“The results to date speak for themselves”

Spintelligent, the multi-AAXO-award-winning Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, had a strong first half of 2017 with all of four of its flagship events: African Utility Week, Agritech Expo Zambia, DRC Mining Week and Eduweek, pulling off record results and an exciting new Property Buyer Show drawing large crowds.

Spintelligent MD David Ashdown says "Exhibition and conference revenues are up year-on-year and attendee numbers are growing exponentially. The demand for face-to-face events as a platform to share knowledge and facilitate trade is increasing and proven to provide African buyers and sellers an improved ROI over traditional marketing medium."

“Winning four major AAXO event industry awards at the beginning of 2017 was immensely rewarding but it has also inspired us to work even harder and not rest on our laurels and the results to date speak for themselves,” says Spintelligent MD David Ashdown. He adds: “I am very proud of my team for their effort and commitment and am confident that the rest of the year will be as fulfilling and successful.”

• Education
  Most recently, the 11th edition of Eduweek took place at the Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg from 12-13 July and gathered 3,738 attendees over two days, 90 expert speakers and 161 exhibitors.
  
  
• Mining
  DRC Mining Week in Lubumbashi, DRC in June showed an astounding 67% growth with 2,691 attendees from 32 countries over three days with 131 exhibitors.
  
  
• Power & Energy
  In May, Cape Town’s CTICC once again hosted African Utility Week and this year also did not disappoint. The 17th edition of the event welcomed 7,477 attendees from 91 countries who attended the three-day event – this was up from 6,445 attendees last year. The expo featured more than 300 exhibitors from 11 different countries and 284 expert speakers and 66 utilities from 20 African countries were represented.
  
  
• Agriculture
  Agritech Expo Zambia in Chisamba in April featured a record number of more than 18,000 visitors, seven international pavilions and a VIP attendance that included five cabinet ministers and the Zambian President Edgar Lungu who visited the event for the third year in a row.
  
  
• Real Estate
  Spintelligent also launched its first Property Buyer Show in Cape Town in April, a unique exhibition aimed at first-time residential buyers or property investors, which drew some 3,100 visitors. Spintelligent’s Publishing division has also been very busy so far this year.

Says David Ashdown: “besides never missing a day to deliver daily headline news, we have published 14 editions of our long-running, leading trade publications ESI-Africa, Mining Review Africa, Metering & Smart Energy International and look forward to another 12 content-rich editions until the New Year.”

He continues: “our prestige publications are boasting a new layout, the African Power Elites 2018 has achieved new heights by doubling incoming nominations in comparison to 2017, whilst for the first time, our African Mining Elites 2018 opens the door to new and exciting awards, highlighting excellence in the mining industry. Our Global Smart Energy Elites 2018, featuring the latest insights into the global leaders of the international smart energy network, is due to be released in October.”

Africa, a continental approach
“Spintelligent has a busy five months ahead,” says MD David Ashdown, “particularly rolling out our new Future Energy franchise of energy conferences and exhibitions across Africa” and in the process renaming some of Africa’s most iconic regional power events in East, West and Central Africa, including EAPIC and WAPIC, reflecting the optimism and potential of the energy and power sectors on the continent.”

He adds: “Africa continues to show economic development and growth, and we look forward to continuing to realise our potential and, while growing our key sector portfolios organically, our strategic path also includes being open to partnership and acquisition opportunities.”

ROAR Awards 2017

Earlier this year Spintelligent won four major awards at AAXO’s ROAR Organiser and Exhibitor Awards in Johannesburg:

• Best Trade Exhibition 6001-12000 sqm category: African Utility Week, joint winner with World Travel Market
• Best Trade & Consumer Exhibition +12000 sqm Award: Agritech Expo Zambia
• Distinction in Social Responsibility Award: Agritech Expo Zambia
• Best Confex Award: African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit
• Social Responsibility Award (finalist): DRC Mining Week

Upcoming Spintelligent events in 2017

• 13-14 September:  Future Energy Uganda, Kampala
• 2-3 October: Future Energy Central Africa, Yaoundé
• 4-5 October: Eduweek Western Cape, Cape Town
• 16-19 October: Nigeria Mining Week, Abuja
• 25-29 October: African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit and Property Buyer Show, Johannesburg
• 7-8 November: Future Energy Nigeria, Lagos
• 13-14 November: Kenya Mining Forum, Nairobi
• 29-30 November: Future Energy East Africa, Nairobi
• 29-30 November: AgriBusiness Congress East Africa, Kampala

Spintelligent is well known for organising exhibitions and conferences across the continent in the infrastructure, real estate, energy, mining, agriculture and education sectors.  Its publishing division reaches the key sectoral decision makers for metering, power and mining. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group.

Website: http://www.spintelligent.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/spintelligent

Media contact
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3500
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

1200+ mining pros to gather for mining conference and expo

“Renewing the presence of the South African National Pavilion at the DRC Mining Week positions South African companies as leading players in the mining and power sectors and will allow them to enhance their presence in the region, and for new companies to increase the South African foothold in the DRC.” This is according to Eric Bruggeman, CEO of the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC), that is bringing a strong delegation of South African suppliers to the DRC Mining Week conference and exhibition, that is taking place in Lubumbashi, in the hub of the mining province of Katanga, from 23-24 June.

The SACEEC is a public/private partnership between the capital equipment industry and the South African Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and currently services more than 140 member companies in manufacturing and allied services, representing a major proportion of the capital equipment industry in South Africa.

According to Mr Bruggeman: “the DRC is potentially one of the richest mining countries in Africa. The country was the world’s fourth largest producer of industrial diamonds during the 1980s, and diamonds continue to dominate exports, accounting for nearly half of exports.”

He continues: “trade relations between South Africa and the DRC are showing positive growth from a relatively low base, with bilateral trade being heavily skewed in South Africa’s favour due to limited productive capacity on the part of the DRC’s economy. In response to the extended period of globalisation, the focus has now swung to localisation and South Africa and South African companies are looking at ways to provide long-term and meaning partnerships with companies within the DRC.”

He says Lubumbashi, where the DRC Mining Week is taking place, “is the second largest city in the DRC and sets the stage for a business-to-business forum of facilitated sessions and meetings with key stakeholders. The SACEEC will also be looking at establishing a business centre in Lubumbashi to assist South African companies doing business in the country.”

South African companies at DRC Mining Week include:

SACEEC members as part of the SA National Pavilion:

• AZMET – Engineering Services
• AZ-Armaturen – Lubricating Plug Valve and Sampling Valves
• WEBA Chutes – Chute designed
• Fabchem – Dome plates, Pumps

SACEEC members as individual exhibitors:

• FL Smidth
• Aard Mining Equipment 

SA Companies as part of the National Pavilion:

• African Mixing Technologies – Pumps & agitators
• Hose manufacturers – Boreline, flatlay
• APE Pumps – Pumps
• Nitralife – Nitrogen generators
• Tru-Trac Rollers – Conveyor Equipment
• Turner Morris - DRIVE units, generators, Bio-mixers, Conveyors
• OE Bearings – SRB Brandsplit Roller, Bearing housing support, Hanger units, Flanges

The full interview with Mr Bruggeman can be viewed here: http://www.drcminingweek.com/SACEEC-interview

DRC Mining Week
Around 1200 mining professionals are expected to gather for the practical annual mining and industrial expo again as the award-winning DRC Mining Week conference and exhibition returns to Lubumbashi, in the heart of the DRC’s mining hub, from 23-24 June. While retaining its main focus on mining, the event will also broaden its scope to include a focus on related and complementary sectors such as agriculture, energy and construction.

Industry recognition and support
As with previous editions of the event, DRC Mining Week has secured impressive industry support through the diamond sponsorships of Engen and FBNBank and the platinum sponsorships of Gecotrans, Sodexo, Standard Bank and Tenke Fungurume Mining, while Aggreko, Atlas Copco, Axishouse, Copperbelt Energy, Earth Networks, ERG, Ivanhoe Mines-New Horizons and Vodacom are confirmed as gold sponsors.

Earlier this year, DRC Mining Week was recognised for its support of the Kinsevere Community School Project in Lubumbashi when it was named a finalist in the Social Responsibility category of the AAXO ROAR Organiser and Exhibitor Awards, which honour excellence in the exhibition and events industry on the continent.

DRC Mining Week is organised by Spintelligent, a leading Cape Town-based organiser of exhibitions and conferences across the continent in the infrastructure, real estate, energy, mining, agriculture and education sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include African Utility Week, Agritech Expo Zambia, Kenya Mining Forum, Future Energy East Africa (formerly EAPIC), Future Energy Nigeria (formerly WAPIC), Future Energy Central Africa (formerly iPAD Cameroon), iPAD Nigeria Mining Forum and EduWeek. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group.

DRC Mining Week:
Pre-conference Power Focus Day: 22 June 2017
Conference and expo: 23-24 June 2017
Site visit: 22 June 2017 Location: The Pullman Lubumbashi Grand Karavia Hotel, Lubumbashi, DRC

Website: http://www.drcminingweek.com
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/drcminingweek
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/DRC-Mining-Week-156193451406496/
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4922857

Media contact:
Senior communications manager: Annemarie Roodbol
Office: +27 21 700 3558
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 “Getting recognition in this competitive expo industry is immensely rewarding”

Leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser Spintelligent has won four major awards at the *ROAR Organiser and Exhibitor Awards in Johannesburg which honour excellence in the exhibition and events industry on the continent. The awards were organised jointly by the Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO) and the Exhibition & Event Association of Southern Africa (EXSA).

*ROAR = Respect, Opportunities, Achievement, Recognition

African Utility Week, Spintelligent’s flagship energy event for the last 17 years, was the joint winner in the Best Trade Exhibition 6001-12000 sqm category, sharing the honours with the World Travel Market.

Agritech Expo Zambia won two awards: for Best Trade & Consumer Exhibition 12000+ sqm and for Distinction in Social Responsibility Award.  The African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit, which was a launch event for the company in 2016, won the Best Confex category. The DRC Mining Week was also a finalist in the Social Responsibility category.

“It was a clean sweep for Spintelligent and I could not be prouder of our teams”, says an excited Spintelligent MD David Ashdown. “We work incredibly hard to produce successful, relevant and innovative events for our clients in exciting industries such as energy, agriculture and mining. To also get recognition from our peers in this competitive expo industry is immensely rewarding as it inspires us to work even harder and to take things up a notch every year.”

He adds: “the AAXO ROAR Awards honoured both long-standing events such as African Utility Week, to a more recent project such as Agritech Expo as well as a launch show, African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit, which is part of our new property portfolio. It shows that we are still on the right track, while also receiving the nod of approval for our newer initiatives.” ROAR Awards

• Best Trade Exhibition 6001-12000 sqm category (joint winner)
  
  The 17th edition of African Utility Week, the flagship pan-African power and water platform, will take place again in Cape Town in May and gather some 7000 attendees from around 80 countries, including many African nations, as well as 250 exhibitors and 299 high-level conference speakers while more than 80 power and water utilities will be represented.
  
  Spintelligent’s Group Director for Power, Energy and Real Estate, Le-Ann Hare Keymer says: “we share Africa’s goals of economic growth and prosperity for all, especially working in the power, energy and real estate sectors. It is a privilege to be part of the continent’s development through our events and particularly to be recognised for excellence and innovation”.
  
  
• Best Trade & Consumer Exhibition +12000 sqm Award and Distinction in Social Responsibility Award
  
  “The Agritech Expo Zambia team is honoured and thankful for the recognition of what they have achieved over the last three years” says Emmanuelle Nicholls, Natural Resources Group Director, “building the event from scratch in a field in the middle of Zambia.” She adds “their commitment, blood, sweat and tears bear testimony to the uniqueness of this event.”
  
  The fourth edition of Agritech Expo Zambia will also return to Chisamba in April – last year the outdoor farming expo attracted a record-breaking attendance of 17 605 visitors. The expo also has an outreach programme at the local Golden Valley Basic School, where, with the assistance of numerous event sponsors, it is assisting the school with much needed infrastructure upgrades, equipment supplies and management of the school’s farm.
  
  
• Best Confex Award
  
  “Winning Africa’s Best Confex for the inaugural African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit is testament to the creativity, innovation, resourcefulness and hard-work that the entire Spintelligent event team contributed to the project” says event director Richard Stubbs. With the support of Wesgro and the Transport Development Agency, we look forward to realising the vision of a continental meeting place for African Built Environment professionals, and hopefully many more awards along the way.”
  
  More than 300 sector experts will gather for the second edition of the African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit in September in Cape Town this year with interactive sessions that focus on key case studies of visionary city planning, investment opportunities in the commercial and residential real estate sectors across the continent.
  
  
• Distinction in Social Responsibility Award – finalist
  
  DRC Mining Week takes place again in June, hosting more than 1500 visitors in the mining hub of Lubumbashi. The event is also an active supporter of the Kinsevere Community School Project in Lubumbashi, which includes the preparation of hot meals for 500 children on Sundays, access to water through a borehole and the school sponsorship of 25 gifted kids in the community.
  
  The DRC Mining Week team has been working hard to grow within and outside the company” says event director Elodie Delagneau, “and while our big brother event, Agritech Expo, was a well-deserved winner in this category we are incredibly proud to have been a finalist and this just motivates us to up our game!”

Spintelligent is well known for organising exhibitions and conferences across the continent in the infrastructure, real estate, energy, mining, agriculture and education sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Agritech Expo Tanzania, CBM-TEC, Kenya Mining Forum, Future Energy East Africa (formerly EAPIC), Future Energy Nigeria (formerly WAPIC), Future Energy Central Africa (formerly iPAD Cameroon), iPAD Nigeria Mining Forum, DRC Mining Week and EduWeek. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group.

Website: http://www.spintelligent.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/spintelligent

Media contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3500
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty”

“Record attendances at our events are important to show growth and momentum but knowing that we are relevant to the industries that we serve and are also making a difference outside of our business is equally, if not more, important” – this is according to David Ashdown, MD of Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK.

During 2016, Spintelligent will host 15 events in the energy, infrastructure, mining, agriculture, education and real estate sectors across the African continent. “The company is performing positively against a volatile backdrop after the first half of this year” says David Ashdown, “and we are looking forward to an even busier and equally successful second half of the year, including a number of exciting launch events”.

Reaching out
Projects that the Spintelligent MD is particularly proud of includes an outreach programme at the Golden Valley Basic School that is situated next to the massive Agritech Expo in Chisamba, in Zambia. Some 610 learners and 17 teachers have been reaping the benefits of the Agritech Expo Outreach Programme, from the renovation of school buildings, to a solar power installation and the mechanisation of the schools working farm, from which the profits fund the school. Furthermore, a new school build project in Lubumbashi, DRC, associated to DRC Mining Week, will provide a modern school infrastructure environment for up to 500 junior students.

“Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequality and lays a foundation for sustained economic growth, as such we have invested in schooling projects in both Zambia and the DRC. These projects are where the magic happens for us as a business, as we have the opportunity to give back to the communities that support our events. We are committed to these development projects,” says David Ashdown.

Other Spintelligent event highlights from this year so far include:

*  Most recently the DRC Mining Week hosted a record number of more than 1500 visitors in the mining hub of Lubumbashi, more than double compared to last year’s figures. During this conference and expo, the third annual DRC Mining Industry Awards also honoured the leading people and projects in the sector.In May, the 16th edition of African Utility Week, the flagship pan-African power and water platform organised by Spintelligent, took place in Cape Town and gathered a record 6445 attendees from 81 countries, including 27 African nations, as well as 250 exhibitors and 299 conference speakers  while 79 power and water utilities were represented.  

A notable presence at African Utility Week this year was Sierra Leone’s Dr Kandeh Yumkella, UN Under-Secretary-General and Former Special Representative of the Secretary-General and CEO, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All), who not only delivered an inspired address during the opening day’s keynote session, but also won the Lifetime Achievement category at the African Utility Week Industry Awards. 

*  The Copperbelt Mining Trade Expo and Conference (CBM-TEC) in Kitwe also performed solidly in May with more than 1400 visitors and 100 local and international exhibitions to retain its top position as full mining indoor and outdoor expo and conference experience in the region. High-level speakers included the Hon. Christopher Yaluma, MP, Minister of Mines and Mineral Development in Zambia and the Hon. Margaret Manakatwe, MP, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry in Zambia.

*  The Zambian President H.E Edgar Lungu officially opened the third edition of Agritech Expo Zambia which in April attracted a record-breaking attendance of 17 605 visitors, a 50% increase compared to last year. The event is organised in partnership with the Zambia National Farmers Union and has firmly established itself as the leading outdoor agri event in the region.

*  All indications are that the upcoming 10th edition of the SABC Education EduWeek powered by Intel from 29-30 June at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg will also reach new attendance and participation levels from thousands of teachers and suppliers to the education industry. The Department of Education has also committed to a five-year partnership with the event.

*  In March, the fifth edition of Career Indaba in Johannesburg attracted 19,381 visitors over two days, up 160 per cent from last year.

Busy second half of 2016
During the second half of the year Spintelligent is hosting well-known and long running flagship events as well as launching new titles. Returning successful events include the East African Power Industry Convention (EAPIC) in September in Nairobi, iPAD Rwanda in Kigali in November and the West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC) in Lagos in November.

New events that will be launched by Spintelligent include the Kenya Mining Forum in Nairobi in September, the African Real Estate Summit in November in Cape Town and Agribusiness Uganda in Kampala in November.

Publishing
The Spintelligent Publishing division, with market leading titles that include Metering International & Smart Energy, ESI Africa, Mining Review Africa and Mining Elites, has also been growing from strength-to-strength over the last six months.

Says David: “we have had an increase in the frequency of our ESI Africa magazine, our staff complement has grown and we have begun significant work on refining our database and building on our publication digital platforms with a view to continue to grow and align these with the growing trends in digital media.”

Training Academy
The Spintelligent Training Academy is in its second year of operation. According to the Spintelligent MD David Ashdown: “we have already seen a 33% growth in delegate numbers from year one, running public and in-house training courses every month throughout multiple regions. Currently, our most popular topics include; Effective Financial Modelling, Financing Power Projects, Power Purchase Agreements as well as Infrastructure Finance – all relating to current industry challenges. An exciting portfolio development is the leadership and culture change courses that are in demand across the African continent as economies develop from emerging to established market status.”

Website: http://www.spintelligent.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/spintelligent

Media contact:
Senior 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.

“We view the DRC as a strategic partner on the continent”

The South African Department of Trade and Industry is bringing a large delegation of South African suppliers to the mining and related sectors to the DRC Mining Week expo and conference that is taking place in the DRC mining hub of Lubumbashi from 8-9 June.  

The DRC Mining Week expo and conference is expected to be attended by more than 1000 mining professionals and will be opened by the DRC’s Minister of Mines, H.E. Martin Kabwelulu Labilo, while Cameroon’s Minister of Industry and Technology Development, H.E Ernest Gwaboubou, will also attend the opening keynote session.  

DRC a strategic partner
“South Africa is committed to the implementation of the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap and increasing partnerships with DRC in advancing the Agenda 2063 as well as the fourth industrial revolution,” says Ms Pumla Ncapayi, Deputy Director-General: Trade and Investment South Africa at the Department of Trade and Industry. She continues: “in this context, we view the DRC as a strategic partner on the continent and we believe that participation in the DRC Mining Week provides us with an ideal platform to expose our local businesspeople in the mining and allied industries to opportunities in the DRC especially within the infrastructure realm which has presented a myriad of opportunities for collaboration and partnerships”. 

She adds that “South Africa is steadfast in its commitment towards creating tangible partnerships with the DRC so as to ensure that the DRC develops into a key driver of Africa’s economic development with its vast water resources and its untapped mineral reserves which are of global importance.”

Win-win relationship with the DRC
Fifteen companies were selected for the DRC Mining Week comprising seven SMMEs and eight large companies. According to Ms Ncapayi: “the group of companies that were selected conforms to criteria such product/service suitability and compatibility for the event, capacity to export, competitive positioning and the companies’ marketing strategies and plans.  Some companies have strong competitive advantages in areas deemed relevant for the mining industry in the DRC and we wish to engage in a process of technology transfers and initiating partnerships to this end. We believe that this collaboration is vital in attaining a win-win relationship with the DRC.”

The companies exhibiting at DRC Mining Week 2016 are:
* Afgen
* African Mixing Technologies
* AJ Charnaud & Co.
* AZ-Armaturen South Africa
* Gelvenor Textiles
* Latex Thread of S.A
* Mather+Platt
* Neptun Boot
* Nitralife Nitrogen Tyre Inflation
* NXCO Mining Technologies
* Pamodzi Unique Engineering
* Robor
* The South African Capital Equipment Export Council
* Tru-Trac Rollers
* Turner Morris Manufacturing

The DRC Mining Week will provide four days of high-level networking, free training and the latest technologies, including a Power Focus Day, a two-day strategic conference, technical workshops, indoor and bigger outdoor expo, the Mining Industry Awards, CEO roundtables, B2B speed-networking and site visits.

Impressive industry support
As with past iPAD events, the DRC Mining Week has secured the impressive support of the industry through the platinum sponsorships of Banro Corporation, Engen, Standard Bank and Tenke Fungurume Mining, while Aggreko, ERG, Ernst&Young, Tiger Resources Limited, Total, NEC and Vodacom are gold sponsors. DRC Mining Week is organised by Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK.  

DRC Mining Week dates and venue:
DRC Mining Industry Awards: 8 June 2016 – La Bohème, Lubumbashi 
Strategic Conference days: 8-9 June 2016, 09h00
Expo: 8-9 June 2016, 09h00
Pre-conference: 7 June 2016
Site visits: 10 June 2016
Venue:  Grand Karavia Hotel, Lubumbashi, Katanga, DRC
Web: www.drcminingweek.com   

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DRC-Mining-Week-156193451406496/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drcminingweek
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4922857

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.