Cape Town-based Spintelligent Pty, has become recognised as a highly successful African organiser & publisher over the years, with projects such as African Utility Week and the iPAD franchise.  During 2014, the company is set to continue its strategic growth plan as it develops within its core industry sectors into new territories with new launches and joint ventures.

During 2013, the company had a remarkable year on all fronts with new records in terms of sponsorship and delegates sales and participation numbers for its events.

African Utility Week & Clean Power Africa:  
With more than 5,000 registered visitors, representing 67 countries, 200 speakers and over 200 exhibiting companies, African Utility Week & Clean Power Africa is still the leading utility conference and exhibition in Africa.  Attendance grew by 38% in 2013 and the event won the coveted EXSA award for the Best Trade & Consumer Exhibition in its respective category.  

This year the event promises even more content for and by the industry, including the Utility CEO Forum which will bring together 20 utility CEOs from across Africa to discuss the future of the energy market.  African Utility Week will also launch its industry awards to honour the continent’s leading power professionals, utilities and energy projects.

•  “2013 was the best year since we joined the exhibition and conference 6 years
ago. With the merging of  Clean Power Africa and African Utility Week, it allowed us an enlarged audience and market segments. We will be back next year.” Dean Pratt, Regional Manager Africa, Marelli Motori - platinum sponsors

•  "We could not have been happier with the media and PR exposure we received at the event and through our sponsorship of the CEO Forum." Paul Hinks, CEO, Symbion Power - platinum sponsors

Ambitious growth plans
When new Spintelligent Managing Director David Ashdown took over in October last year, he announced that he had “ambitious growth plans for the region”. Putting his words into action, the company is expanding into agriculture, taking its defence portfolio continental and has landed an impressive joint venture to launch a mining expo that is expected to put the Zambian Copperbelt on the map.

AgriTech:  “Agriculture is a future key GDP driver for the majority of African countries. It is typically the number one employment sector in the region and is witnessing significant international investment, therefore making it a prime emerging trade exhibition sector. We are tackling the challenge of delivering an agriculture exhibition from a very creative perspective.”, says David Ashdown, “and our relationship with the Zambia National Farmers Union is proving that we may have a model that fits the bill.” The AgriTech Expo, taking place in Chisamba from 4-5 April, will be Zambia’s only outdoor agriculture trade expo, organised on working farmland in the heart of the farming community .  

Defence:  Spintelligent’s well-established defence portfolio will go continental this year when its flagship Land Forces Africa event is launched in Dar Es Salaam as Land Forces East Africa on 8 July.  The successful Maritime & Coastal Security conference and expo will equally spread its wings and land in the Ghanaian capital Accra to gather naval and maritime experts in West Africa in November.  As with the flagship events in South Africa, the new defence gatherings will be supported by the local military authorities. Land Forces East Africa is officially endorsed by the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force and the company is working closely with the Ghanaian Navy in planning Maritime & Coastal Security West Africa.

CBM-TEC:  The new launch Copperbelt Mining Trade Expo and Conference or CBM-TEC, held in Kitwe in April, is set to put the Zambian Copperbelt on the map and the industry seems to agree:  the expo is sold out already!  Some 1500 mining experts are expected at an industry event that has been described as long overdue for the region.  

Says David Ashdown:  “Zambia is Africa’s mining hot spot.  Compared to other countries, mining makes an unusually large contribution to total export earnings, to total national investment and to total foreign direct investment. These contributions have increased in recent years.  CBM-TEC tackles the future of Zambian mining at the heart of mining operations.”

In partnership with the Electra Mining Africa exhibition in Johannesburg, South Africa, CBM-TEC is organised jointly by Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery and Spintelligent.

iPAD DRC and Katanga Mining Briefing:  During 2013, Spintelligent’s pioneering infrastructure and mining events in the DRC, namely iPAD DRC and Katanga Mining Briefing, continued to go from strength to strength, with well-established and long-term local institutional and commercial support and steady growth in attendance and sales numbers.  More than a thousand high-level delegates attended these events while the sponsorships at the Lubumbashi event almost doubled.

•  “IPAD DRC is like the ‘must go to’ institution for the promotion of the mining sector in the DRC.” Felix Mupande, Director General, Cadastre Minier, DRC
•  “This exhibition is important for our visibility on the market as well as acquiring new clients.” Lindsey Domingo, Country Managing Partner, Ernst & Young, DRC – gold sponsors
•  “Very well organized, world class events! The future of our business is with the copper mining houses and so the Katanga Mining Briefing helped us to promote our products, through the exhibition, to different mining houses.””  Esther Musozya, Marketing Manager, Ndola Lime Co LTD, Zambia – silver sponsors

Preferred expansion partner
Says Spintelligent’s MD David Ashdown:  “Increasingly Spintelligent is becoming THE preferred events and expo partner for organisers wishing to expand a portfolio and launch events on the continent.  We will continue to deliver exciting projects in African growth industry sectors including utilities and infrastructure, mining, education, agriculture and defence.  We are also focused on the following emerging markets on the continent:  South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, DRC, Angola, Mozambique and Zambia.”

Upcoming events organised by Spintelligent:
•  Agribusiness East Africa, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:  22-23 January 2014
•  Agritech Zambia, Chisamba, Zambia:  5-6 April 2014
•  CBM-TEC (Copperbelt Mining-Tec), Kitwe, Zambia:  28-29 April 2014
•  African Utility Week, Clean Power Africa, Cape Town, South Africa:  13-14 May 2014
•  Career Indaba-Gauteng, Johannesburg, South Africa:  21-22 May 2014
•  Land Forces East Africa, Dar es Salaam:  8-10 July 2014
•  African Education Week, Johannesburg, South Africa:  9-11 July 2014
•  EAPIC, Nairobi, Kenya:  2-4 September 2014
•  iPAD DRC Oil & Gas, Kinshasa, DRC:  10-11 September 2014
•  iPAD Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DRC:  21-23 October 2014
•  iPAD Mozambique, Maputo, Mozambique:  22-24 October 2014
•  iPAD DRC Mining Briefings, Lubumbashi, DRC:  28-30 October 2014
•  WAPIC, Lagos, Nigeria:  18-19 November 2014
•  MPAD Manufacturing, Lagos, Nigeria:  18-19 November 2014
•  Maritime & Coastal Security West Africa, Accra, Ghana:  19-21 November 2014

Contact:
Communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Notes for Editor
Spintelligent (Pty) Ltd is an African media business, specialising in Exhibitions, Conferences and Publishing. Head-quartered in Cape Town with a team of 90 experienced professionals, Spintelligent is a dynamic and recognised organiser across multiple industry sectors and geographies. A specialist organiser with the ability to deliver key growth projects in the early emerging markets of the African continent. Spintelligent is the African partner office of Clarion Events Ltd, the UK based organiser operating in 36 countries worldwide with 9 subsidiary offices delivering over 500 exhibitions and conferences annually.

Spintelligent delivers projects in African growth industry sectors; Power & Utilities; Energy; Mining; Education & Careers; Agriculture; Infrastructure; Military & Defence.

Spintelligent delivers projects in the emerging African markets; South Africa; Nigeria; Ghana; Kenya; Tanzania; DRC; Angola; Mozambique; Zambia.

Spintelligent is recognised for its print and electronic publications, with market-leading brands including Metering International, ESI Africa and Mining Review Africa.

Its regular global events and exhibitions, as well as its critical business intelligence and integrated marketing services make it a leader in its field. The company’s highly skilled resources in management, marketing, research and production allow for unique products bridging the developed and developing markets.
www.spintelligent.com