Serving the region's converting industry

Elite Global Holdings Limited, a British Virgin Limited registered company, was launched in 2013 as an independent manufacturer of colour and additive masterbatches to serve the growing regional industry. Its manufacturing facilities, located in the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, United Arab Emirates has the advantage of being in close proximity to the world's largest man-made seaport and the world's eighth busiest cargo airport.

At ArabPlast 2015, Ms. Rimy Bhatt, Technical Sales Manager at Elite Global Holdings Limi ted, discussed with International Plastics News – Middle East & Africa (IRNE) Elite's products and services, and how it has gone to explore the Middle East and other international markets.

IRNE: What are Elite Global Holdings' main products and services, and where do you supply them?
Ms. Bhatt: Elite Global Holding deals with the manufacturing of colour and additive masterbatches for plastics colouration, servicing the ever growing plastic converting industry regionally and globally. Strategically located, we have the advantage of shipping tonnes of products as we have fast and convenient access to any part of the world. Currently, Elite supplies to the entire Middle East and African region. Our logistics advantage combined with easy access to readily available raw materials
in the region makes the company an ideal source of plastics products across the world. Elite procures its raw materials from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, India and China. We are very much interested in exploring further the regional markets of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Oman alongside MENA markets of North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan) and East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania). These areas are of interest to us as they hold immense potential for our products. We hope to entertain clients and expand our reach further within these markets to grow as a company and a brand.

IRNE: How would you describe Elite's focus on quality and service standards?
Ms. Bhatt: In a bid to maintain quality and stringent standards, Elite Global, follows the Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001:2008). The company is also fully equipped for quality testing at all levels with its sophisticated research and development department, including: Datacolor photo spectrometer, MFI Tester, Pilot blown film plant, injection moulding machine, pilot laboratory extruder, carbon black dispersion test equipment, etc. Elite has a modernised dust-free production facility, combined with advanced technology in twin-screw extrusion, automated material handling systems, underwater strand-cut palletiser and loss-inweight feeder systems from reputed suppliers of machines solutions. All these combine to turn out products that meet global standards.

IRNE: What are the annual sales figures of the company?
Ms. Bhatt: Elite started its operations in April 2014 and currently produces 250 to 300 metric tonnes monthly. The plant has a production capacity of 1,000 metric tonnes monthly with annual sales figures of $2.1 million. Elite is the only dust-free production plant in the entire MENA region. Aside from existing products, Elite harbours expansion plans in the form of new products and services. Few new products in the pipeline include engineering polymer the pipeline include engineering polymer based colour masterbatches and functional compounds.

IRNE: What do you think are the trends in the additives industry, regionally and globally?
Ms. Bhatt: The regional market is expanding and this is driven by strong growth in major end- user industries such as packaging, building and construction, automotive and consumer appliances, particularly in the Asia-Pacific, South America, Eastern Europe and the Middle-East. In response to emerging trends, Elite plans to increase its production within the same infrastructure, expand its network and increase manpower on laboratory and production fronts.

IRNE: What are the main challenges facing the industry today?
Ms. Bhatt: We feel that the major challenge facing the industry is maintaining the quality of the supply chain that impacts the final product. Companies need to focus strictly on the quality processes and invest heavily in ensuring that the end-product meets all existing standards.

IRNE: What steps does the company take to reduce the carbon footprint in your plant?
Ms. Bhatt: Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) is the regulatory arm for Customs & Free Zone Corporation (PCFC). EHS controls, regulates and enforces rules and regulations related to all aspects of Environment, Health, Safety and Fire Protection. We do follow the various regulations as been stated by them.

IRNE: What initiatives and measures do regional governments offer to promote the plastics and additives industry?
Ms. Bhatt: Governments in the GCC should support the local and regional industry by developing more clusters and industrial parks for conversion purposes like Rabigh, and PlasChem Park in Jubail, to support the packaging sector in addition to other products. Also, there is a need to take note of the growing demand in automotive and white goods which those engaged in plastics compounding should take advantage of. The converting industry in the region will benefit largely from initiatives of the
governments, such as the platforms for regional and global audiences like ArabPlast, which aim to bring together stakeholders to study market trends, deal with industry concerns in a collaborative method, increase product visibility and explore new opportunities. We participated in ArabPlast this year for the first time and it was a brilliant experience, interacting with companies, customers, regulators and other participants alike.

IRNE: How hopeful are you regarding the region's plastic industry?
Ms. Bhatt: Downstream sectors in the GCC, such as packaging and healthcare, are expected to produce strong demand in the coming years. These two sectors are expected to be the biggest demand drivers, and there will be a huge spurt in demand from them over the next few years. The food packaging industry is on the rise due to increasing population in the region. Modern healthcare applications require more plastic products, which would in turn raise resins demand in the years to come.

Elite Global Holdings Limited
Plot No. S30203 Jebel Ali F.Z. South Dubai, UAE, P.O. Box: 261 528
Tel: +971-4 880 6898
Fax: +971-4 880 6899
E-mail: info@eliteghl.com
Website: www.eliteghl.com