Noting a 17% increase in unique attendees compared to the previous Africa Automation Technology Fair (AATF) event, Carol Weaving, Managing Director at RX Africa says the theme “For Africa from Africa” with transformation of the electricity sector and the future of water supply high on the agenda was a timely event as both power and water remain key concerns in South Africa and across the continent.“More than 500 meetings were conducted by RX Africa’s hosted African industry decision makers, introducing and solidifying thousands of business connections as industry leaders came together to revolutionise the electricity and water Sectors through tech and automation.”
Under the RX Africa banner, the May 2023 event held in South Africa co-located with the inaugural InfoSecurity Africa 2023 Conference to seek solutions to the most pressing issues on the continent.
Events featured 50 countries – 18 of which were African – reviewing the latest in automation and technology in talks driving industry development by leading public and private stakeholders, corporates, entrepreneurs, and small businesses (SMBs).
Weaving highlights solar power solutions and tax incentives; timelines for possible solutions from Eskom; and third-party electricity trader presence to tackle loadshedding; and water is a vital economic enabler as topics of widespread interest at AATF 2023.
AATF in 2025
As RX Africa gears up for #AATF2025 South Africa from 6 – 8 May 2025, Weaving says: “We anticipate feedback and possible case studies from the topics raised in 2023, with a fairly hefty slant on smart technology, automation and manufacturing.”
As Dave Wibberley, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Electric – Factory Automation in Sub-Saharan Africa explained at AATF 2023, automation, can vastly simplify manufacturing processes, giving rise to ‘cobots’ – collaborative robots that works closely with humans to save time, money and reduce safety risks.
The global intelligent automation market in manufacturing is expected to reach $16.7 billion by 2026, a significant increase on $5.6 billion in 2020, and as RX Africa counts down to AATF 2025, innovations across all sectors are expected to be showcased.
“Having earned a reputation for being the most comprehensive and focused automation technology platform in Africa, RX Africa is proud to be able to bring real-life, real-time solutions to a continent filled with promise and endless possibility,” Weaving concludes.
The next Africa Automation Technology Fair will be held from 6-8 May 2025. For more information, visit www.africaautomationtechnologyfair.com