Significant numbers of exhibitors releasing new products and services, combined with a buoyant mining and resources industry, means that AIMEX 2007 is attracting unprecedented interest from buyers both within Australia and from overseas, Reed Exhibitions industrial events director John Gorton said.

The show, which has limited space still available, will be held at Sydney’s Olympic Park from September 4 to 7, 2007.

Gorton said through working with resources-based industry associations it has been given a “very broad reach nationally and internationally”

“Internationally, we are working with Austrade to attract international buyer delegations from countries and regions such as China, India, Chile, New Caledonia and Asia as a whole,” he said.

“We have also been greatly assisted in attracting international delegates due to the strong representation at AIMEX 2007 of international exhibitors including Chile, China, Canada, Korea, Germany, Russia, India, South Africa and the USA.”

The expo will also feature a Meet the Buyer program, which Gorton expects will attract senior representatives from resources companies to formally commit to meeting with selected suppliers.

“In addition, we also anticipate that our big-picture mining conference MINING 2020, to be held alongside AIMEX 2007 at Olympic Park, will help attract additional high-level mining company representatives.”

MINING 2020 will look in detail at the major issues confronting the mining and resources sectors over the next 15 years and beyond.

Topics to be covered on the first day include the impact on the mining industry of the global warming debate, mining in a carbon tax environment, mining and the community, and the outlook for global and regional demand.

Day two of the conference will cover such topics as the challenge for coal; resources issues across the key areas of skills and employment, tyres, fuel and equipment; environmental management; maintaining a safe and healthy mining industry; and an in-depth look at the mine of the future.

Some of the confirmed speakers include:

Mick Cairney, mine manager, Centennial Coal

Professor Mike Hood, CEO of CRC Mining

Partha S Bhattacharyya, chairman of Coal India Limited

Dr Nicole Williams, CEO of NSW Minerals Council