Australia-based mining ser- vices provider Ausdrill and its subsidiary, contract surface mining and explora- tion drilling services company African Mining Services, will display the range of mining services the group offers customers across Africa at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2014.

The event, which will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from February 3 to 6, offers Ausdrill the opportunity to strengthen its business relationships with major mining companies attending the event, says Ausdrill CFO José Martins.

“Our business is based on long-term relationships, delivering a consistent, cost-effective service to our customers,” he notes, adding that the company is also aiming to forge new relationships with delegates at the event by showcasing Ausdrill Group.

Ausdrill Africa COO Chris Tuckwell says the Mining Indaba is one of the “must attend” calen- dar events for companies involved in the mining industry, as “. . . it helps Ausdrill to stay connected in the African mining sector”.

“As a business, Ausdrill has its origins in Australia, but for more than 20 years, Africa has increasingly become an important focus for the company. Its African Mining Services division provides a full suite of surface contract mining and exploration drilling services for the industry in West Africa, including Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso.

“Ausdrill also offers under- ground mining services in Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso through a joint venture company, African Underground Mining Services. Further, we operate in Tanzania and Zambia, where we provide contract drilling and exploration drilling services. Therefore, the Mining Indaba is a great opportunity to showcase the full scope of the group’s service offering and connect with other companies working in Africa,” says Tuckwell.

He notes that South Africa and Australia “share many common attributes in terms of the importance of the mining industry to each respective country’s economy”, adding that events such as the Mining Indaba give the people who work in the mining industry an opportunity to showcase their abilities and their companies’ product offerings, and to further develop their networks. The Mining Indaba has an inter- national reputation and is one of the few conferences at which Ausdrill has a significant presence; hence, the group’s attending the event for more than ten years.

“The strong reputation of the event means that it attracts a broad range of delegates from the industry. If you are working in the mining industry in Africa, it’s an event that you really cannot overlook,” says Tuckwell.

He highlights that Ausdrill Group has a purpose-built display at this year’s indaba to promote its service offering in Africa, which will be manned by staff members of the group from Africa and Australia.

Asked about the future plans of the group, Martins says Ausdrill’s strategy will focus on providing a complete mining service solution for the industry. He adds that during the next 12 months, the group will aim to strengthen its business by expanding several focus areas.

“These include improving clients’ knowledge of the diversified services package benefits offered by Ausdrill Group; working with our clients to improve service, product safety and productivity, while maintain- ing quality; and identifying and pursuing new opportunities to provide mining services, capitalising on the infrastructure that the group has in place,” he concludes.