BOLOGNA, Italy – In the opening press conference today at Autopromotec 2013, the 25th year of the biennial international tradeshow in Bologna, Italy, Emanuele Vincentini, brand manager, Autopromotec, noted that this year’s event is even more international than it was two years ago in 2011.

This year’s event features a record 1,512 exhibitors, spanning 156,000 square meters of exhibit space. That number is up 7.5 percent from 2011, and includes 584 international exhibitors.

The Italian Trade Commission and Autopromotec organizers coordinated jointly to bring delegations of buyers and journalists from the U.S., South Africa, Lebanon, South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Vietnam, as well as Iran, to attend the event, which takes place May 22-26. To promote the event, Autopromotec organizers gave 10 presentations on three continents this past year, contributing to this year’s record numbers. The trade-only international aftermarket show is expected to draw more than 100,000 attendees, including more than 20,000 international visitors. More than 500 journalists are here in Bologna to cover the event.

New this year, the show’s diagnostics section was doubled in size and renamed the "Diagnostics Hub." In addition, the show features an extensive "Truck Competence" section as well. Another important feature of this year’s event is AutopromotecEDU, the educational conference component to the show that event organizers have brought back for the second year.

"It is important to not only have products at a tradeshow, but also thought leadership," said Vincentini. "It is important to look to the future."

AutopromotecEDU will feature 80 international speakers from all segments of the industry.