The Australian METS sector has shown its buoyancy once again with the success of Australia's largest and longest-running mining exhibition, AIMEX, which has shown incredible resilience to post an increase in visitation.

Asia-Pacific’s International Mining Exhibition (AIMEX) has had an increase in visitation across the three days of the event held at Sydney Showgrounds. Approximately 5,000 visitors attended the exhibition and conference which also included an additional 2,000 exhibitor personnel across 500 companies.

This year's AIMEX attracted an array of visitors from all parts of the globe and a 13% increase in visitation from interstate visitors to AIMEX once again illustrating the importance of this event on a national and international level. 

AIMEX event director, Brandon Ward, said industry sentiment has remained positive with all aspects of AIMEX showing growth.

"Across the three-day event we welcomed many purchasing teams from around the country who arranged private one on one meetings with suppliers exhibiting at AIMEX," Mr Ward said.

"We were particularly pleased with the increase in visitation from mine-site personnel who took the opportunity to visit the 500 companies on display and visit the all-new Mining Pavilion which brought some of Australia's biggest mining companies to AIMEX.

"We also had Centennial conduct their mine and senior managers meeting at AIMEX, highlighting the true value of a show such as AIMEX to the METS sector."

Exhibitors at AIMEX flexed their muscle with displays of their latest innovations and technology as well as demonstrations and activities for all visitors that attended.

Gates Australia Marketing Manager Priscilla Robb said she was pleased with the platform AIMEX provided.

“With a focus on product innovation, AIMEX provided the right platform for Gates to launch our latest hydraulic hose product into the Asia-Pacific mining market. We generated a great amount of interest through exposure to such a large and captive audience in this industry.” Priscilla Robb, Marketing Manager – Gates Australia

Visitors flocked to the free-to-attend AIMEX Conference which was held across the three-days embedded within the exhibition. 

Industry leaders, innovators and key mining professionals provided open and transparent dialogue surrounding the challenges that face the mining industry into the future.

"I was particularly impressed with the conference sessions that discussed community engagement and the future of Australia's mining workforce," Ward said. 

"AIMEX has always been about challenging conventional thinking and businesses pushing the boundaries to innovate through technology, but this year's conference allowed the industry to do that through discussions on workforce practices, social engagement and policy reform.

"We had great support from key mining personnel, industry associations, as well as key mining companies in creating the context of the conference and I would expect this will continue to evolve again as we head towards AIMEX in 2021."

The next instalment of AIMEX will be held on 24-26 August 2021. The inaugural WA Mining Conference will be the next mining event on the 15 and 16 October 2019 in Perth, while the Queensland Mining Expo (QME) is back in Mackay from 21 to 23 July 2020.