Continuing education remains a top priority for many businesses in South Africa and provides employees with the opportunity to improve their on-job skills and knowledge. While longer-duration courses offer the most intensive tool for learning, the advantages of shorter seminar and conference sessions should not be overlooked.
The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition (KITE), which is being held between 24 and 26 July 2019 at the Durban Exhibition Centre, provides two avenues for knowledge transfer to the industry: the free-to-attend SAIMechE (SA Institute of Mechanical Engineers) Seminar and the LEEASA (Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa) conference.
At the 2017 event, the SAIMechE seminar included 15 seminar topics that covered a range of industry trends and issues, including ‘Skills for Success in Engineering’, ‘Six Sigma: The lowdown on manufacturing transformation’ and ‘Improving recyclability: Challenges & opportunities facing the packaging industry’. In addition, on day two of the exhibition, MESA AFRICA (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) held a half-day Special Interest Group Meeting within the seminar that addressed ‘Digital Revolution – man and/or machine rules’.
LEEASA ran its first-ever one-day conference at KITE 2017. In what is a potentially hazardous industry, knowledge is king in order to ensure compliance with stringent safety regulations. The industry-recognised speakers shared information with the delegates on, for instance, DMR 18 guidelines, SABS standards, new rigger qualifications and product differentiations.
Enhancing the visitor experience through value-added synergistic events is a critical success factor for KITE and has proved a major drawcard. “In fact,” says Nick Sarnadas, portfolio director at Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, “our post-show research indicates that a substantial 18.7% of all visitors were primarily registered to attend the educational sessions. However, one of the benefits of an event like KITE is that once the visitors are on-site, they are prompted to visit the exhibition stands on their way to and from the seminar and conference sessions. The end result is more feet on the exhibitor stands and increased awareness of the technology available at the show.”
Sarnadas points out that there is simply no other show in KwaZulu-Natal that has the ability to showcase such a variety and diversity of industrial technology equipment under one roof. Currently one third of stand space, based on a larger floorplan than in 2017, has been reserved and potential exhibitors are encouraged to book early, thereby allowing them to select the position most beneficial to their needs.
“We continue to grow the physical footprint of the exhibition as new technologies and manufacturing methods are introduced. Feedback from both exhibitors and visitors influences the industrial sub-sectors on which we place increased focus and results in the regular addition of symbiotic business segments.”
To book a stand at KITE 2019 or to find out more information about the exhibition visit the website at www.kznindustrial.co.za.