With seven months still to go and the two allocated exhibition halls largely booked, industry has demonstrated its strong support for Machine Tools Africa 2017, taking place at the Expo Centre in Johannesburg from 9-12 May 2017. Exhibition space sales have exceeded 70% of overall square metres available and many other stands have been provisionally booked. These will be finalised before the end of the year.  Sales are on track and it is expected that the show will be sold out.Machine Tools Africa, launched in association with the Machine Tools Merchants’ Association of South Africa (MTMA), is the biggest trade exhibition of its kind in Africa showcasing cutting edge developments across the machine tool and related industries. Exhibitors in halls 6 and 7 are mainly the local machine tool suppliers together with their principals.

Hans-Peter Neth, MTMA Chairman, has given MTMA’s full commitment to Machine Tools Africa so ensuring an industry showcase that is inclusive and reflective of the South African machine tool market. The exhibition will be a showcase of a broad range of machinery, equipment, products and services involved in the machine tools cycle.

“Quality tools and machinery are the backbone of the South African manufacturing industry and this important sector will take centre stage at Machine Tools Africa 2017,” says Neth. “Machine Tools will not only be displayed but demonstrated. There will be equipment in Machining such as turning and milling, grinding and drilling, as well as all types of sheetmetal machinery, laser, plasma cutting, bending and punching and presses. And many more machines will be displayed. Also exhibiting will be various suppliers of Tooling and CAD CAM software who are an integral part of the successful machine shop.”

The arrival of Industry 4.0 has led the world to gearing up for more automation, with equipment driven and controlled by computers and handheld devices. Machine Tool developments never stop and with 3D printing of metal parts, a whole new world in design and manufacture has just begun.

“Daily talks by industry leaders from all over the world will make this event a must for all engineers, company owners, workshop managers and staff,” says Neth. “They will learn about these latest developments happening all around us in our exciting industry.”

Visitors to Machine Tools Africa 2017 will include all those involved across various sectors including general mechanics, machine tools, mining, manufacturing, automotive, metallurgy, paper/pulp, research and engineering, aeronautics, aerospace, railways, energy, electronic and IT. They will be able to meet with leading companies such as TH Machine Tools, Victor Fortune, Retecon, Puma Machine Tools, Potgieter Industrial Machinery, Durmazlar, CML Machine Tools, Haas Factory Outlet CNC Machine Tools SA, Magnum Machine Tools, RGC Engineering, Craft Industrial Equipment, PBS Machine Tools, Extreme Machine Technologies, First Cut, Toolquip & Allied, CNC Clear Cut, Mecad Systems, MJH Machine Tools, Efamatic Machine Tools, Flexilube, Siemens, Samsung Machine Tools and Walker Machine Tools, amongst many others.

“We have been involved with Machine Tools Africa since its stand-alone shows from 1977 until 1997 and then as a co-located show with Electra Mining Africa every four years from 2004 through to 2012,” explains Gary Corin, Managing Director of Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, who have partnered with MTMA as Organisers of the show. “The decision to host the show alongside Electra Mining Africa was based on the market conditions of the time and the show remained fully supported by the Machine Tools Merchants’ Association of South Africa. A decision was made last year to again launch a stand-alone show as the market has become strong enough to support this. The endorsement we have received from industry and the number of leading companies already booked to exhibit validates this decision.”

The visitor experience will be enhanced through a series of free-to-attend technical seminars hosted by the South Africa Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE). “These seminars will bring additional value to visitors and the seminar programme will be presented by leading industry experts,” says Corin.

Both Corin and Neth agree on the importance and value of the MTMA being behind this exhibition. “Not only does it provide a platform where we can demonstrate our strength as an association,” says Neth, “but also to ensure that buyers know that purchasing a machine from members of the Machine Tool Merchants' Association means peace of mind for the machine tool buyer. All MTMA Members subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics designed to protect buyers.”

Corin also confirmed further industry support from the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC) and the Italian-South Africa Chamber of Trade and Industries.

Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery is a member of the prestigious Montgomery Group, one of the most widely respected exhibition companies in the world with trade shows, consumer shows and specialist projects currently spanning Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

For more information, contact Leatitia van Straten, Marketing Director at Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery at email leatitiavs@specialised.com