Launch of a new trade exhibition for mining industry West African Industrial Trade Exhibition (WAITEX) in Ghana

Organizers Specialized Exhibitions Montgomery and Afrocet Montgomery have announced the launch of Ghana’s premier mining, industrial, automation, packaging, and occupational health and safety trade expo, which will be taking place at the Dome, located at the Accra Trade Fair Grounds in Ghana, from 21 — 23 April 2020.

A forum for trading, networking, learning and product sourcing, the new West African Industrial Trade Exhibition (WAITEX) skillfully harnesses the synergy and strengths of these interrelated industries and will showcase the latest products, technologies and services across these important sectors. The exhibition has been designed to support industry and business growth in Ghana by creating an environment where business partnerships can develop and trade exchanges can take place.

“We are excited about the launch of this new show in Ghana,” says Charlene Hefer, mining and industrial portfolio director at Specialized Exhibitions Montgomery. “As joint organizers with Afrocet Montgomery, who specializes in running high-end exhibitions and events in West Africa, we bring extensive experience in organizing trade exhibitions across these industry sectors with a broad portfolio of shows in South Africa, Botswana and Zambia. We believe this partnership will be of benefit to all stakeholders involved.”

“The launch of this show will become a key driver in supporting the Governments “One district, one factory policy” says George Pearson, Regional Director at Afrocet Montgomery. “WAITEX is an ideal trade platform that will bring buyers and sellers together, both with the view of growing business and strategically supporting Ghana’s aspiration of developing factories and industries which will in turn move the country towards greater industrialization.”

According to the *African Economic Outlook (AEO) 2018 report, released by the African Development Bank, the economy is projected to grow by 7.3% in 2019 and 5.4% in 2020, and growth in industry is projected at 9.8% in 2019 and 5.9% in 2020. Ghana is building industrial capacity and recent trends reflect more machinery in the country’s import basket.

Ghana is one of the largest producers of gold in Africa and also produces diamonds, manganese, iron ore and bauxite, as well as oil and natural gas.

Large and small-scale mining companies operate in Ghana, with junior gold-mining companies also emerging. In addition to mining, other active industry sectors in Ghana such as manufacturing, engineering, agro processing and hospitality have attracted international investors, resulting in a positive impact on the economy. Raw materials are being turned into finished and semi-finished products. Ghana is also one of the key suppliers of cocoa and many of the world’s top chocolate companies import cocoa from the country.

“Markets are becoming increasingly competitive across these sectors and companies are looking for ways to improve efficiency and to reduce operational costs so as to drive improved profitability and better returns,” says Hefer. “Visitors to the show will be able to find products and solutions to address these priorities and to give them the definitive edge. With the advent of Industry 4.0 and the move towards automation and digitization, technology is progressing more rapidly than ever before — it’s also vital for companies to keep up-to-date with these trends. Both exhibitors and visitors will have this opportunity at the show.”

“Exhibitors have the opportunity to expand their footprint in Africa, to source local distributors and new customers, and to build their brand awareness in Ghana,” added Pearson. “To see this amount of prospective customers individually, exhibitors would need to spend months in the area.”

Visitors to the trade expo can expect to see leading local and international companies showcasing the latest technologies, machinery, products and services related to mining, industrial, automation, packaging, and occupational health and safety. It is ideally positioned for visitors to speak to technical experts and to benefit from seeing the live demonstrations of machinery in action.

The local economy will also see benefit as every exhibition requires local services support, additional travel and accommodation requirements, and the local purchasing of various commodities.

A full program of free-to-attend seminars presented by industry experts on a range of pertinent topics will also add significant value to the visitor experience.

“WAITEX will provide a unique opportunity in the region for visitors to stay up to date with the latest industry trends and innovations,” concludes Hefer.

The text/image source: official exhibition website West African Industrial Trade Exhibition (WAITEX) 2020