Plant Equipment and Hire November 2018 | Page 35

EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS The SMT Scharf South Africa 100% battery-operated vehicle. Visitors were optimistic about the show. the progression of women working in the mining industry through providing access to education, skills development, mentorship, and representation. MHT 790E Electric Handler offers 3 000 cycles worth of battery life and can be charged for 90 minutes. It has a running cost that is 32% less than that of a diesel equivalent. Visitors had the opportunity to experience the 20-year journey of its mining innovation and could take a walk through the tunnel that showed various company milestones. Exhibitor fanfare Displayed in pockets of the expo were a variety of the latest and popular earth moving equipment and machinery. Eazi Access Rentals brought in a range of their equipment and offered demonstrations to interested clients. “We have a licensed engineered that operates the machines and straps in the visitors,” says marketing executive, Kim Meszaros. She mentioned that they supply across industries; however, only mining equipment was on display. The managing director of Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, Gary Corin, says, “Live demonstrations play a key role, as visitors are able to see equipment and machinery in action whilst interacting with technical experts on the stands.” New products were launched by the forklifts, cherry pickers, and other powered materials lifting devices manufacturer Manitou, as well as a solutions provider for mining transport, SMT Scharf Africa. They displayed their 100% battery-powered equipment that is set to improve the efficiency of any operation. The Manitou The Manitou stand featuring some of the machinery. www.plantonline.co.za Fired up The expo was co-located with other shows such as Elenex Africa, Powerex, and the Transport Expo. An exhibition first, it saw different themes being addressed each day. “Our first day focused on the future of skills development, and we launched a new Skills Development Area in Hall 8, where we looked at the different training options that are available to learners,” says event director, Charlene Hefer. The second day zoomed in on new products that are being launched, with some of the top ones being highlighted. “Day three was our ‘local is lekker’ South African day,” states Hefer. “We wanted to celebrate that we are proudly South African, that we’ve been doing business here for 46 years, and that we’ve got over 80% of local companies showcasing their products at the show.” Thursday put the spotlight on safety, while the Friday of the expo celebrated our diversity with its reach to the mining, manufacturing, electrical, and power industries. ■ NOVEMBER 2018 33