KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition shines again

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The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition (KITE), held at the Durban Exhibition Centre between 18 and 20 July 2023, once again proved it is the ultimate portal for industrial technology solutions. “We were thrilled to welcome over 4000 visitors, exceeding our pre-COVID numbers. This is a clear indication to us that there is a hunger for high-quality industrial technology solutions in KwaZulu-Natal. The feedback we received from both visitors and exhibitors was very positive, with many fruitful connections being made over the three days of the exhibition,” says Charlene Hefer, portfolio director at Specialised Exhibitions, a division of Montgomery Group.

Over 100 exhibitors showcased a wide variety of industrial technology products and services. These ranged from electronic components, heavy machinery and plant/facility equipment through to monitoring, process control and sensors; safety equipment, workwear and protective equipment; industrial equipment/components/tools, and industrial services; and packaging and plastics machinery. They provided the local market with an invaluable opportunity to ask questions, ‘test-drive’ desired products through on-site demonstrations, and find solutions suited to their specific needs, all under one roof.

“While the exhibition itself provides a dynamic interactive platform for industrial technology suppliers and manufacturers to share their solutions and expertise with the market, visitors also benefit from the additional learning opportunities provided by the free-to-attend SAIMechE Seminar Theatre and the LEEASA conference. In addition, this year, the SAMIC hosted a three-hour workshop which assisted engineers, technicians, and technologists to complete their ECSA registration forms,” says Hefer.

Hefer points out that the SAIMechE Seminar Theatre was very well attended, with delegates praising the content provided by the 11 knowledgeable speakers on 18 and 20 July. Feedback from Surita Marx, who organised the LEEASA Conference held on 19 July was that while many of the 30-plus delegates who attended are previous attendees, there are always some new takeaways, as technology and regulations change and evolve.

The ECSA Registration workshop, facilitated by Johan Maartens, CEO and director of the SAIMC, was intended to assist the attendees with completing their paperwork to register with ECSA. “We had a full venue, and the feedback I received was that the presentation was helpful. We must commend Specialised Exhibitions on the professionalism they displayed in every interaction we had with them and in providing a super venue for the workshop. No detail was left unattended,” says Maartens.

A first at KITE was the New Products and Innovation Awards, co-hosted by the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC) and judged by Eric Bruggeman, CEO of SACEEC. These awards recognise excellence and innovation in both local and international industrial technology product design. The competition was keen, and the judging process was conducted over an intensive two-day period. Submissions were received at least a week prior to KITE, and finalists were shortlisted. Interviews with finalists took place on their stands at KITE, and the winners and, in some cases, runners up were announced at the KITE exhibitor function, which took place on the evening of 19 July.

In the local category, the following awards were made:

General Machinery and Equipment:

Winner: AZ Amaturen South Africa

Runner-up: Invincible Valves

Industrial:

Winner: Stanfra Trading

Runner up: Joesten International + AMP

The international awards were:

Electronics:

Winner: Beckhoff International

Transport:

Winner: Dachser

Runner-up: Point of Rental

Automation:

Winner: ifm

Runner-up: Modena Design Centre Durban

Storage and Logistics:

Winner: LSE Logistics Systems Engineering

Industrial:

Winner: Mascor

General Machinery and Equipment:

Winner: Pferd

“As technology continues to be driven by demands for increased operability and automation of plants and facilities, KITE will continue to bring exhibitor solutions to the market to assist organisations to remain sustainable and current. We look forward to highlighting industrial technology solutions at KITE 2025, which will take place at the Durban Exhibition Centre from 22 to 24 July 2025. If you are a manufacturer or supplier of industrial technology products or services, and you want to grow your customer base in KZN, KITE is the place to be,” says Hefer.

To find out about booking a stand at KITE 2025, visit the website at www.kznindustrial.co.za

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