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ABU DHABI / WAM
Gulf investments in the plastic industry amount to around US$ 55 billion, (approx. AED 202 billion) according to Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association GPCA.
Al Sadoun said the plastic sector is projected to attract $17 billion of fresh investments over the coming five years, bringing to $72 billion the total volume of businesses in this platform by 2022. GPCA represents the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf.
“The plastic industry in the GCC states has created around 40,000 job opportunities in addition to feeding the affiliated sectors, including shipping, services, etc.., with118,000 more,†he said, adding that the GCC plastic industry has grown by 5 percent to 27.1 million tonnes of annual production capacity, which accounts for 9 percent of the world plastic production.
Plastic production in the Arabian Gulf will grow at a steady 3.2% till the end of the decade, spurred by a sustained roll- out of strategic projects, according to a recent study by the GPCA. No matter the country or economic cycle, the growth of plastic production in the GCC is a unique success story in the Arabian Gulf Countries’ continuing journey towards economic diversification,†he said.
This undoubtedly is a testament to the long- term vision of our leaderships who have invested in this sector, as well as a testament of plastics as a viable investment opportunity, he added.