Paperworld Middle East Links International Businesses Through Virtual Exhibition Platform

Paperworld Middle East, the region’s dedicated trade fair for stationery, paper, gifts, school and office supplies, closed yesterday (9 September) its two-day virtual trade fair after hosting more than 1,300 online buyers from 100 countries and 60-plus exhibitors.

With the 10^th edition of the annual three-day event – scheduled to take place in March 2020 –postponed due nationwide lock-downs in response to the global pandemic, the virtual platform was developed as an interim event to facilitate global networking opportunities within the region.

The platform, built with a virtual entrance and hall renders, webinar and demo zones, and dedicated networking lobbies, allowed exhibitors and visitors to take part in meaningful discussions with prospective customers and clients – as well as providing an option to purchase products directly from suppliers.

Ali Akbar, Paperworld Middle East’s show director, said: “The positive response to Paperworld going digital has solidified the notion that, even during times where travel is restricted, there is still an appetite to connect and network with professionals in the industry.”

“While the virtual trade fair accepts no boundaries, buyers from the Middle East and African region enquired on a wide spectrum of products and solutions offered by our participating companies to fulfil their sourcing requirements from the comfort of their locations.”

“The virtual fair removes the need for travel and visas,” added Mark Dawson, Sales and Marketing Director at Netherlands-based Real Time Communication BV, one of the virtual participants.“The prospect of seeing a wider and more diverse profile of visitors from companies involved in cartridge reselling, printer supplies, hardware, software and organisations from SMEs to large corporates is encouraging.”

Real Time Communication BV used the virtual event as a platform to showcase its range of print cartridge solutions as well as its Management Print Services (MPS) tool – a system that will play an important role in flexible work environment created by COVID-19.

Dawson said: “We have an army of management executives and employees working from home and those individuals want to, as much as possible, replicate their corporate office experience at home,” he said. “Purchasing and procuring office equipment to create that environment means there is a loss in control on the cost to the company.

“We have a mobile app that uses a data collection agent to determine different employee printers and will help organisations understand how much printing is going on, the level of toner and enable offices to send new ink cartridges.”

The 10th edition of Paperworld Middle East March will take place from 2-4 March 2021 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and will be co-located for the first time with Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East, the region’s premier trade fair showcasing mid to high-end consumer goods. The two exhibitions are expected to feature nearly 300 exhibitors from 42 countries.

More information is available at: www.paperworldme.com