THE Mine-Entra 2013 exhibition opens today amid optimism from exhibitors that this year’s event will be bigger and better.
Gamma Mudarikiri Own Correspondent
When Southern Eye Business visited the exhibition stands at the Zimbabwe International Trade (ZITF) yesterday afternoon, most of the exhibitors were busy preparing their stands.
“My stand is ready and I think it is better than last year,” Firetech general manager Lovemore Ndebele said. “I am anticipating this year’s exhibition to be better than last year’s.”
Mine-Entra is a specialised international exhibition which caters for mutually compatible sectors such as mining, engineering and transport and other associated industries.
This year’s exhibition will see foreign exhibitors from China, Germany and South Africa taking part.
ZITF, organising the event in conjunction with the Chamber of Mines, recently announced that it had already sold 5 800 square metres of space compared to 6 000 square metres recorded at the end of the same exhibition last year.
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ZITF said of the space sold, 82% had been booked by returning exhibitors while newcomers made up for the rest.
The company said it was optimistic that this year exhibitors will surpass last year’s figure, although it could not give the actual statistics. Last year, Mine-Entra recorded a 30% increase in the number of exhibitors over the 2010 event.
Over 3 000 business visitors from Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries registered during Mine-Entra 2012.
However, participation of Bulawayo-based companies at the event has been poor as industry in the city continues to struggle.
ZITF recently indicated that it had received few local exhibitors although it could not give the actual figures of Bulawayo-based companies participating at the event.
Bulawayo was once the industrial hub of the country, but is reeling from financial distress with 84 companies closing shop last year.
This year 60 companies are also reported to be at the verge of collapse largely due to low capitalisation, as industry is also battling with old machinery and lack of skilled labour, among a myriad of challenges.
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