Growth trend in Russia's packaging industry continues

International trade fair UPAKOVKA/UPAK ITALIA 2004 in Moscow, almost fully bookedDьsseldorf, 5.11.2003Already in its 13th staging, the International Trade Fair Machinery and Equipment for the Manufacture of Packaging, Packaging Machinery, Confectionery Machinery, Packaging and Packaging Aids, Logistics will be held in the Russian capital from 24 to 27 February 2004. At the fair's last run in September 2002, 384 exhibitors from 25 countries presented the industry's key innovations and attracted some 25,000 trade visitors. The industry hailed UPAKOVKA/UPAK ITALIA 2002 as a huge success. Many exhibitors and visitors reported a sense of new departure in the country, high-calibre demand and substantial sales contracts. International companies have continued to show increasing interest in Russia. Consumer industries, in particular, such as those for food, confectionery, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and fashions are enjoying a boom that has sparked growing demand for top-quality packaging technology. Investment in this area is expected to reach around one billion US dollars over the coming years. Almost a third of total Russian consumer expenditure, estimated for 2002 at 270 billion US dollars, goes into tills in the capital. In the opinion of international management consultancy A.T. Kearney, recent growth rates of between 8.5 and 10 percent make Russia a particularly attractive market. As the organiser of UPAKOVKA/UPAK ITALIA 2004, this has not escaped Messe Dьsseldorf's and Centrexpo S.p.A.'s notice: The hall reserved for the fair, Hall 2 of the Krasnaya Presnya fairgrounds in Moscow boasting a net exhibition space of 9,000 square metres, is already virtually fully booked! Numerous countries have already registered their official participation, among them Germany, Italy, France, Finland, Austria and Taiwan. The event will once again harness synergies with INTERPLASTICA, the trade fair for plastic and rubber, to be staged in conjunction with UPAKOVKA/UPAK ITALIA. Once again in 2004, these trade events will offer visitors and exhibitors a comprehensive exhibition and provide an overview of the most attractive growth industries in the Russian economy. For further information please contact:Messe Düsseldorf GmbHMs. Djuein-Pee Kirschning/ Ms. Marie-Luise SchläfkePostfach 10 10 06D - 40001 DüsseldorfGermanyTel.: +49 (0)211/4560-7739/Tel. +49 (0)211/4560-7741Fax: +49 (0)211/4560-7740  E-mail: KirschningD@messe-duesseldorf.de E-mail: SchlaefkeM@messe-duesseldorf.de