By Agnes Chukwu, News Editor [The Business Analyst]

Leading stakeholders in the international mining and power arena, will converge in Ghana’s national capital’s Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) to exhibit their products and services as well as brainstorm on how best to move the two sectors forward for the benefit of investors and nations. The occasion would be the 9th Biennial West African Mining and Power Conference (WAMPOC) in association with the 10th West African Mining and Power Exhibition (WAMPEX) from the 6th to 8th June 2012 on the theme, “Deepening partnerships for the sustainable development of Africa’s mineral and energy resources”.

The international exhibition for suppliers to West Africa’s rapidly growing power and mining sector, is attracting international exhibitors, visitors and delegates to Accra as well as international suppliers of equipment, technology, services and consumables in the mining and power generation, transmission and distribution also ready to showcase their products and services.

With West Africa, dubbed the ‘West African gold rush’ and seen as a ‘mining hotspot’, one of the world’s fastest growing regions for gold production, the sub-region is also abundantly endowed with many other mineral resources and offers huge opportunities for global and local companies. The major impediment to the success of the area is an unreliable power supply.

To address this, West African regional governments have embarked on a major development programme to expand infrastructure and increase capacity. In doing this, the sub-region’s infrastructure and power issues now offer an opportunity, much like its mining sector.

WAMPOC 2012 is the conference accompanying the Mining and Power exhibition, as a premium platform to bring key stakeholders in the Ghanaian mining and power industries close to Sub-regional and African players together with international investors to discuss the current state and development trends of the global market. Leading Industry experts will present papers on opportunities, challenges and future prospects of Africa’s Mining and Power sectors with specific focus on sustainability of the industries. A press release by the organizers, Events and Programmes International (EPI) reveal that eight new mines have started production in the last three years, with another 13 mine projects planned for the region. Ghana alone has nine major mines and 600 smaller mining operations, all looking for international partners to scale up production. The Managing Director of Exhibition Management Services, co-organizers of the event, Mr. John Thomson stated that the combined annual gold output of Ghana, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Ivory Coast has increased by 65% in five years, to roughly 6.7 million ounces.

“These countries will produce 8.5 million ounces a year by 2013. But to do this they will need international partners,” he said.

Mr. Thomson cites Newmont, the world’s second biggest gold producer, planning to double its current production in Ghana to more than a million ounces by 2014, and Canadian producer Iamgold Corporation, who have over 40% of their one million ounce annual production coming from mines in West Africa. For Nana Antwi Darkwah, CEO of Events and Projects International (EPI), lead organizers of the WAMPEX/WAMPOC event, the 2012 Exhibition and Conference will see regular participants in mining houses such as AngloGold Ashanti, Newmont, Goldfields and Golden Star Resources taking part.

Exhibitors that will be showcasing their products and services at WAMPEX 2012 next month include Geotech Airborne Limited, a company that provides sophisticated airborne geophysical surveys, data processing and data interpretation for mining, petroleum and related sectors. The company has exhibited at WAMPEX before and has already booked a space. Speaking to the Senior Sales Manager for the company, Christina Hutchinson, she intimated that they achieved all their goals at the 2010 show. “We shared some of our new technologies with potential new customers, strengthened business relationships with many of our existing clients, and gained a lot of valuable industry exposure, especially in the West African region, “she said. She further disclosed that the company hopes to generate more airborne geophysical surveying opportunities in West Africa this year, and will be launching its new helicopter-borne VTEM geophysical survey system, which incorporates a new magnetic gradiometer, at WAMPEX.”

Business Development Manager for West Africa Pumping Services Limited, Jade Lodge, disclosed that this is their second time exhibiting at WAMPEX in Accra: “We intend to display a number of new products we are representing in Ghana, including the Netzsch Nemo progressing cavity pump,” she explains, continuing that “This is a positive displacement pump designed specifically for difficult pumping situations. We’re also showcasing the Wilden air operated double diaphragm pump and Pioneer end suction centrifugal pump,” she said. She reiterated that the company had a successful debut at WAMPEX 2010. “It gave us a greater presence within the Ghanaian market place, and we found that clients recognized our company a lot more after the trade show. We also generated a high level of new business contacts; in addition, we networked more within organizations we were already doing business with. I feel we exceeded our goals,” she observed. Ghanaian-based Multi-Tech Services Limited will also be present at the WAMPEX 2012 exhibition and according to the Company’s Sales Manager, Theo Aferi, they are excited about new prospects offered by both the show and the industry. Multi-Tech Services is a company that provides technical sales and service support to mining, construction, transport and industrial sectors of the West African economy. It also supplies industrial and marine engines. Formed in 1990 with five employees, the company now employs 145 people. “We expect to have far more visitors coming through WAMPEX this year, and they will bring new opportunities to grow our business. The high gold price has also brought new and exciting developments in terms of new mines starting up and existing mines expanding,” he disclosed.

Mr. Aferi also commented that the 2010 exhibition provided an opportunity for Multi-Tech to showcase some new products for existing applications, and also specialised products for completely new applications in the mining industry. “We also interacted with potential customers for our new products and our presence enabled us to interact with most of the top people in the mining industry,” he said.

The company, according to Mr. Aferi, will be exhibiting Knelson concentrators, Krebs cyclones and slurry pumps, Grindex submersible pumps, Phoenix conveyor belts and Schenck vibrating screens.

Another company that will be showcasing their products at the exhibition is the Ndede Company, which is based in Accra and has been supplying consumables, safety equipment and engineering products to the mining industries across West Africa for almost 13 years. The company also has a branch in Tarkwa. Joseph Acquaye started his one-man business in 1995, took on four employees a year later, and has since grown the company to encompass 60 agencies in its product portfolio. The company will be exhibiting its wide range of clothing including overalls, reflective vests and jackets, safety boots, raincoats and rain suits, helmets, face masks, protective gloves, bearings, seals, V-belts, mantles, liners, crusher jaws, flagging tapes and poles and survey marking paints. The company plans to double sales each year for the next three years by adding more products to its existing line-up, such as conveyor belts, bearings and fire extinguishers. The company’s competitive advantage is based on its reliable, personalised service and competitive pricing.

Bauer Resources Ghana Limited is a subsidiary of German company Bauer Resources GmbH and part of the Bauer Group and according to the Company’s Sales Manager for Africa, Birgit Leone, this is going to be the first time they are exhibiting.

The company mainly carries out deep, large-calibre drilling for wells, hydro-geological exploration and dewatering borehole projects in the former ‘Gold Coast’.

“We have invested heavily in expanding our equipment inventory to accommodate a growing demand for our services. In addition to our existing RB 40 universal drilling rig, we have added more drilling rigs - an RB 25 and a Klemm KR 806-2, along with additional compressors, all-terrain vehicles, service trucks and drilling accessories,” she disclosed. She also added that the company is using the exhibition as an opportunity to evaluate the market and find new clients, and at the same time introduce the Bauer Group and its products and services to the region. SEW-Eurodrive, is another company that will be exhibiting and is a major supplier of geared motors and associated equipment. Last year, the company released a new extended bearing distance (EBD) industrial gear unit, which is part of its MC range.

Rene Rose, the General Manager of Communication, says the new high torque industrial gears can be used with mixers, agitators and surface aerators. “You will find everything you need to know about drive technology, industrial gear drives and drive automation for your industry at our WAMPEX display. From gear motors, drive electronics, control and software to individual drive solutions. The bearings can absorb forces that occur in wet, dry, cooling, and hybrid towers,” she adds.

Author: nesgani2000@yahoo.com

A print version of this article was published in The Business Analyst of Wednesday, May 9th – Tuesday, May 15th, 2012