DUBAI – The UAE consumption of general commodity paper is 3.5 times that of newsprint. Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), one of the world’s leading pulp and paper companies and the largest vertically integrated pulp and paper producer in Asia, excluding Japan, has said that the consumption of both is high in the region due to the UAE’s position as the trade, media and financial hub in the Middle East.

APP is a sponsor of the 5th Paper Arabia Show 2012 to be held at the Dubai International Exhibition on Oct. 1-3, APP.

The event offers opportunities to the manufacturers and suppliers of finished products, equipment, machinery, paper chemicals, services, supplies of paper, tissue and converting sector to make inroads to the Mideast and North African markets.

Satish Khanna, GM, Al Fajer Information and Services, organizers of the show, said: “The expenditure on newsprint was high in recent years but with the evolution of the digital media the consumption has dwindled, while commodity paper consumption is getting higher.”

Suneet Sood, CEO, APP Dubai office said: “In 2011, growth of the stationery division of our company was stable, whereas the paper division grew by 13 percent and the packaging division by 30 percent. – SG