Novamine, Geoit, Piedras Juntas, Work Mining and Agencia Redes are the five mining companies that have been awarded the project “Technology Market Network for the Commercialisation of the Exportable Offer of Companies Providing Goods and Services from the Antofagasta Region” by the Corfo Antofagasta Committee. The objective of the project is to encourage, promote and commercialise the supply of technological goods and services from the mining and industrial sectors of the beneficiary companies in the markets of Mexico, South Africa and Brazil.
The initiative establishes a programme to address deficiencies in the commercialisation of the exportable supply. This programme encompasses the following elements: a training programme, an updated design of the exportable supply, an analysis of information on target markets, technical assistance, and the generation of cooperation networks. Participation of companies in strategic activities such as business rounds and business meetings such as the EXPOSIBRAM trade fairs in Brazil and ELECTRA MINING 2024 in South Africa, as well as exploration and analysis of markets such as Mexico.
Participation in the esteemed ELECTRA MINING 2024 exhibition, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from September 2-6, 2024, will be a pivotal moment for companies, particularly in light of South Africa’s status as a strategic nation for prospecting. This is largely due to its leadership in the production of gold, diamonds, and copper, as well as its geographical proximity to other mining countries, including Botswana, Zambia, the Republic of Congo, and Mozambique.
The RED Mercados project also encompasses the exploration of the Mexican market. As such, the awarded companies will undertake training to facilitate the optimisation and adaptation of their export supply to the three markets under consideration: Mexico, Brazil and South Africa.
Melissa Gajardo Castillo, the executive director of the Corfo Antofagasta Committee, has stated that: “Once companies have passed their break-even point and have begun to expand, they are able to consolidate their offer, thereby achieving success and market validation. However, this marks the onset of new challenges, particularly in terms of sustainability. In order to expand into international markets, companies must develop export business models. In this regard, we have created the instrument “Red Mercado”, which aims to address the gaps and facilitate the execution of international prospecting. It is hoped that this project will fulfil its objectives, and naturally, it is anticipated that the participating companies will serve as ambassadors for the public-private collaborative work that is taking place in our region.
As the project progresses, the management of Business and Interinstitutional Cooperation Networks will be strengthened through the establishment of Agreements and Strategic Alliances with various sectors and entities in the public, private, academic and trade union spheres. The project also has the support of Prochile Antofagasta and Prochile’s offices in Brazil, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (the latter is the closest office to South Africa) to develop an optimal agenda for the events to be prospected.
Marcia Rojas Ponce, the regional director of ProChile in the Antofagasta Region, has stated that “these companies that are suppliers of mining solutions have considerable experience in internationalisation. Thanks to the collaboration between ProChile, the Antofagasta Corfo Committee and the beneficiary companies that have undergone various validation processes, they can continue to internationalise their exportable supply, now in new markets such as South Africa, Brazil and Mexico. At ProChile, we are taking steps to coordinate a comprehensive agenda in support of the participation of companies, with the aim of enabling them to generate business opportunities. The Red Mercado Tecnológico project, which is designed to facilitate the commercialisation of the exportable supply of goods and services from the companies in the Antofagasta region that are part of the Corfo Antofagasta Committee, will enable these beneficiaries to continue exporting and generate new opportunities in this area.
Alejandra Giménez, a regional company with a client base in Africa, commented: “This mission to Africa will provide a valuable opportunity for regional companies to showcase their latest innovations in products and services. For Novamine, Electra Mining was the event that allowed them to expand into new international markets, achieving their first export to Mozambique. EM is the largest and most important mining event on the continent and participating in it will allow us to connect with several mining countries such as Zambia, Botswana, Ghana, Mauritania, Tanzania, among others.”
Paola Quezada, founder and general manager of Agencia Redes, said: “In the context of being able to diversify the services of the regional offer in mining, we are convinced that we can contribute significantly to the markets addressed in this project, as we know that Chile is in the eyes of the world because it has a world-class mining industry”. Gustavo Hormazábal, GEOIT’s commercial director, also stated: “This is a significant opportunity as it allows us to establish a presence in a new market. There are numerous clients in Chile and South America who have operations in Africa.”
Oscar Ubillos, New Business director at Piedras Juntas, added: “This opportunity is unique in a market as significant as Africa, based on the relevance of copper and electromobility. In addition, we have proven and certified innovations in the world’s large copper mining industry”.
Upon completion of the project, the companies will have established formal processes, procedures and content for developing international trade, particularly in the area of export. These resources will be dedicated to promoting, fostering and commercialising the supply of goods and services from a local to global perspective.