130 exhibitors occupied around 5,000 sq.m of exhibition space in the Sandton Convention centre, with a 40/60 split between domestic southern African suppliers and those from overseas. China, with 35 individual exhibitors, was the major presence, heading a truly international line-up made up of more than 60 different countries. Rowena Suthers, sales director for ECI, believes that the exhibition is growing in stature after a second successful staging: “The general feedback from exhibitors and visitors was that the show was a good deal better than 2006 and certainly growing in stature. The second day proved the busiest and again exhibitor feedback recognised the quality rather than quantity of visitors, which is generally in line with our other events in the UK and Asia. “We have been very encouraged by the feedback so far and will be working hard to continue its development as a major event in the southern African tyre industry calendar. Tyrexpo Africa will be back in two years time, in March 2010,” she confirmed. Exhibition stands at Tyrexpo Africa 08 were of a particularly high calibre, reflecting substantial investment from principals, especially by Bandag, which celebrated its 50th anniversary at the show by winning the Platinum Award for Best Stand Design. Other winners were CFP Tyres, which clinched the Gold and Tandem/Techking Tyres and Tubestone, who shared the Silver award. The only consistent disappointment expressed by exhibitors and visitors was the absence of major domestic tyre manufacturers, who visited the show as delegates but did not feel able to support their industry by exhibiting. Overall, the show reflected a keen emphasis on OTR tyres for the important mining and construction industry in South Africa, although there was also a strong showing of passenger car and truck tyres. Retreading companies such as Leadertread, Imex, and Elgitread, recognised this trend by emphasising specialist materials for the OTR and earthmoving sector. The workshop and depot equipment side of the business was better represented than in 2006, with a comprehensive presence from machinery and equipment suppliers including Leaderquip, Snap On, Wheelquip, Syco Machinery and Hofmann Megaplan.