EVENTS
machine design as areas to keep an eye on, Global wet-processing technology company
pointing to infrastructure development in CDE is one of the exhibitors who will be
South Africa and Zimbabwe, as well as new at bauma CONEXPO AFRICA for the first
mining opportunities in the SADC region, as time in 2018. Wayne Warren, business
primary investment areas for the region. development manager for sub-Saharan
Also attending for the second time
Africa, explains that the company plans to
following its participation in the 2015 event take advantage of the platform the event
is southern African Kubota distributor Smith provides to introduce both its Combo
Power Equipment (SPE). Operations range and its full range of wet-processing
manager Robert Keir explains that this solutions to the southern African
year the company will be showcasing construction and mining market. “The CDE
new equipment in addition to its Kubota Africa team is looking forward to growing
excavators. “We are going to be showcasing market awareness of our equipment in
our new brand, Ausa, which includes Africa at the show, which presents an
articulated dumpers, rough terrain forklifts, ideal platform to interact with existing
and telehandlers.” businesses that currently run materials
SPE is optimistic about South Africa’s
washing plants,” he says. “We will also
mining and construction markets in 2018, be meeting with potential customers
says Keir. “We think it’s going to be a good who want to go into wet processing as a
year. Our research leads us to believe that way to expand their current crushing and
southern Africa is going to do better in terms screening operations.
of new unit sales than last year, although
“Southern Africa is a natural bed of
financing will still be a challenge,” he says, various mineral resources, which can
adding that SPE has some unique financial be exploited in a highly profitable and
packages to help its customers deal with environmentally friendly manner through
this issue. “We also believe that companies wet-processing technologies,” Warren adds.
are going to see the potential usefulness of “And in the context of depleting natural
smaller and more compact equipment — resources and increasing needs for washed
bigger is not always better.” materials, both the construction and the
In terms of areas to watch in 2018, Keir
mining sectors are starting to embrace
points to housing developments, which he technological changes to ensure that not one
says is always a good sector when it comes ounce of valuable material is wasted.”
to construction. “Mining is still down in
bauma CONEXPO
AFRICA is the
perfect platform
to meet key
decision makers,
network, and
exchange industry
know-how.”
Looking at 2018, Warren says CDE
South Africa, but Africa in general is growing expects a year of renewed optimism.
in very favourable ways and we are working “We’ve already seen some positive changes
hard to open roads into those markets.” in the political landscape of sub-Saharan
MARCH 2018
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