January 15, 2002

World's largest automotive aftermarket show Autotec Automechanika debuts in the region from May 17 to May 20

 

More than 150 companies to showcase original spare parts at the exhibition

May 11, 2003

DUBAI - Epoc Messe Frankfurt announced today (Sunday, May 11, 2003) the Middle East debut of the world's largest automotive aftermarket exhibition, Autotec Automechanika, which will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 17 to 20, 2003. More than 150 companies and national pavilions from five countries including Germany, Turkey and Italy will be participating at Automechanika Gulf. Michael El Nayal, Managing Partner, Epoc Messe Frankfurt; Geoff Dickinson, Managing Partner, Epoc Messe Frankfurt; Pia Pacovsky, Member, Automotive Brand Protection Coalition Middle East (ACME) and Amanda Westerman, Group Exhibitions Manager, Epoc Messe Frankfurt, attended the conference.

Epoc Messe Frankfurt is a subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt, the world's third largest fair organizer that conducts the Automechanika exhibitions in 10 countries across four continents. More than 500 major brands related to the automotive aftermarket industry such as DaimlerChrysler, Standox, DuPont, 3M, Bosch and AC Delco would be showcased at Automechanika Gulf.

With one of the highest per capita levels of car ownership in the world, the automotive aftermarket segment in the region is valued at over US$11 billion per year. Industry sources estimate that the Saudi market for automotive aftermarket parts, which reached sale figures of approximately US$655 million during 2001, excluding tires and OEM parts accounts for 46% of the Gulf market. Post-war Iraq is expected to open up huge opportunities for the automotive aftermarket sector as the reconstruction process begins in full swing. Besides the general automobile sector, various organisations involved in the rebuilding of Iraq would also require substantial equipment to operate in the hard terrains. Epoc Messe Frankfurt has already received an enquiry from the UN office in Iraq for specific automotive equipment that will be exhibited by various manufacturers during Autotec Automechanika Gulf.

"This region is the ideal venue for organizing Autotec Automechanika Gulf as it provides a gateway to an estimated customer base of 1.5 billion and strategic exhibitor access to the GCC states. The growing demand for original and quality spare parts as opposed to counterfeits has increased competition levels in the market. Moreover, international car manufacturers and auto spare parts suppliers are aggressively campaigning against fake automotive parts. Epoc Messe Frankfurt, will ensure that none of the exhibitors will be allowed to display counterfeit parts at Automechanika Gulf. The Automotive Brand Protection Coalition Middle East (ACME) which spearheads awareness programmes on counterfeit parts will be a key participant at the show," said Michael El Nayal, Managing Partner, Epoc Messe Frankfurt.

"ACME, the first automotive manufacturers brand protection group in the world is very active in the Middle East and Levant. The UAE is home to one of the major transhipment hubs in the world. The emirate of Sharjah in particular is known to be one of the largest wholesale and retail markets for car parts in the Middle East. The main objective of ACME is to the raise awareness of consumers, traders and the government about the safety issues involved in the use of fake car parts and the threat they pose to the public. The anti-counterfeit stand by Epoc Messe Frankfurt will make Automechanika Gulf the only automotive aftermarket exhibition in the area where no fake parts or accessories will be on open display," said Pia Pacovsky, Brand Protection, DaimlerChrysler Middle East, and an active member of ACME.
"With improved roads and maintenance facilities, on an average, vehicle lifetimes in the region have doubled to almost ten years during the last five years. With this increase in automobile life, the market for automotive aftermarket parts in the Middle East has grown dramatically. The rapid growth of the automotive aftermarket in the region and the fact that auto parts are consistently listed as one of the top ten re-exported commodities were some of underlying factors that have led to Automechanika Gulf being organised in Dubai for the very first time," said Geoff Dickinson, Managing Partner, Epoc Messe Frankfurt.

Leading experts from the automotive aftermarket industry will also conduct presentations during this four-day event. Peter Rehberg, an expert in the automotive industry and the head of the ASA (German Federation of Manufacturers and Importers of Automobile Services Equipment) will focus on 'The future of the automotive aftermarket in the Middle East.' Pia Pacovsky, on the other hand, will speak on the 'Importance of brand protection in the automotive industry: Fighting the danger of counterfeit parts.'

Automechanika Gulf will showcase a complete range of automotive parts and spare parts, accessories, tyres, tuning and performance systems, in-car entertainment systems, garage equipment, tooling and petrol station equipment. The exhibition will also serve as a platform for leading manufacturers in the automotive aftermarket industry to showcase their innovations besides offering advice on brand protection and auto-repair to vehicle workshop dealers and customers. -KERALAMONITOR.COM

India can produce more than one million passenger cars per year
Sixth Auto Expo 2002 Inaugurated, Rs.750 crore investment for Auto Research

M.P.Prasanna Kumar, KM Correspondent

New Delhi; Manohar Joshi, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has said that the Government proposes to modernise and expand the testing and R&D facilities in automobile sector with an investment of Rs.750 crore during the Tenth Five Year Plan Period with the active assistance of the industry. The Minister was speaking at a function organised to inaugurate the 6th Auto Expo 2002 here today.

Joshi, has said that auto industry today is one of the key drivers of Indian economy with an investment of more than Rs.50,000 crore. It provides employment to more than 4.5 lakh people directly and about a crore of people indirectly. He was speaking on the occasion of Annual Auto Awards Presentation, here last evening. It contributes about 5% to the industrial output of India. However, this is only very limited exploitation of the potential that this sector has, the Minister said. The Awards have been instituted by CNBC and Autocar.

India now has an installed capacity of more than one million passenger cars per annum. The industry has accomplished a very smooth transition to an environment, which is in step with the WTO requirements. As you know, Quantitative Restrictions in this sector have been completely removed. Earlier, requirements of indigenisation and foreign exchange neutralisation have also been removed. This has made Indian automobile sector highly attractive for global players and I am happy to see the keen interest evinced by them in putting their shops here, he added.

Joshi said automobile sector has faced the challenges of global slow down remarkably well. We are now getting increasing signals of this slow down giving way to a more speedy and sustained growth.

He called upon the industry to redouble their efforts to become globally competitive. There is an urgent need to ensure higher commitment on research and development by industry, which is at present less than 0.2% of the sales turnover as against 3-4% in developed countries. The focus of R&D should be specifically enhanced in critical areas like alternative fuels etc. We must compete and have a presence in the international market which is possible only through better technology and quality. We must realise that for long term well being of the industry, it is critically necessary to increase our volumes through exports. He urged the industry to identify a technology Wave for global leadership. Industry and the Government must work together to identify the product technologies of the future and then identify one of the technology waves for global leadership. He assured full support from the Government in this endeavour.

The Government is trying its best to announce the Auto Policy at the earliest, he added. Government is working on policy formulation relating to auto fuels, vehicle retirement programmes and on putting in place institutional mechanism for better exports of automobile products from the country and on a host of other issues which concern the industry as a whole. While Government has successively liberalised policy dispensation to spur growth of this sector, the industry has also strived hard to meet the emerging challenges and consumer expectations. S/Shri J.Vasudevan, CMD, ITPO, Subodh Bhargava, Chairman, Trade Fairs CII, R.Seshasayee, President, SIAM, K.Kejriwal, President, ACMA also addressed the gathering. (keralamonitor.com)