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The show is ASEAN’s premier industry event for the automotive sectors of parts and systems, accessories and tuning, repair and maintenance, and service station and car wash. It is organized by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and endorsed by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and supported by Malaysia Automotive Institute (MAI) and 15 local and overseas organizations.
“The Automechanika brand has developed rapidly around the globe. To meet the needs of different markets, there are more than one Automechanika shows in some countries and the shows are named according to the city,” says Jason Cao, General Manager for Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai). “However, there are shows that are still named with the country name. To allow the industry people to easily identify each show, Messe Frankfurt has decided to name all Automechanika shows with the city names.” The show is expected to attract 190 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions, which is a 15 percent increase compared with the 2011 show. In addition, around 5,500 visitors are expected to visit the show. In 2011, more than 80 percent of show visitors had purchasing authority.
European Pavilion to debut in 2013
Automechanika Kuala Lumpur will have its first ever European Pavilion, which aims to encourage European Union (EU) companies to invest in ASEAN’s fast growing auto market. Figures show that ASEAN is now the EU’s third largest trading partner and that the EU is ASEAN's second largest trading partner. Trade between ASEAN and the EU is expected to further increase as a result of a free trade agreement to be signed in 2015.
“Malaysia and its capital city Kuala Lumpur is an ideal location for the show to promote business opportunities in the regional automotive industry. For example, in 2011, total vehicle sales in major ASEAN countries reached 3 million units, with Malaysia having the region’s largest passenger vehicle market with 600,000 vehicles sold and the Malaysian Automotive Association has estimated that there will be a 2.5 percent increase during 2012,” Cao says.
Malaysia is also Honda's largest hybrid vehicle market in Southeast Asia with Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd (HMSB) selling 4,600 units in 2011 and to cope with future demand, HMSB is spending $111 million to construct a second production line at its Malaysian plant.
Show plans to continue with “Go Green” theme
Following its successful launch at the 2011 show, the “Go Green” theme makes a return to the 2013 show. The government was creating an environment for Malaysia to become an Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEVs) production hub for ASEAN by encouraging international EEV automakers and EEV-related parts and components manufacturers to locate their manufacturing facilities in Malaysia, says M. Madani Sahari, CEO of MAI. He adds, “In addition, under the National Automotive Policy, the government hopes that local automotive industries can lift their capabilities and capacities in order to prepare themselves for global automotive liberalization. To assist in this goal, industry stakeholders are developing the Malaysia Green Automotive Industry Roadmap which aligns itself to Malaysia’s commitment of reducing carbon intensity by 40 percent by 2020.”
To support these and other government “green” initiatives, Automechanika Kuala Lumpur, with assistance from MAI, will organize several “Go Green” activities:
• The Green Zone: a showcase for “green” companies to display their latest products or vehicles • The Green Seminar: offering professional and highly in-demand networking opportunities for industry players to exchange information. The seminar will feature speakers representing manufacturers and the government. Automechanika Kuala Lumpur is one of twelve Automechanika fairs held in Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa. For further information about Automechanika Kuala Lumpur, please visit www.automechanika-kl.com / www.automechanika.com or email: [email protected]
About Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is Germany’s leading trade fair organiser, with 467.5 million euros in sales and 1,725 active employees worldwide. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries and approximately 50 international Sales Partners, giving it a presence for its customers in more than 150 countries. Events “made by Messe Frankfurt” take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2011, Messe Frankfurt organized 100 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany.
Messe Frankfurt’s exhibition grounds are currently home to ten exhibition halls and an adjacent Congress Center. The company is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent. For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
