International. The 78,000 visitors from 175 countries who came to the industry-leading platform in Frankfurt to experience live products and services from workshops, industry and retail made this the most comprehensive fair since the return to face-to-face.
Over the past week, 2,804 companies from 70 countries exhibited their products and services in 19 levels of hallways and in the outdoor exhibition area.
One of the members of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, Detlef Braun, summed up this latest edition of Automechanika Frankfurt: "Things are clearly going in the right direction. Together with our customers and our international partners, we are optimistic about the future: nothing can replace trade shows."
"The strong international component between exhibitors from 70 countries and visitors from 175 countries alike makes it clear that the international automotive aftermarket is back in Frankfurt. Participants also made the most of new networking opportunities to finally meet in person and make new business contacts," Braun said.
The new formats and the extensive program of Automechanika Frankfurt were very well received by international automotive professionals. This accounts for the 92% level of satisfaction of visitors this year, who found what the industry demands today: the increase in digitalization, remanufacturing, alternative propulsion systems and electromobility, which represent great challenges for workshops and automotive retailers.
For the first time, more than 350 events were offered, including presentations by new market entrants and free workshops for automotive professionals.
The CEOs of the major key players had a great performance at the CEO Breakfast event sponsored by ZF Aftermarket on the first day of the trade show.
In a "casual chat" format, Formula One pros Mika Häkkinen and Mark Gallagher provided fascinating insights for an industry that is changing faster than ever. Detlef Braun explained: "In these turbulent times, the industry needs new knowledge and new ideas. After all, the goal is to ensure that everyone can enjoy the safest, most sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility in the future."
For the Managing Director of Continental Aftermarket & Services, Peter Wagner, Automechanika made two things very clear: "First of all, even in an increasingly digital world, it all comes down to people. Talking to someone in person, visiting a booth, touring the exhibition halls, even shaking hands – none of these things can be replaced."
"Second, the transformation of the industry has continued to accelerate. Fields such as digital services for workshops and alternative drive systems, for example, are more important than ever. As a forum for promising fields like these, Automechanika will be even more important in the future, because experience is absolutely essential for workshops and distributors to continue to play an important role," he added.
A space for the latest innovations
Visitors showed great interest in the new 'Innovation4Mobility' showcase, which covered topics such as battery technology, alternative powertrains, hydrogen, solar technology, e-commerce and connected vehicles.
It was surprising how many young visitors attended the trade show to learn more about the training and career opportunities offered in the automotive aftermarket.
This year marked the first time the newly established association, Talents4AA, a non-profit organization that aims to attract talented specialists and newcomers to the automotive aftermarket, was featured in Automechanika Frankfurt.
Their appearance was a huge success: the association significantly increased its membership list during the five-day event. Stéphane Freitas, General Secretary of Talents4AA stated: "The trade show was an excellent networking opportunity and the association received excellent feedback from its industry members. ADI, Bilstein Group, Continental, Misfat Group, NRF and SKF are some of the companies that officially joined the Talents4AA initiative during Automechanika Frankfurt. I am confident that we will welcome many more new members after the fair is over."
For its part, the German company GelKoh GmbH, whose new recovery system for damaged electric cars won both the Automechanika Innovation Award and the Green Award, participated in the trade fair for the first time this year.
Its technical director, Markus Kohten, put it this way: "The trade fair was very good for us. We were able to meet with many of our clients here, including major corporations like insurers, car dealerships, recovery companies, even people from the fire brigade – 90% of our target groups, in other words. We are very particular about the trade shows we participate in, and we are already considering participating in the next Automechanika."
