SIG secures 17 filling line orders across IMEA region

UAE – SIG has locked in agreements for 17 new filling lines with food and beverage manufacturers across India, the Middle East and Africa, expanding regional capacity for aseptic cartons, spouted pouches and bag-in-box formats.

The contracts were finalised during Gulfood Manufacturing 2026, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 3 to 5 November. 

Anne Erkens, chief executive officer of SIG, said the company’s success at the exhibition was particularly significant because it reached across the full portfolio. 

She noted that the agreements reflected both the breadth of the offering and the strength of customer relationships, adding that SIG was positioned to support customers as they expanded production and increased flexibility.

Dubai Innovation Hub Earns Industrial Excellence Award

Alongside the commercial deals, SIG received the UAE Industrial Excellence Award at the Gulfood Manufacturing 2026 Industry Excellence Awards for its Product Innovation and Application Hub in Dubai. 

The facility, located at the company’s regional headquarters in Dubai Silicon Oasis and opened in 2021, was recognised for advancing local manufacturing capabilities and strengthening the competitiveness of the UAE’s food industry.

Testing Facility Accelerates Product Development

The hub combines product development expertise, food processing technologies, application testing and aseptic test-filling capabilities to help manufacturers and startups turn product ideas into commercially viable solutions. 

Customers can co-create and reformulate recipes, validate processing and packaging solutions, and produce small test batches in aseptic cartons and spouted pouches. 

This allows brands to explore new product categories and reduce development risks before committing to full-scale production, shortening the path from concept to commercial launch.

Regional Leadership Cites Local Manufacturing Momentum

Abdelghany Eladib, president and general manager for India, Middle East and Africa at SIG, said a filling line gave manufacturers the capacity to produce, but innovation was what allowed them to develop the right products for the market. 

He noted that the hub was created to bridge that gap, bringing together expertise, technology and collaboration. 

Eladib added that investment in local food and beverage manufacturing indicated the region’s growth potential, and that the agreements signed during the exhibition reflected confidence among regional manufacturers in expanding their capabilities. 

SIG also unveiled six new ready-to-drink beverage concepts developed by its product innovation experts in Dubai, spanning functional nutrition, protein-rich beverages, hydration and indulgent flavours, demonstrating how processing and packaging technologies can support emerging consumer trends.

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