The UAE is a hotspot for plastics packaging and bottling in particular - and one regional authority has recognised this in its investment plans.

The National reports that the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) is expanding the capacity of its water bottling plant in the second half of 2015 with a mind to begin exporting in 2016.

The utility currently produces more than 200 million units a year a under its Mai Dubai branding and it is anticipated this figure will rise to 259 million units.

Mai Dubai uses desalinated water piped in from the Dewa reservoir and has only been producing bottles water since March 2014.

Saeed Al Tayer, Managing Director and Chief Executive, was quoted as saying: "The project is one of the main pillars of Dewa's plans to diversify revenue streams by investing in new ventures."

The Mai Dubai bottling plant located off Al Qudra Road is a sprawling 22,123 m sq facility, but competition in the bottled water segment in the UAE is growing, with the National reporting that Abu-Dhabi-based Agthia plans to double its own water bottling capacity in Turkey this year, while it is also introducing a new bottling line for its Al Ain brand in the second half of 2016.