Autopromotec opened its gates May 20 in Bologna, and the numbers already look outstanding both in terms of exhibitors and exhibition areas. As such it confirms to be the most anticipated odd-year event in the industry. Autopromotec 2015 will host 1,587 exhibitors (+4.8% vs. the 2013 edition) from 47 countries, occupying an exhibition area of over 157,000 sq. m in the Bologna trade fair facilities.
Autopromotec 2015 confirms the strong international vocation of its recent past with an outstanding number: of 1,587 exhibitors, as many as 663 (42% of total) are foreign companies, with China, Germany, Great Britain, Taiwan, Poland, United States, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey being the most represented nations. This number alone would be of great value, but it is all the more remarkable when compared with the 2013 edition, when foreign exhibitors had been 589. Since the last edition, then, the international companies that chose Autopromotec 2015 as a showcase for their products increased by 12.5%, confirming that this event has become a key liaison between demand and offer, as well as an exclusive moment for all players along the supply chain to meet and share and, finally, a place where companies can do business in a truly global context. To further confirm Autopromotec's increasingly international nature, this year some of the international exhibitors will be grouped in country clusters, areas focused on key international automotive companies from Turkey and China, while some international representation zones will be set up for Argentina, Brazil, United States, Spain and Great Britain.
The sectors that historically made Autopromotec a pivotal event for all operators are divided in 14 Hall and 4 outdoor exhibition areas: the tyre and equipment areas were among the first to be sold out and growing as compared with the previous edition; the spare part, component and car service section confirmed its prominent role, as well as diagnostics; the workshop equipment and tool Halls - which remain among the strong suits to this event - together with car care and car wash business, are further promoted with a special initiative called Filling Station Equipment, and add up to the body shop segment. The multi-faceted Industrial Vehicle Service initiative will promote all products for commercial freight purposes; indeed this sector has become very strategic and Autopromotec has been very focused on it for a long time.
Record-breaking numbers are expected also in terms of visitors to Autopromotec 2015: over 100,000 visitors - 20,000 of them from abroad (already booked in the event website) - will certainly be a welcome boost to Bologna's economy for 5 days. As far as foreign visitors are concerned, 90 international buyers from 25 different countries (up 25% vs. 2013) will attend and meet the exhibiting companies in the well-established B2Match business matching platform. The meetings will take place in an area called Il Circuito delle idee, located next to the Ovest-Costituzione entrance to the Bologna fair, which will also house the conference rooms of AutopromotecEDU as the true meeting point for international networking as envisaged by the event.
The international growth of Autopromotec stems from careful and targeted promotion carried out by the organisers in the most strategic countries for the automotive industry, for the purpose of spreading the word about this event and its specific characteristics, while promoting the "Italian System" operating in this sector. This "System" is located in the Emilia Romagna Motor Valley and its Bologna heart, and its automotive components, equipment and aftermarket companies are among the best worldwide.
The promotional effort of the past two years would not have been possible without the crucial support of ICE - the agency for foreign promotion and internationalisation of Italian companies -, specific projects held by the Emilia Romagna Regional Authority sponsoring missions abroad as well as trips to the trade fair for accurately selected foreign operators from all over the world.
If you want to follow the 2015 edition of Autopromotec, please visit our website www.autopromotec.com or our posts in the social networks:
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