Wood-Mizer makes a welcome return to NAMPO!

Specialist writer

Natasha Pansegrouw

After a two-year layoff due to Covid-19, Wood-Mizer made a welcome return to NAMPO 2022, the largest agricultural expo in the Southern Hemisphere!

Originally organised by the erstwhile Maize Producers Institute (SAMPI), later by the National Maize Producers Organisation (NAMPO), and since 1999 by Grain SA, Nampo is a juggernaut, world-class agri-event rivalled by few other similarly styled shows globally.

With just under 800 exhibitors spread across 24 hectares, excluding 80 hectares set aside for demonstrations, and about 80 000 visitors to the event, NAMPO 2022 made a welcome return to SA’s national exhibition circuit, the 54th edition in the event’s history.

The NAMPO Harvest Day offers a unique platform for producers and visitors to expand knowledge and explore new technology and productivity solutions in agriculture and related sectors.

A packed stand!

Wood-Mizer’s association with NAMPO goes back to 2016; the company’s timber processing solutions displayed at the show, offering farmers, land-care specialists, and visitors rare insight into advances made in timber beneficiation technology.

In an era where farmers are looking to boost farm profits and sustainable land-management practices prioritise the sustainable use of trees and timber, Wood-Mizer’s product range at NAMPO provided a unique perspective on technology to reach these goals.

Wood-Mizer’s range includes solutions across the entire timber value addition chain – from forest to final form. The range consists of narrowband portable and industrial sawmills, wideband sawmilling equipment, resaws, board edgers, wood kilns, woodworking machines, material handling, sawmill blades, and blade maintenance equipment for woodworking and forestry hobbyists and professionals across the world.

Early morning visitors to WoodMizer’s stand at NAMPO 2022.

Wood-Mizer’s Regional Sales Director for Africa, Bruce Husi, said that NAMPO is a one-of-a-kind event.

“It brings stakeholders from across South Africa, Africa and even abroad together to offer a unique perspective on the latest advances in agri-land care technology, services, products, and related industries.

“Farmers get to see how to build profitable timber businesses with timber on farms using our technology. But then we also reach across a much wider audience at NAMPO. Anyone interested and passionate about timber can use our solutions to build timber businesses that work.

An LT15Start blasting through timber.

“And finally, NAMPO also offers a unique brand-building opportunity for Wood-Mizer.

“The high visitor count past the Wood-Mizer stand allows us to introduce the brand to the uninitiated. Existing customers deepen their association with us while new leads from the show drive sales into the future,” Bruce Husi said.

Lee Pauls, Wood-Mizer Sales Manager for South Africa, concluded that “Wood-Mizer’s plans are also far advanced to make NAMPO 2023 even more extensive. A larger stand, combining with other role players in the timber sector exhibiting at NAMPO to drive interest in timber production, increase sales from the event, and develop NAMPO even further are on the cards.”