MTE EXHIBITIONS •
MEET THE TEAM
Cathylene Labuschagne , internal sales representative says , “ Opportunities don ' t just happen , it ’ s up to you to create them .” Contact + 27 ( 0 ) 11 579 4940 ; cathylene @ interactmedia . co . za
Sheldon Greybe , external sales representative emphasises , “ If you can dream it , you can do it !”
Contact + 27 ( 0 ) 11 579 4940 ; sheldong @ interactmedia . co . za
“ Always lead by example ,” says Andrew Macnamara , operations director at MTE . Contact + 27 ( 0 ) 82 720 0083 | andrew @ interactmedia . co . za
Mining and Technical Exhibitions
Gillian Jeffrey , marketing and communications assistant says , “ A quote by Jim Rohn drives me at work : Either you run the day , or the day runs you !” Contact + 27 ( 0 ) 11 579 4940 ; gillian @ interactmedia . co . za
Trust Dube , supervisor , driver and expo builder , says he relies on his inner strength of character and ‘ spirit ’ to make things happen .
Driver and expo builder Artwell Tshwene ’ s motto is “ Together , the team achieves more .”
Caryn Kitching , mine liaison and exhibitions co-ordinator notes , “ Everything works out in the end , if it does not work out – it ’ s not the end .” Contact + 27 ( 0 ) 11 579 4940 ; caryn @ interactmedia . co . za
The company ’ s lean team of seven committed individuals now hosts between 24 and 30 shows annually , which range from smaller , intimate expos – usually on site at an operation to large trade expos – visited by multi-disciplinary decision makers , from artisans to top management professionals across a number of industries .
kilometres travelled for relationship building visits to operations , hosting over 21 600 suppliers and over 180 000 visitors , and covering content for a cross-section of commodities – platinum , PGMs , gold , diamonds , copper , iron ore , manganese , coal , energy , paper and pulp , sugar and cement – both locally and cross border , including countries like Namibia , Botswana , Zimbabwe , Mozambique and Zambia .
The company has smashed some of its own records in its milestone 30th year in business . This year saw over 135 exhibitors showcasing innovation to over 500 visitors at the 2023 MTE Rustenburg 1-day expo ; the MTE Kathu trade show hosted 115 exhibitors and just under 500 visitors ; while the Northern Cape expo-trilogy – with the company ’ s first-ever back-to-back shows without the customary day in between – saw 300 exhibitors deliver solutions to just under 1000 visitors .
Macnamara is hoping to see another one of the team ’ s records smashed when they travel to Zambia this month . “ I visited Zambia in July this year to engage with the operations in the areas we will be visiting . Their priorities currently are focused on plant maintenance and efficiencies . Automation and innovations to promote safety on moving parts within the operations were also a recurring theme in discussions .
“ The operations in the area look forward to our expo trilogy because they get to liaise with top class local and South African suppliers , who are already briefed upfront on what the operations are looking
for in terms of solutions . Also , it takes senior management probably a matter of two to three hours of high impact discussions with supplier experts to address their challenges as the MTE team has sourced relevant suppliers with select solutions to exhibit and showcase innovations ,” explains Macnamara .
Macnamara adds , “ If you are a supplier of mining and power tech solutions , the draw card for you to join the tour would be of course the fact that only a week and a bit of your schedule would be required to sign up a potential annual contract for solutions you know have been requested upfront . Not to mention the fact that the customer will come to you , as MTE has marketed the event up front consistently , since the publication of its calendar in August last year .” The visit is also a win-win on the cost side of things as the tour involves one visit to the country to have the opportunity to speak to many decision makers , who are interested and looking forward to seeing what is available .
Zambian investment climate The efforts of the ‘ New Dawn ’ administration in the country to enhance both the investment climate for mining and to seek commitments from the mining sector to contribute to the national economy and to corporate social responsibility have made an impactful difference to doing business in Zambia .
The government of Zambia made a commitment in August 2021 – expressed in President Hakainde Hichilema ’ s inauguration speech – to enhance good governance and strictly uphold the rule
www . africanmining . co . za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • September 2023 • 29