Back in the days, the UMA Trade Show was one to die for. It was on the to do list for families, learners and serious participants in the value systems and supply chains of manufacturering.
Manfacturers had the opportunity to build and showcase assimilations or models of their entire production.
Students interacted with production engineers, process managers to explain the entire production process.
Business stewards came to UMA as a deals room. Meet industralists and discuss franchising, supplying raw materials and the likes.
Customers flooded to buy products at factory price, to give feed back on products, to taste new products and express brand loyalty.
Manufacturers had the opportunity to engage with the market, do instant product and consumer experience surveys, understand the different cultural dynamics and the evolving customer. Demistify consumer myths, sell the future business tragectory. Today the show would be the most ideal place to get feed back from the current consumer demographics.
However, the UMA Trade Show has been relegated to Middlemen. Depots running bars, selling soda and other beverages. People selling Congolese jewelry and waist beads. Telecom companies represented by mobile money agents, textiles by bedsheet sellers. Full blown entertainment and nothing to learn, no twiggers to go home thinking about.
Middle men who can’t even explain the manufacturing processes, the value systems or even catch an opportunity that would make sense to the manufacturers. Only geared to profiteering in the 7 days.
The trends are changing, UMA Trade Show has competition from smaller sector focused shows, Factory attached showrooms. UMA needs to acquire more space to accommodate new industrialists.
In conclusion, the UMA Trade Show should be strategic, purposed and aligned to accelerating the 10 folds Economic Growth in which ATMIS are key pillars.
By Joshua Mawerere
For God and My Country