Byline: Charlene Hefer is the Portfolio Director of Specialised Exhibitions – a division of the Montgomery Group.
Our trade shows in 2022 attracted international visitors, many of whom were from across west, east, south-central and southern African countries. However we expect to see an increase in international exhibitors and visitors in 2023. With most travel restrictions having been eased during 2022, this will enable both international exhibitors and visitors to plan ahead for participation in our shows in 2023.
Consolidation is a key strategy for 2023
A trend emerging in 2022 and continuing into 2023 is a strong focus on local and national exhibitions and consolidation of exhibitions to promote business growth. Consolidation is also a key strategy for us in 2023. A strategic review of the local Botswana mining and industrial show, Electra Mining Botswana, and the broader vision that Specialised Exhibitions has for the expansion of Electra Mining Africa in South Africa has led us to the decision that Electra Mining Botswana will not go ahead in 2023.
The same decision has been made for Caminex 2023, the local Zambian mining and industrial expo.
“Both shows have received tremendous levels of support from local stakeholders over the years, which we recognise and value.”
Both shows have received tremendous levels of support from local stakeholders over the years, which we recognise and value. But the pandemic and subsequent two-year exhibition hiatus gave us as an organiser the time to review our portfolio of exhibitions and to make strategic decisions around future consolidation and expansion.
Making Electra Mining 2024 bigger and better
Although this may sound contradictory, growth is stimulated through consolidation. Our decision has been to bring both Electra Mining Botswana and Caminex into the fold of Electra Mining Africa with exciting plans for 2024. Electra Mining Africa is recognised as Southern Africa’s biggest mining, electrical, automation, manufacturing, power and transport trade exhibition and has consistently been ranked as one of the top three mining and related industries shows in the world.
We will be engaging with stakeholders to discuss the inclusion of a Botswana and Zambian Pavilion at Electra Mining Africa in 2024 where local Botswana and Zambian exhibitors will have the opportunity to showcase their products and services to a greatly expanded audience profile. Electra Mining Africa attracts thousands of visitors from South Africa and neighbouring African countries with a large contingent also attending from other countries across the globe.
“The massive machinery and equipment on view at Electra Mining Africa and the many live demonstrations are not possible to replicate at the local shows.”
We will also reach out to our Botswana and Zambian visitors to encourage them to visit Electra Mining Africa 2024 as they too will have the opportunity to see a far greater range of products, services and technologies on a much larger scale. The massive machinery and equipment on view at Electra Mining Africa and the many live demonstrations are not possible to replicate at the local shows.
We are also exploring the possibility of an organised Inward Buying Mission from Botswana and Zambia to Electra Mining Africa 2024.
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About Charlene Hefer
Motivated. Positive. Enthusiastic. These three words sum up Charlene Hefer to a T. With her can-do attitude and her highly driven work ethic, Charlene was always destined to achieve great things. Her promotion to Business Manager at the age of 23 was just the beginning. Shortly after her appointment at Specialised Exhibitions in 2011, she rose quickly through the ranks with a promotion to Key Accounts Manager followed in 2013 by a promotion to Portfolio Director handling the Mining and Industrial portfolio of exhibitions. This saw her take the lead role of one of the largest mining and related industries exhibitions in the world and the largest in Southern Africa, Electra Mining Africa.
With her strong leadership and strategic vision, the show has continued to grow. Electra Mining Africa 2022 recorded over 30,000 visitors. Charlene is pivotal to the business. Not only has she overseen growth across her own portfolio of shows, she is also recognised for her valuable strategic vision for the full portfolio of shows within Specialised Exhibitions. She continues to go from strength to strength.
