High quality dairy packaging
The project partners want set up a dairy packaging factory to produce 30 million plastic cups annually. The Palestinian Territories have a flourishing dairy industry. Dairy products like yoghurt, shemenet, homs and salat are being produced with local milk and distributed on the local market. Plastic cups for dairy products are being imported by local dairy companies from Turkey, Israel and Israeli settlements. The Palestinian Territories have has adopted legislation to restrict import from Israel and Israeli settlements. Therefore, the dairy companies will have to look for new suppliers of packaging. The partners want to benefit from this opportunity by setting up a factory to produce plastic cups for dairy products. The partners plan to implement sheet extrusion, thermoforming and printing technology for manufacturing cups. This is proven technology, but new to the Palestinian Territories.
The consortium consists out of four partners: Meaf Machines B.V., Al Haram Company, Kamal Hassouneh and Hatem Abu Dayeh. The partners will set up a joint venture. All technical know-how in the field of factory layout, operations and maintenance of production machinery will be delivered by Meaf Machines B.V.. Al Haram Company and its business partners will deliver knowledge on local issues as laws and regulations and on the labour market. They will also be responsible for the daily management of the factory.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
The new factory will operate according to Good Manufacturing Practices, high standard safety, hygiene and quality standards and will be ISO certified. The machinery will comply with all required safety and energy saving standards. At the production facility sanitary rooms will be established and equipment is available to provide for safe and healthy working conditions like lifting devices to prevent heavy lifting. Meaf Machines B.V. and Al Haram Company will draw up a quality and safety manual that will be implemented at the new factory. All employees will be trained on Quality & Safety standards (basic training).
Impact
Employment and working conditions
After implementation of this project 29 people will be employed at the new factory. All salaries paid by the new factory are at least 180% of the minimum wage. A HRM-policy will be implemented, including paid overtime, health care insurance, free lunches, working clothing, and transport from and to the factory.
Innovation/Transfer of knowledge
Currently, there is no complete extrusion, thermoforming and printing production line for plastic cups operational in the Palestinian Territories. Therefore, all skills and know-how related to operating and maintaining this application are new to the country and to all employees. Further, the employees will get acquainted with international quality and safety standards and procedures as prescribed by ISO. Finally, Meaf Machines B.V. will also transfer know-how on biodegradable materials.
Chain effects
Dairy companies in the Palestinian Territories will benefit from this project because they will be able to purchase high quality packaging locally. Therefore, they will be able to expand and evolve as they no longer depend on foreign suppliers, changing import restrictions and boarder regulations. Additionally an external transport company will be contracted to transport the products to local customers. Several small suppliers for packing material, ink and tape will also benefit from this project.
Environment
Manufacturing plastic packaging by means of the proposed production technology is a clean process as no environmental unfriendly material or pollutants are neither used nor emitted to the air or ground. All production waste (plastic layers) will be reused. The project partners will develop an environmental plan to decrease environmental waste. The project will comply with local environmental regulation and will obtain an environmental certification. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be conducted.
Position of women
The project partners will offer equal opportunities to men and women. At least 30% of the workforce will be women. At the new factory career opportunities for women are available at the position of marketing manager, accountant, secretary, operator and in the canteen.

Project number
NL-KVK-27378529-PSIP10OT21Total budget
€ 969,355Countries
Palestine, State ofProject status
FinalisedBudget spent
Tied status
UntiedContact
iati@rvo.nlProject partners
Meaf Machines B.V., Netherlands Enterprise AgencySectors
Agro-industriesType | Provider | Provider ref. | Receiver | Receiver ref. | Value (€) | Date | Value date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Incoming Funds | 78,750.00 | 30-07-2010 | 30-07-2010 | ||||
Incoming Funds | 900,000.00 | 30-07-2010 | 30-07-2010 | ||||
Incoming Funds | -9,395.00 | 06-06-2014 | 06-06-2014 | ||||
Outgoing Commitment | Meaf Machines B.V. | 78,750.00 | 30-07-2010 | 30-07-2010 | |||
Outgoing Commitment | Meaf Machines B.V. | 900,000.00 | 30-07-2010 | 30-07-2010 | |||
Outgoing Commitment | Meaf Machines B.V. | -9,395.00 | 06-06-2014 | 06-06-2014 | |||
Disbursement | Meaf Machines B.V. | 15,000.00 | 22-02-2011 | 22-02-2011 | |||
Disbursement | Meaf Machines B.V. | 523,609.00 | 20-07-2011 | 20-07-2011 | |||
Disbursement | Meaf Machines B.V. | 49,703.00 | 28-07-2011 | 28-07-2011 | |||
Disbursement | Meaf Machines B.V. | 57,210.00 | 04-10-2011 | 04-10-2011 | |||
Disbursement | Meaf Machines B.V. | 54,540.00 | 31-05-2012 | 31-05-2012 | |||
Disbursement | Meaf Machines B.V. | 41,430.00 | 07-09-2012 | 07-09-2012 | |||
Disbursement | Meaf Machines B.V. | 23,625.00 | 12-03-2013 | 12-03-2013 | |||
Disbursement | Meaf Machines B.V. | 23,625.00 | 21-01-2014 | 21-01-2014 | |||
Disbursement | Meaf Machines B.V. | 180,613.00 | 11-06-2014 | 11-06-2014 |