Mining and industrial exhibition Electra Mining organi- sers Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery tells Mining Weekly that there is a need and keen interest among Southern African Develop- ment Community (SADC) countries to host these kinds of events to boost their economies.

The events planning company says that the event, which is taking place for the first time in Botswana from September 3 to 5, as Electra Mining Africa, which is held biannually in Johannesburg, South Africa, has normally attracted decision-makers and interest from all over the African continent, especially from the region.

“We engaged with people who attend the event and, based on that, we have established that there is a need and a keen interest among SADC countries,” says Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery MD Gary Corin.

Therefore, Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery engaged extensively with various stakeholders in Botswana and visited sites to see what services the country had to offer.

“After consulting with a wide range of stakeholders from South Africa and Botswana, we found that there was enough demand to warrant the hosting of a regionalised event in Botswana,” he says.

Corin points out that Electra Mining Botswana will use 1 100 m2 of exhibition space and will have 110 exhibitors.

“We hope to stimulate trade in Botswana in the mining and industrial sector, uncover business leads and introduce new technology to that region. There is a lot of mining growth in Botswana’s coal industry. “We also hope that commercial companies and associations use the trade show to network,” he says.

Corin states that more than a year’s work has gone into the planning of Electra Mining Botswana.

“I spent a lot of time in Botswana and met government officials face to face, including those in the Botswanian Diamond Hub and facilitators of trade in the mining and industrial sector. I also visited Francistown and other mining towns to distribute personalised invitations,” he notes.

Corin adds that Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery set up a telephonic marketing campaign to invite key potential visitors to the event.

“Many of those contacts were given to us by people in the industry in Botswana. We also partnered with an events company from Botswana, called Soapbox Communications, which also introduced several key players in Botswana to us,” he says.

Further, Corin notes that the event is being positioned as an SADC event and, therefore, key players from the SADC region have been invited to attend.

Key supporters of Electra Mining Botswana are the Department of Energy and Water Affairs, in Botswana, the country’s Chamber of Mines and the Botswanian Diamond Hub.

A lot of mines are supporting the event by sending speakers for the con- ference.

He notes that the trade show will include conferences, attended by government officials, and workshops at which key speakers will talk about new technology, trends and activities in Botswana’s mining sector.

“We are taking Electra Mining Africa further into the continent by hosting Electra Mining West Africa, which will be more of a conference than a trade show, in March next year.

“We are also hosting a joint venture event with event planning company Clarion to host the Electra Mining Africa exhibition conference in Kitwe, Zambia, in April next year,” he says.

Registration for Electra Mining Botswana is open online.