Autopromotec is welcoming more than 1,587 exhibitors and more than 100,000 visitors to the 2015 edition of the 26th annual biennial show, a 12.5 percent increase in the number of international companies attending the event in 2013.

A total of 663 exhibitors at the expo are foreign companies with China, Germany, Great Britain, Taiwan, Poland, United States, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey comprising the nations most represented. Visitors to the show will notice a familiar organization of some companies into so-called “International representation zones” where some exhibitors are grouped by their respective nations.

For the show, the sprawling Bologna Fiere grounds are divided into 14 exhibition halls and four outdoor exhibition areas, including tires and equipment, parts and components, diagnostics and tools. Also featured is a car wash business area. Roughly 20,000 of the 100,000 visitors are from abroad. The show kicked off May 20 and continues through May 24.

May 20 and 21 saw the continuation of AutopromotecEDU 2015, a series of educational meetings and events. On May 20, the opening day of the show, the event began with an inaugural seminar titled, “The Recovery Is Already In Motion. A New Start For The Automobile Industry,” which included a keynote speech by Prof. Giacomo Vaciago of Universita Cattolica of Milan, as well as a debate on industry prospects. Vaciago discussed Italy’s economic crisis, which was exacerbated by tight credit markets as well as political infighting. It was “the worst thing that ever happened to any of us,” he said, adding that 2015 has brought improvement due to falling oil prices, a decline in euro price and the economic stimulus package arranged by the European Central Bank. “We have to face the real problems of reconstructing Italy and Europe in order to be sure that the recovery leads to growth.  The hope is that this year is the right one in Europe to negotiate a new program for a common course to be resumed after the interruption of the crisis years.”

Thursday sessions include “Connected Vehicle – Connected Business: Opportunities and Challenges For The Aftermarket,” “After-Sales Approaches” and “The Future in the Workshop: Web, Mobile and Wearable Devices.”