The 11th edition of Automechanika Shanghai – Asia’s largest trade show for automotive parts, accessories, equipment and services – has again shattered attendance records among exhibitors and visitors.
More than 100,000 industry professionals, up from the 89,000-plus who attended 2014’s event, were walking the miles of aisles at the show’s new and enlarged venue, the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Puxi, Shanghai.
Covering 3 million square feet spread throughout 11 halls at the largest single block building and exhibition complex in the world, it offered a 27 percent increase in available space over the previously utilized Shanghai International Expo Centre.
Nearly 5,400 exhibitors from 39 nations and regions marked a10 percent increase in vendor participation; some 4,700 of the booths were staffed by firms from outside China’s borders, amounting to a 16 percent overseas growth rate, according to spokeswoman Erika Kirsch of show organizer Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai), working in conjunction with the China National Automotive Industry International Corp. (CNAICO).
“The partnership our two entities have enjoyed has proven to be fruitful for the industry and the widening emerging market,” says general manager Han Xiaojun at CNAICO, an integrated government-owned enterprise specializing in promoting international trade relations. “The effort included attracting more domestic and overseas leading brands and pavilions to demonstrate the variety of the latest technology, product and service.”
Initially presented in 2004, “Automechanika Shanghai has built its reputation as the acclaimed ‘must-attend’ industry event for information exchange, marketing, trading and education serving the scope of the automotive industry,” says Jason Cao, chairman of the Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) board of management.
“The influence of Automechanika Shanghai continues to expand annually with many newcomers coming from all over the world to participate and countless repeat exhibitors opting to increase the size of their booths,” according to the show’s organizers, who note that the event “is considered a global professional platform known worldwide in the industry for information exchange, social networking, education and training as well as business development.”
International flair
Five new countries – Ecuador, Finland, Israel, Liechtenstein and Morocco – made their Automechanika Shanghai debut by sending exhibitors to showcase their respective industry offerings. There were 18 large-scale overseas pavilions at the December 2015 show, including two new entries from Israel and Russia. Returning pavilions represented firms from France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the U.S.
Companies making their first appearance included Seiki, Alight, Bilstein, DENSO, DuPont, Magneti Marelli, NGK, SATA, Sofima and Telwin. Among the returning brands were Balance, Bantam, BASF, BIZOL, Bosch, Botny, Brembo, Bright, Carlas, Chery, Continental Automotive, ContiTech, Cummins, Dana, EUROLUB, Federal Mogul, Hella, Mahle, Launch Tech, Liqui Moly, Mann+Hummel, NTN, Osram, RAV, Rowe, SAIC, Schaeffler, SONAX, VOLTRONIC, WashTec, Weichai, Yunhan, ZF TRW and Zonyi.
“The fair is very professional and highly recognized as there are more international brands and the overall quality of exhibitors has increased in each edition,” notes Zhang Ning, sales manager at Shanghai Zhuyou Metal Material Co.
“Automechanika Shanghai is a platform to find out new technologies in the automotive industry, and we have come to gain the latest market information,” reports Harshad Kansagra of Skill Precision Balls, a bearing producer based in India. “The show is wonderful and of great benefit to all manufacturers and those interested in auto parts.”
Jannis Wieger, purchasing manager at Fricke GmbH, observes that “the show gives a good overview of what is new and what suppliers are up and coming.”
The Parts & Components sector expanded its exhibition space to 645,834 square feet, and the International Hall swelled to encompass 290,625 square feet.
More than 200 exhibitors had booths in the Auto Air Conditioning Zone, while 700 companies were accommodated in the 430,556-square-foot Repair & Maintenance section. Accessories & Tuning saw its space allotment double to 570,487 square feet.
An Electronics & Systems sector with 658 exhibitors was added as a new category, covering 430,556 square feet, about 15 percent of the total show floor area.
More than 110 international and Chinese delegations of industry buying associates, a 31 percent increase over 2014’s show, were among the attendees. New groups from Pakistan and Russia traveled to Shanghai, joining returning buyer organizations arriving from Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Poland, Singapore and Turkey.
Automechanika Shanghai 2015 additionally experienced a 40 percent rise in its “fringe program” lineup of more than 50 educational sessions. The largest seminar presence was hosted by the Accessories & Tuning sector, “with an immense jump in opportunities for information exchange, trading, marketing and knowledge,” according to show producers.
The Repair & Maintenance, Parts & Components and Electronics & Systems segments also conducted a heightened amount of educational opportunities along with “prospects for dialogue about the future of the industry.”
Well-attended fringe program sessions included:
- AIAG Auto Parts Purchasing High-Leadership and Suppliers Forum
- Autohaus China 4th International Dealer Summit
- Automotive Aftermarket Summit
- Auto OEM Purchasing Trends Summit
- China Auto Repair and Maintenance Summit
- China Collision Industry Summit
- Enjoy Car Party Car Tuning Culture Salon in Shanghai
- International Automotive Congress
- Investment Opportunities for Chinese Automotive Enterprises in the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Region
- SAE Connected Cars and Electric Vehicles
- The Summit: Merger and Acquisition Strategies for Chinese Automotive Corporations in the Overseas Markets
Automechanika Shanghai 2016 takes place Nov. 30 through Dec. 3.
Subscribe to Aftermarket Business World and receive articles like this every month….absolutely free. Click here.
