In 2022, Electra Mining Africa returned with a bang after a hiatus at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to rave reviews. The 2024 bi-annual event promises to be bigger and even better by introducing more value-added services. The Specialised Exhibitions Team fields questions from Mining Business Africa.
MBA: What were the milestones of 2022 Electra Mining?
SE: The biggest milestone has to be Electra Mining Africa celebrating 50 years at the 2022 show; the inaugural show took place in 1972. It was also a 50 years celebration for those companies who had been exhibiting at Electra Mining Africa since the first show, underlining the success they had achieved at the shows over the years.
The industry gave its full support to Electra Mining Africa 2022, which had just short of 30,000 visitors through the gates and 650 exhibitors showcasing their latest products, innovations, and technologies. We’re expecting to exceed those numbers this year. The 2022 show was held after coming out of a very tough period following the pandemic. The sense of anticipation and positivity that was expressed on the floor of the exhibition throughout the show were enormous. It was back to meeting face-to-face, making connections, and people loving the exhibition environment that had been missed.
Another milestone was the excellent innovation seen in the ‘New Products and Innovation Awards’, which is an Electra Mining Africa and South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC) initiative. A first for 2022 was the new forklift driver competition, organised in conjunction with Lifting Africa and the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of SA (LEEASA), which saw many forklift operators competing for the coveted title of Forklift Driver Champion. The automation technology hall was a big addition to the show and very popular with visitors. The theme days, conferences, workshops and free-to-attend seminars were also well received.
There could be no better endorsement of the show than the almost 50% of exhibitors who had already rebooked their stands for the 2024 show, even before the gates had closed on the 2022 show.
MBA: What is the relevance of Electra Mining in the context of lingering supply chain challenges impacting construction and mining companies in the region?
SE: Exhibitions, and specifically we reference Electra Mining Africa here, are still extremely relevant and beneficial. Every two years at one venue for the five days of the show, industry comes together to trade and do business. Local and international exhibitors are looking to promote and sell their latest products, technologies, services and solutions. Visitors are looking to buy or learn about the latest products, technologies, services and solutions. Electra Mining Africa helps to stimulate trade in the industrial, manufacturing, and mining sectors of the South African economy. Any lingering supply chain challenges are not affecting this business exchange at the exhibition.
Regarding delays at the South African ports, this can pose a challenge to bringing in some of the equipment and machinery exhibited at the show. At a recent show of ours, there were some delays at the ports, and some of the machinery came in late. This did make show build-up a bit tricky as there were a high number of large and heavy machines being exhibited. Fortunately, everybody involved was incredibly professional, and everything was ready when the doors opened.
MBA: The conference and exhibition sectors have seen the introduction of niche technology. What innovations is Specialised Exhibitions introducing in 2024 to cope with this competition and, most importantly, ensure Electra Mining is still relevant and ahead of the curve?
SE: Since the inaugural show in 1972, Electra Mining Africa has continually evolved over the years to ensure its relevance and to attract the right audience to the show. For example, there was not much talk of automation at the 1972 show, but in 2022 Electra Mining Africa introduced a dedicated automation hall highlighting the latest innovations and technologies. This year, the automation hall is even bigger, with an even greater focus on all that automation can offer.
Electra Mining Africa offers a 5-in-1 trade expo experience embracing the areas of mining, electrical, automation, manufacturing, power, and transport—all interconnected industries. It is a trade show that moves with the times; a show that helps build connections for future business growth. As a trade show organiser, we understand the importance of markets and connecting buyers and sellers. We work hard to ensure we have a clear understanding of the industries that Electra Mining Africa represents to enable us to provide exhibitors with the right visitors. We work closely with our exhibitors and other industry stakeholders.
Quality visitors who make purchasing decisions or strongly influence purchasing decisions are more important to exhibitors than the quantity of vsitors only. The quality of the exhibitors is also important as people are giving up their time to visit the show and want to know that it is time well spent. As follow-up to our shows we ask exhibitors and visitors to participate in post-show surveys to provide us with feedback as to whether we met their expectations. By staying closely in touch with the needs of all industry stakeholders, Electra Mining Africa does stay relevant and ahead of the curve. This year’s Electra Mining Africa will be one of our best and biggest shows in the 52 years since the first show. We are already 30% bigger exhibitor-wise than we were in 2022. As an organisation and a division of Montgomery Group, we have embraced the latest technology to best facilitate our business, from our marketing to operations and sales.
MBA: What about new value-added services and experiences for exhibitors and patrons?
SE: We are excited this year to introduce our new Platinum Guest visitor option. For a reasonable cost, visitors to the show can elevate their visitor experience by selecting the paid-for Platinum Guest option and benefiting from exclusive convenient parking, an exclusive registration area, and the welcoming air-conditioned lounge with complimentary refreshments, workstation facilities, and wi-fi availability, amongst other benefits. There is a limit of 100 Platinum Guests per day.
We are also thrilled that WiMBIZ is participating at the show this year for the first time. Representing 500 female-owned companies in the mining industry, WiMBIZ will create a networking space where visitors and exhibitors can engage and talk about beneficial business partnering opportunities. There will also be a hosted networking function to facilitate these conversations.
The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) and the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of SA (LEEASA) will both be hosting conferences alongside Electra Mining Africa. Women in Mining South Africa (WiMSA) will conduct a half-day workshop. Visitors can increase their industry knowledge by attending the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE) free-to-attend seminars in Hall 9. Across the five show days, industry experts will be sharing their knowledge and experience across many essential and current industry topics. The topics will align with our theme days: Sustainability Day, Women’s Day/Skills Day, Safety & Lifting Day, Innovation Day and South African Day.
Organised in partnership with the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC), we’re going bigger and better with the New Products and Innovation Awards competition this year. The awards recognise the outstanding levels of innovation at the show. More exhibitors will enter the competition this year compared to the 2022 show. The Forklift Driver competition, organised in conjunction with Lifting Africa and LEEASA, is also back this year on a much bigger scale with more entrants. The judges will be looking for exceptional forklift driver skills and the Forklift operators competing in the competition are looking to win the coveted title of Forklift Driver Champion.
We’re really pleased that there will be an Inward Buying Mission attending the show this year, organised in partnership with the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC). Electra Mining Africa is assisting delegates from neighbouring African countries and from Europe and South America to attend the show by subsidising some of their travel costs.
Visitors will have the opportunity to connect with over 850 exhibitors across the six halls and extensive outside exhibit areas. The five days of the show will see thousands of people connecting across industries enjoying the face-to-face interactions, and thousands of new products and innovations will be seen on display. Our five shows concept provides an exciting showcase of new technologies, ground-breaking machinery and equipment, cutting-edge products, systems and services, and more. Plus, for the first time this year, the Local Southern African Manufacturing Expo is incorporated within Electra Mining Africa.
MBA: What can you tell companies that are undecided about participating in future Electra Mining events?
SE: With over five decades of experience and as the largest trade show of its kind in Southern Africa, Electra Mining Africa presents a very unique platform for bringing together related industry sectors all under one roof. Large organisations and SMMEs are represented across the areas of mining, electrical, automation, manufacturing, power and transport. They come to the show to trade. To share and exchange value, whether that’s technology or products or solutions. They come to the show for five days to do business in one of the biggest trading markets that this country has to offer. Electra Mining Africa provides an outstanding opportunity to connect with thousands of potential buyers and decision-makers. Electra Mining Africa helps stimulate trade in the industrial, manufacturing, and mining sectors of the South African economy.
Exhibitors make sales at the show, generate qualified leads, and build new customer and distributor partnerships. Visitors have the opportunity to see, evaluate and compare the latest products and services that meet their business and operational needs. What better way to bring a brand to life: on the floor of an exhibition where you’re engaging with your target market face-to-face. It’s a unique value proposition to participate in an exhibition like this.
Exhibitors are able to gain a deeper understanding of their target customer by getting firsthand feedback as the visitors interact with the products and services promoted on the stands. Participating can drive sales and brand recognition by exhibiting alongside the biggest names in the business, with access to the 30000+ industry professionals who are visitors to the show.
With Electra Mining Africa having achieved ongoing success since the inaugural show in 1972, the fact that many companies have been exhibiting at Electra Mining Africa since the first show thus underlining the success they have achieved at the shows over the years, and there being no better endorsement of the show than the almost 50% of exhibitors who had already rebooked their stands for the 2024 show, even before the gates had closed on the 2022 show, are all positive reasons why companies should participate in future Electra Mining Africa events.
