DTI Supports ProPak; Strives for Sustainable PH Economy Through Processing and Packaging

Ensuing the success of last year’s trade exposition, ProPak, the premiere processing and packaging trade show in Asia, returned to set up its 2nd edition in the Philippines, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, Pasay City last February 5.

Organized by Informa Markets, with the support of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Packaging Institute of the Philippines (PIP) and other government and non-government agencies, ProPak Philippines 2020 flaunts more than 400 exhibitors from 30 countries featuring the world-class packaging and processing machines, benefiting a wide range of sectors from food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries.

This three-day trade exhibit aims to further boost the capability of local packaging service providers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

DTI has acknowledged the role of good packaging and processing to Philippine MSMEs in enhancing their productivity, marketability, profitability and competitiveness and so introduced various initiatives on product development such as Pak! Pinas, One Town One Product (OTOP) Next Gen, and now the promotion of the ProPak Philippines.

“Many of the MSMEs, food processors, and even non-food, will always be challenged to exhibit their products well and so we are challenged to find solutions – maybe integrate these two sectors, the packaging and the MSMEs. So in 2018, we gave some rounds of packaging gatherings. We created the Pak! Pinas roadshows in Region 4A as well as in Visayas and Mindanao, and it gained success. From that time on, we saw the improvement in the confidence of micro entrepreneurs seeing developments in their products. Then came the ProPak Philippines and we’ve seen some its successes already. We hope that this will continue to get better and better,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez during the ProPak’s launching.

Trade Chief Lopez also urged the ProPak exhibitors to continuously reach out to MSMEs and offer affordable packaging technologies.

Through the Regional Operations Group’s initiative, DTI sent more than 500 MSMEs to ProPak Asia in Bangkok, Thailand in 2018. Last year, the pioneer edition of ProPak Philippines reached to a close of 10,000 trade visitors, and stakeholders.

“DTI vows to continue its support to ProPak as the Department has seen the huge potential of the Philippines in the packaging industry and exploring ways to reach its goal to help the people in this industry through expanding their knowledge, innovating packaging solutions, and connecting with the international network of the industry,” said MSME Advocate Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona.

Furthermore, Secretary Lopez reiterated the significant role of MSMEs in sustaining the economic development of the Philippines, as it continuously contributes to the employment generation as well as the eradication of poverty in the country. Through DTI’s efforts, there are now around 1.5 million registered enterprises in the country.

Gracing the event was also House Committee Chairman in Commerce and Industry Weslie Gatchalian.

ProPak Philippines 2020 runs through February 5-7, 2020.

DTI CHIEF ASKS HI TECH PACKAGING SUPPLIERS TO CATER TO MSMEs

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said access to modern high technology packaging suppliers will help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) level up their productivity and competitiveness. The secretary was a keynote speaker at the Propak Philippines 2020 on 5 February at the World Trade Center. Sec. Lopez urged the exhibitors to reach out to MSMEs and offer affordable packaging solutions. He also said that with the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in some of the products available at ProPak, packaging suppliers bring the necessary innovation and technology that can help MSMEs improve their products, raise their profit, and increase the sector’s contribution to the economy. SMEs should also have easier access to digital transformation for their operations. Through the many DTI initiatives that can help MSMEs, Sec. Lopez hopes to further increase the number of registered enterprises from around 1.5 million today to 2 million in 2021. Also gracing the event was House Committee Chair in Commerce and Industry Weslie Gatchalian, who expressed support for DTI’s push for technology and has lobbied to increase the budget for DTI’s Shared Service Facilities. The packaging and processing trade fair runs until 7 February and features the latest technology from global suppliers.

ProPak Show Goes to PH

Featuring 292 world-leading manufacturers from 29 countries, including 9 international pavilions from China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom, the trade exhibition showcases the best and latest technology, machines and solutions for industry from large scale manufacturing to MSMEs.

Similarly, DTI sees the importance of good packaging in enhancing the marketability and competitiveness of Philippine MSMEs and so the Department has been working with UBM through efforts such as Pack Pinas! and ProPak Asia to broaden the horizons of MSMEs in their product packaging options.

“Packaging is very important. When we started introducing Product Development to a lot of our MSMEs, it was so difficult to convince them to change the color, the design, the way they do things, until an event had to take place, a trade fair had to happen. Product prototypes were the ones making money and it was a realization among MSMEs that they had to innovate, they had to be more creative. They had to find out what the market needs so that they can sell more. Before, we look at packaging only to protect the product, making sure that we have a longer shelf life for the products. But now, more than that, packaging in the words of Secretary Ramon Lopez, is your form of advertisement,” said Trade Undersecretary Zenaida Cuison-Maglaya to the thousands of participants.

Last year, DTI and PIP sent more than 500 MSMEs to the ProPak Asia 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Aside from the exhibits, ProPak Philippines has also started to conduct seminars to discuss latest industry developments, trends and techniques in supply and innovation for the food, drink and pharmaceutical processing and packaging industries.

On its first day, the trade show garnered almost 4,000 trade visitors composed of food processors, importers, distributors, manufacturers and other industry stakeholders.

The trade exhibition is slated to run through January 24-26, 2019