More than 2,600 exhibitors – 85 percent of which are from outside Germany – will be bringing their latest products and services to the upcoming Automechanika Frankfurt, which will take place Sept. 13-17. Event organizers say it is more important than ever that the international aftermarket sector can finally get together again this year – not only due to the transformation of the industry, but also to the ongoing pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, climate change, supply chain problems, semiconductor shortages and a lack of skilled personnel. New technologies and concepts for tomorrow’s mobility will be displayed and discussed at the leading international platform for the automotive aftermarket, including in the “Innovation4Mobility” showcase and captivating specialist presentations at the Automechanika Academy. Other areas of emphasis at this September’s event including training and networking.
In less than three months, Automechanika Frankfurt will once again be opening its doors to international trade visitors at the Frankfurt exhibition grounds. Olaf Mußhoff, director of Automechanika Frankfurt, commented, “It has been great to see the response of exhibitors, now that they finally have an opportunity to showcase their latest products and services for an international industry audience. We are expecting to welcome over 2,600 exhibitors from 70 countries here in Frankfurt. This offers yet more proof that Automechanika remains the leading international industry platform for the entire automotive aftermarket. There’s simply no other event like it.”
This year’s top exhibitor nations include companies from Germany, Italy and Turkey.
The trade fair is a neutral platform that addresses the latest topics and trends, including new drive technologies, electromobility, connectivity, sustainability, and the increasing digitalization that is impacting every facet of the aftermarket. Not only will trade visitors be able to find innovative solutions for these fields at the trade fair, but they will also have an opportunity to learn more about them in presentations and panel discussions.
Automechanika Innovation Awards
When this year’s Automechanika Innovation Awards are presented on Sept. 13, they
will do more than offer an impressive demonstration of the wealth of innovation in the aftersales market – they also will reflect the trends that are currently shaping the industry. The 133 submissions from 99 exhibitors cover an impressive range of applications, ranging from paint-care products produced from renewable resources and rescue systems for vehicles with battery fires to highly complex laser scanners able to measure entire vehicles in a matter of minutes. And the digitalization trend is unbroken, with equipment, tools and components being digitalized and connected to workshops’ IT systems.
Forward-looking topics including new mobility and alternative drive systems are also prominent in the submissions received. Sustainability is another topic making waves in the industry: after evaluating the submissions, expert assessor Dr. Gerhard Angerer selected five innovations as finalists for the Green Award.
‘Innovation4Mobility’
‘Innovation4Mobility’ is a special showcase that features pioneering solutions for connected vehicles and climate-neutral mobility. It offers a captivating presentation program in which experts from major players like Audi, ADOBE, ABB Germany, Bosch, BPW Bergische Achsen, Boston Consulting Group, eBay, Google Cloud, KEYOU, Fraunhofer ISE, INTIS, Schaeffler, Solaris and the Toyota Mobility Foundation deliver keynote talks on a variety of topics, including connected cars and autonomous driving, electromobility, hydrogen and alternative fuels.
Future Mobility Workshop 4.0
What will the workshop of the future look like? The Future Mobility Workshop 4.0 offers some fascinating insights, presenting tomorrow’s technologies, processes and business models. Companies and visitors from the automotive trade will find valuable practical ideas and concepts here for how they can make their everyday business operations more efficient and make sure that their business models are ready for future requirements.
The Future Mobility Workshop 4.0 realistically mimics the structures of a conventional workshop with a practical depiction of the customer journey, allowing visitors to find out more about innovative technologies and put them to the test at ten selected stations.
Automechanika Supply Chain Management Day
The OEMs are not the only ones in the automotive industry who have to deliver the greatest possible cost efficiency and service quality while complying with climate and environmental targets – the automotive aftermarket is faced with these very same challenges. This includes not only internal expenditures for transport and logistics, but also external procurement and delivery transports. This pressing topic will be explored in greater detail at the very first Automechanika Supply Chain Management Day, an interactive event on 15 September (in Hall 4’s “Europa” hall) aimed at decision-makers, users and providers of innovative solutions for the automotive industry’s logistics and supply chains. A series of interesting presentations and workshops are coupled with a networking area, offering participants ample opportunities to obtain information, make contacts and find new business partners. Among the highlights: two debates on “Global market vs. local markets” and “Make or buy”.
Networking and know-how transfer
This year’s trade fair places a clear emphasis on networking all trade fair participants. Olaf Mußhoff explains: “Following a long dry spell, the opportunity to speak in person is extremely important to our customers, and that is why we are holding our first CEO Breakfast, an event taking place on the first day of the trade fair that features keynote talks from Mika Häkkinen and Mark Gallagher. The two Formula One professionals will be talking about the fast-changing technologies, lean and agile management, and team spirit. The CEO Breakfast offers a unique opportunity to meet top management and association representatives from the independent automotive parts sector in person.”
In addition, Automechanika features networking lounges devoted to particular themes in various exhibition halls. Each lounge has a coffee bar, pop-up stands and places to sit, providing participants with an excellent chance to get together and talk shop with other industry experts. This year marks the first time that eBay, a leading online marketplace for automotive parts and accessories, is taking part in Automechanika. It is sponsoring the E-Commerce Lounge, where exhibitors and visitors can come during the daily Happy Hour – held every evening in both the east and west sections of the exhibition grounds – to enjoy a glass of wine or beer and make new contacts in a relaxed atmosphere.
Training and professional development
Trade visitors can look forward to a wide-ranging program featuring new technologies and experts discussing the latest trends and developments. In the Automechanika Academy, four separate stages will be hosting a series of expert talks, panel discussions and presentations looking at the future in the areas of ‘Innovation4Mobility’, Future Mobility Workshop 4.0, Body & Paint, Classic Cars, Car Wash & Care, and Detailing.
The preliminary program, including further information on individual topics and speakers, is available online at www.automechanika.com/programm.
Practical workshops with the ‘car doctors’ from Autodoktoren
A total of eleven practical workshops in German and English will be taking place daily in the Galleria on the topic of accident repair. The workshops, which are held in collaboration with respected partners and moderated by the ‘car doctors’ from Autodoktoren, present the most important steps in the process, including systematic car damage assessments, damage cost calculation, working on high-voltage vehicles (professionally trained persons (FUP)), bodywork, digitalization, paintwork and ADAS calibration. All the details on the free three-hour workshops and how to register are available on the Automechanika website at www.automechanika.com/programm.
Talents4AA
The new industry initiative ‘Talents4AA’, which aims to attract talented newcomers to the automotive aftermarket, is appearing at Automechanika Frankfurt for the first time.
Visitors to its stand will find a wealth of information on the wide-ranging job and career opportunities that are on offer in the automotive aftermarket. A young professional and a senior manager will be available every day of the trade fair to answer questions from
interested young trade visitors and gain new members for the association, which has been growing continuously since its establishment this March.
Body & Paint Championships
“Mobility in transition” is the motto of this year’s Body & Paint Championships, which will again be featured at the trade fair. The event is sponsored by Axalta, BASF Coatings/Glasurit and SATA and features talented painters from around the world.
They will be presenting car hoods that they have created with a great deal of skill and passion to an international panel of experts and the trade fair audience. The awards ceremony will take place on at 2 p.m. on Sept. 16 in Hall 11.
