Electra Mining Africa: Award-Winning Excellence at the 2025 AAXO Awards

Recognising growth, innovation, and industry impact

Electra Mining Africa Takes Centre Stage

Electra Mining Africa has once again proven why it stands as South Africa’s premier industrial and mining expo. At the 2025 AAXO ROAR Awards, held on 27 February at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, the show was named Best Trade Exhibition over 6,000sqm.

This recognition underscores the show’s continued role in driving innovation, business growth, and transformation across multiple sectors.

Hosted by the Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO), the event celebrated excellence under the themeForging Strength: Celebrating Resilience and Innovation.

For the Electra Mining team and its 950 exhibitors, this win reflects the power of collaboration, strategic planning, and delivering value-driven experiences.

A Landmark Year for Electra Mining Africa

Breaking Records Across the Board

According to Charlene Hefer, Portfolio Director for Electra Mining Africa, 2024’s event was the biggest in its history:

950 exhibitors
40,000m² of exhibition space
39,883 visitors
27% increase in attendance compared to 2022

This level of growth confirms Electra Mining’s position as the go-to platform for showcasing industrial technology, equipment, and services across mining, manufacturing, engineering, and more.

“This award is the cherry on top of a phenomenal event. It’s recognition not only for our team but also for the exhibitors and stakeholders who make the show what it is,” says Hefer.

A Platform for Progress

Electra Mining Africa isn’t just about scale—it’s about impact. The show brings together thousands of decision-makers, engineers, buyers, and operators all in search of new ideas, partnerships, and technologies.

Its success lies in delivering value through:

World-class innovation
Live demos and activations
Networking and matchmaking opportunities
A five-day experience aligned with industry themes like sustainability, safety, and innovation

The result? A platform that supports business development while helping industries stay competitive.

Recognition Beyond Electra Mining

While Electra Mining Africa led the night, Specialised Exhibitions’ broader team was also honoured.

The Securex South Africa team received the Distinction in Marketing award for their targeted, multi-channel campaign in the under 6,000sqm category. Securex continues to be Africa’s leading security and safety trade show and is set to expand to Cape Town later in 2025.

In January this year, Specialised Exhibitions also celebrated four EXSA-LLENCE Awards, including:

Best Large Event – Electra Mining Africa
Association Award
Best Overall Event
Best Organiser – Exceptional Services (as voted by members)

“These awards reflect our commitment to excellence across every touchpoint—from planning and marketing to execution and follow-up,” says Gary Corin, Managing Director at Specialised Exhibitions and Chairperson of AAXO.

What’s Next for Electra Mining?

Eyes on the Future

With this momentum, planning is already underway for the next edition of Electra Mining Africa, set to take place in 2026. In the meantime, the Specialised Exhibitions calendar includes:

Propak Africa, which welcomed double the number of exhibitors in March
Securex South Africa and co-located events in June and October
Frigair Expo (June)
KZN Industrial Technology Exhibition (KITE) (July)

Each event reflects the same core principle: delivering industry-leading exhibitions that drive real outcomes for exhibitors and attendees alike.

Why Awards Like These Matter

Exhibitions continue to play a vital role in enabling South African industries to thrive. In a rapidly changing economic and technological landscape, shows like Electra Mining provide a space for: