The rubber industry is facing great challenges from an increasingly competitive global market, said Dr Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB) and also the Chairman of Confexhub Malaysia on Thursday in Colombo.
Announcing the Global Rubber Conference to be held in Sri Lanka in October, he said that in the past few years, many other commodities had surpassed the rubber industry and therefore, it was imperative for the rubber industry to gear up and meet those challenges. The 4th Global Rubber Conference (GRC 2014), one of the world’s leading conferences on rubber sector, is to be held in Colombo from October 27 to 30.
Sri Lanka, the world’s 6th largest exporter and the 8th largest natural rubber producing country, will be hosting the event co-organised by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and Confexhub with the strong support from both the Ministry of Plantation Industries and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka. ‘Sowing the Seeds for Sustainable Future’ is the theme of the event held to provide rubber and rubber products experts and policy makers, captains of industry and serious investors a platform to converge and meet face-to-face to discuss a wide spectrum of commercial, research and development and the 2014-15 price outlook.
Over 700 trade visitors and delegates from 28 countries including the Americas, Europe, East-Asia, North-Asia and ASEAN are expected to participate in the conference to discuss issues on the current global situation, strategies and challenges for sustainability, enhancing quality, tyre and dipped goods industry outlook and development, etc.
