Latin America. The second edition of AutoAméricas captivated the most important players in the auto parts market for Latin America, the Caribbean and South Florida, who met on March 7 and 8 in Miami.
The 4,518-square-meter Miami Airport Convention Center, where more than 40 industry brands showcased, witnessed steps to realize new business opportunities and build lasting relationships between new customers and suppliers.
"Our second edition of the AutoAmericas Show shows what we are doing in the city of Miami. We are pleased to announce that we have increased by 60% on a total strength basis and that we had a good attendance, and we look forward to welcoming them back to Miami for the next edition in 2025," said Max Jaramillo, Show Director of AutoAmericas.
For Ronnie Pool, Senior Territory Manager of Epicor's Automotive Division, one of the companies that presented itself as an exhibitor again, this year he found not only more people exhibiting their products and services, but also more elements for people to interact with. Ronnie was also one of the speakers of the academic program in which he spoke about the pros and cons of managing one's own auto parts catalog or using a commercial alternative.
"I see the fair growing. I hope it stays that way. It is a very good opportunity for us to be able to contact new customers in the Caribbean," said Jaime Cabrera, president of Woodyard Wholesale Parts, who was also part of the exhibition pavilion again.
One of the new entrants was American Black Brake Parts, a premium brake parts brand "designed for whom safety and quality is very important," as the company itself says, which claims that it is the ideal replacement for those who do not have enough money to buy the original part.
The experience for Lorena Santucci, representative of the brand, was very positive. "We were able to meet people from different parts of Latin America; potential customers for us. We are very happy to have participated," he said.
Knowledge inside and outside
"The auto parts sector is an important player for international trade, since the updating and replacement of vehicle parts requires opportunity and immediacy in their supply," said Francia Hernández, one of the speakers in charge of the opening of the AutoAméricas academic program with her conference "Customs Challenges for the Export of Auto Parts."
"In this sense, the Port of Miami plays a strategic role since it is the gateway for this type of merchandise to and from Latin America and the Caribbean," added Hernandez, who a day before the start of the event was part of the delegation that visited the Port of Miami.
The support of the Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce (CACC) was essential for this. Its president, Angela María Camacho, said that the AutoAméricas Expo and Congress are an event of great relevance for Miami.
The executive highlighted the business connections derived from this meeting, which, in her opinion, provides "a unique platform" to establish contacts, foster business relationships and explore opportunities for collaboration.
"Miami, as a major international trade hub, benefits greatly from these connections," she said.
