Octal pioneers date packaging in UAE

OCTAL, the leading clear rigid food packaging material supplier with sales in over 40 countries, has marked its foray into the date packaging market in the United Arab Emirates with the largest and most influential date producers in the industry including Al Foah Company, Royal Dates Company and Dubai Dates Factory. The company supplies its ground-breaking DPET sheet for the packaging of both whole dates and date paste which is then exported to the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.   

Fast becoming the PET and food processing industry’s packaging supplier of choice, OCTAL’s DPET sheet, with its improved barrier properties, works effectively to package produce such as dates. The sheet preserves contents from deterioration while providing high-impact shelf appeal especially for detailed printing designs in both Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) applications. 

“Maximizing shelf-life and maintaining freshness and flavor naturally is a key consideration for packaging dates. OCTAL has been able to understand our requirements and translate them into crystal clear packaging solutions that confront the challenges we face in the ability to market and differentiate our dates so that customers can appreciate the actual quality of our products. Consequently, this has transformed traditional date retailing methods, satisfied the demands of retailers and consumers, and propelled our business forward, creating a win-win proposition for all parties,” said Waddah Alraad, General Manager at Royal Dates. “The clarity and rigidity of OCTAL’s packaging material has enabled us to upgrade the quality of our end product and increase visibility in the competitive retail market.”       

Ghassan Sawaya, Regional Sales Manager at OCTAL, expressed, “OCTAL’s packaging material offers an environmentally conscious, re-usable and attractive packaging solution for dried fruits. Date packaging along with other initiatives is part and parcel of the company’s strategy to drive wholesale conversation of global product lines to PET packaging and introduce next generation applications that unlock a broad spectrum of advantages for producers, retails, consumers and the environment.” 

Sawaya explained that compared to other polymers, OCTAL’s DPET™ sheet uses 65% less grid electricity per kilogram of sheet which translates to a 25% lower carbon footprint than traditionally-produced APET as verified by independent researchers, Intertek Expert Services. 

In a short span of six years, OCTAL has carved a name for itself as a trusted and knowledgeable supplier of high quality PET resin and DPET packaging material. The company’s pioneering technology has set the global standard in the manufacturing of uniform high-quality packaging products which are suited for packaging baked goods, fresh produce, meat, cheese and yogurt, all of which demand superior optical qualities together with strength, flexibility and the ability to maintain form.