Austmine Executive Officer Robert Trzebski is confident numerous opportunities for members will flow from the biggest ever Australian presence at the quadrennial MINExpo show in Las Vegas, which drew record exhibitor and visitor numbers as the world’s largest mining exhibition.
Organiser, the National Mining Association of America, said 38,500 visitors attended the show, up 44% from 2004, while 30% more exhibition space was filled at the Las Vegas Conventional Centre.
Austmine members were among more than 60 Australian businesses represented at MINExpo. The Australian pavilion, which also featured Queensland and South Australian government displays, comprised 33 booths.
“This time there was very strong interest from our members in being part of a united Australian presentation front. I believe we could have a much higher number of individual companies exhibiting at MINExpo next time, based on the success of this year’s event.
“Australia had a large international presence, which had 80 different countries participate. We have seen over the past five years many Australian mining technology and services companies build a much bigger global presence in line with the mining industry’s globalisation.”
Perhaps in accordance, Austmine’s membership has also more than doubled during this time.
Austrade’s Sydney-based national manager mining and infrastructure Jeff Turner said the Australian pavilion at MINExpo was the third largest country pavilion, behind the USA and Canada.
He said the Australian mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector had built an enviable reputation in the international mining industry.
“Australia is a world leader in providing innovative and highly technical products and services, with over 60% of the world’s mining operations utilising software developed by Australian companies. Australia’s METS are found in all parts of the world," he said. "The Australian METS sector generates estimated annual sales of $A12 billion, with 50% of firms in the Australian sector being exporters and registering combined exports of around $2.5 billion annually.”
Trzebski said of the importance of such international trade forays, like the one organised earlier this year to Chile, that these create more opportunities for Australian-based mining technology and supply companies. Their value was underlined by the emphatic follow-up activity being generated in emerging markets such as Brazil, parts of central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, and other countries in Latin America.