Element is set to fill the gap between OEMs and local suppliers in the Middle East. That is what was confirmed last week at The Mining Show 2021 in Dubai, UAE. The company and its official dealer presented the most in-demand wear and spare parts for crushing and screening equipment, slurry pumps, and mills.

For two days fr om the 16th to the 17th November, Element and its partner in the region, In-Seal Engineering Insulation, held a joint stand. This exhibition is the largest one in the region and therefore there were high expectations, especially considering that the last shows were virtual. Nevertheless, there were not as many visitors as before the pandemic. On the other hand, all the attendees showed real interest in the products that were on display, as they work directly with customers within the mining and quarrying sectors. There were no people at this exhibition purely by chance.

Element’s team used the event to meet professionals, experts and companies working in the mining sector in the Middle East and East Africa. In the 13th The stand was located near the main entrance, and though Element is still fairly unknown in this region, the stand attracted many visitors among whom were regional dealers.

The exhibition and the conferences were focused on digitalization, artificial intelligence, and sustainability in the mining sector. Cost optimization was also one of the trends at the expo, and that’s exactly wh ere Element can add value to the market – by reducing their inventory, having a competitive price, and respecting high-quality standards. As a result, visitors were very interested in Element’s wear parts for crushing equipment and slurry pumps.

In fact, there were a lot of visitors looking for alternative suppliers for these products because there’s a gap between OEMs and local suppliers when it comes to quality, price, and technical support. Most of these attendees were agents or traders trying to find another reliable option for their clients in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and East African countries like Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Eselalo Ampofo, the head of the EMEA, who presented Element at the The Mining Show conference, shared the event’s results.

“There was a high level of interest in our products shown by the visitors of the exhibition. Traditionally, the presence of OEMs has always been very strong in the Middle East, so there is great potential for Element to start bringing added value to customers by optimizing their costs without compromising on part quality. We have been approached by a number of companies involved in trading who are interested in promoting Element’s products to their customers. Even before the end of the exhibition, we have received our first enquiries from potential customers”, he said.

The Middle-Eastern mining industry is mostly dominated by gold and phosphate mining enterprises. Jordan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have the biggest reserves. Element used this event to discuss new business opportunities with the industry representatives from these countries.

While meeting with potential customers and local dealers, the importance of fast deliveries was outlined. Element’s team managed to liaise with companies offering their services for international logistics, which can essentially reduce delivery time.

Ampofo noted that the exhibition had brought plenty of professionals involved in the mining business not only from the Middle East but also from Europe and Africa. “There is no doubt that Element will be in the list of participants during the following years”, he added.