EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS 19
Serving its purpose
By
Rory Macnamara
Plumbing Travelling Exhibitions ( PTE ), now entering its third year and a great deal wiser , has shown its raison d ’ etre .
The acceptance by visitors in outlying areas has been great and shows the need to reach out to plumbers and other disciplines , exposing them to the plumbing technology that is forever changing .
The fact that some exhibitors are returning to the exhibitions that suit their needs and others commit fully to all the exhibitions , shows this acceptance as well . The idea to host exhibitions at Technical High Schools ( THSs ) has great value , as the learners gain a broader benefit of the size of the industry . This in turn assists the teachers . Unfortunately , we cannot get THSs everywhere we go but this does not deter the plumbers , who not only engage with exhibitors , but IOPSA and other industry-relevant speakers that we invite as well .
At PTE , as with Plumbing Africa Journal , we only allow exhibitors and advertisers who are compliant to the compulsory standards as this puts out the right message . Sadly , it will not be the last time we will ask certain exhibitors to remove non-compliant products . It is sad that the manufacturer who had the SANS spec does not hold it anymore but insists on claiming the product is as good as when it held the SANS spec . Nonetheless , we will continue to press for compliance in the industry and not place plumbers , engineers and consumers at risk .
For 2024 we will – wherever possible – have a dedicated demonstration area and invite exhibitors who prefer to demo from their stands . Here , we will provide a slot and announce the demo to fit in with the IOPSA talks as well as the outside demos , such as clearing blocked drains and shortduration competitions like ‘ Tossing the Toilet ’.
More of this before each exhibition .
We look forward to the 2024 PTEs as we continue to learn and grow and recognise the outer areas of country and the plumbing fraternity . PA
Plumbing Africa
We hope to welcome you to our exhibitions .
February 2024 Volume 29 I Number 12 www . plumbingafrica . co . za