well, which is regarded the biggest wood exhibition in the Middle East, and is therefore highly relevant for members of the Packaging & Handling Materials industry.
The Show’s unique nature is perceptible – and not just because of its grandeur –since this is the only dedicated business-to-business (B2B) meeting point for wood specialists in the region. Consequently, the largest wood and sawmill companies are generally represented at the event, knowing that the wood consumption within the Middle East Region is enormous – and thus, reaping the various advantages the Show facilitates, including opportunities for networking, as well as branding & promotion.
Besides enjoying the festivities, our PalletBiz representatives were able to draw quite a few important conclusions from the exhibition – while also knowing the recent trends in the industry.
Primarily, the US has started to target Europe for wood supply – instead of Canada, which is causing an upturn on the demand’s side. As a result, prices are expected to keep increasing throughout the value chain (from raw materials to semi-finished and ready products), seriously impacting the tertiary packaging industry at large.
Secondly, the war that has recently emerged in Ukraine also affects our industry – considering the supply’s side. Enough to think on the sanctions being imposed on Russia/Belarus when it comes to raw materials. Furthermore, the fact that Ukraine has essentially fallen out from the global circulation means that massive supply volumes are being unused and cut away from the industry. This phenomenon creates an upsurge on the demand as well – mainly, due to market speculations and uncertainty – since buyers intend to replete their safety stocks and warehouses immediately.
Mr. Thomas Gents summarized the key takeaways from the event as follows: “Besides meeting with existing and potential suppliers, which is always a pleasure – not just in the GCC regions but other regions as well where PalletBiz is present -, the whole industry could share the unpredictability of the current market that urges us to find a light together – both suppliers and customers – in these turmoiled times”.
Furthermore, Mr. Gents also expressed his view about the future: “We should remain optimistic that the war will come to an end soon. Current circumstances obviously make things now even harder than before, but it is expected that the logistics and shipping conditions will improve from the second half of 2022”.
