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AIMEX 2011 OUNTING DOWN TO AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST-EVER MINING EVENT With Australia’s mining industry on the cusp of another boom – and a major contributor to the country’s economy at present – this year’s Asia-Pacific’s International Mining Exhibition (AIMEX) will be the largest mining exhibition ever held in Australia. To be held at Sydney’s Olympic Park, Homebush, from the 6th to the 9th of September, AIMEX 2011 – which has been held every four years since the 1970s – is the largest and most important trade event for the region’s mining community, said Paul Baker, exhibition director with organiser Reed Mining Events. “This year’s exhibition will have more than 500 exhibiting companies, covering more than 40,000 square metres, it is 10 per cent larger than the previous edition of AIMEX in 2007,” he said. “We had more than 12,000 visits over the four days of the last AIMEX in 2007, and while we can’t forecast visitor numbers for this year’s event, every effort will be made to achieve strong growth. 52 AUSTRALASIAN MINE SAFETY JOURNAL “For this year’s event, we are introducing a number of innovative elements to attract more visitors,” Baker said. “These include our ‘Frontliners’ program, aimed at bringing along frontline mine workers, supervisors, maintenance crews and managers, our Women in Mining day on the Wednesday, as well as visitor programs targeting potential new entrants to the mining industry and the various engineering disciplines. “With so much of Australia’s economy focused on the mining sector, we anticipate plenty of interest across the board in this year’s AIMEX. “And as one of the world’s mining hotspots, Australia is a world leader in mining innovation, technology, equipment and solutions – so what happens here matters,” he said. “That’s why AIMEX is an internationally recognised platform for Australian and international suppliers of mining technology, equipment and services to conduct business face-to-face with a gathering of influential mining industry buyers and decision-makers unmatched by any other mining exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region.” Baker said the four years since AIMEX 2007 has seen fundamental changes in the mining industry and the world economy – many of which will be reflected in the products and services on show. “Since 2007, we have of course gone through the global financial crisis, which had a major impact across the board. “Now, thanks to demand for our resources, Australia has largely escaped the worst of the GFC and is well placed to take advantage of the forthcoming boom in the mining industry, and unprecedented demand for our minerals and energy products – particularly in the developing world,” he said. At the same time, mining industry trends are following global developments.