A record 387 packaging and processing equiipment and services companies have headed to Melbourne to exhibit at AUSPACK 2015, which opened its doors yesterday.
Adem Somyurek, Victorian Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, opened the show with Mark Dingley, chairman of the APPMA.
The minister made a special welcome to the Chinese delegation of exhibitors and visitors, recognising that Australia's largest export market is China. He noted that two-way trade between the countries sitting at $18bn.
The minister also said Victoria is Australia's largest food and fibre exporting state, and the state's agricultural sector produces $9 billion dollars worth of exports annually, which presents enormous opportunities for the packaging industry.
"International trade is vital to Victoria's ongoing prosperity; we have responsibility to attract investment and trade from overseas in order to promote economic diversity and economic growth; over the last decade Victoria's exports of goods and services have increased by 31%... notable goods exports to China have more than doubled over the last decade."
The minister said the Victorian government is continuing to focus on its trade development programs to help facilitate access to new markets for innovative small and medium enterprises.
"To complement the overseas trade mission programs, the [Victorian] government will be delivering inbound trade missions to showcase to international business leaders Victoria's internationally renowned, world class goods and services, technology, and clean and green produce.
“These programs help build relationships and supply chain [networks] which ultimately will lead to increased export for local companies and they also help to connect international buyers with local exporters. Through our initiatives the SME sector and the packaging sector in particular can look forward to a productive partnership with the [Victorian] government."
AUSPACK organisers said that the number of exhibitors was the largest on record in the show’s 30 year history.
