German manufacturers of auto parts and services will occupy 6,000m2 of exhibition space at the upcoming Dubai Automechanika 2017 trade show in the UAE, representing a full 15% increase in terms of their presence over the previous year.
According to organiser Messe Frankfurt Middle East, more than 1,300 exhibitors will be participating across 25 country pavilions at this year’s event, which will be led by Germany in both exhibition space and exhibitor numbers.
In all, 116 German aftermarket brands will be present at the show – 107 of them part of the German government-backed pavilion – covering components, electronics, tyres, batteries, maintenance, repair and reconditioning.
Among the big names representing the very best og German engineering this year are the likes of Kärcher, Liqui Moly, MAPCO, MAHLE, MIPA, Schaeffler, Weicon and Wilhelm Schwenker.
MAHLE is one of the world’s leading international suppliers of original equipment to the automotive industry, with annual sales revenue of $12.5bn, and it will be present at the show with its entire range of spare parts, from filters and engine parts to thermostats and workshop equipment.
Olaf Henning, MD of MAHLE Aftermarket, said: “MAHLE products are well-known in the Middle East and have been admired for decades. Especially under the severe climatic conditions in the region, customers rely on the high standards of MAHLE and will continue to do so in the future.”
Liqui Moly is another leading German brand prevalent across service stations and auto workshops in the Middle East. The engine oil and additive producer has exhibited at Automechanika Dubai for several years, and has reaped the benefits of persevering in the vast Middle East market.
“The Middle East has always been important for our business, and it’s becoming even more important,” said Thomas Sailer, export area manager at Liqui Moly for the Middle East.
“Some companies raise the white flag when they face difficult conditions or smaller markets, but we see the opportunities in the region and we’re very successful in this. For instance, our turnover in Iraq is greater than in many European countries.”
Weicon is a long-standing exhibitor at Automechanika Dubai, and a producer of special adhesives, sealants, technical sprays and high-performance pastes and greases for use in automotive manufacturing, maintenance and repair.
Thorsten Lutz, MD at Weicon Middle East, said: “Weicon products are suitable for nearly all sectors of industry, and we’ve been exhibiting at Automechanika Dubai for years. The show is an important event in our schedule, and is a leading international trade fair for the automotive service industry.
“The exhibition is the perfect event to show our products to potential customers, to make new business contacts and to establish our company and our products in the Gulf region.”
Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, commented: “The strong German presence underlines the country’s leading position as a key provider of automotive parts, accessories and services and the good reputation that German brands enjoy across the world.”
Other country pavilions seeing double-digit growth at this year’s show are those of the Netherlands, which has increased the size of its pavilion by 87%, and Japan, which debuted at the show in 2016, and will return this year with 32% more exhibition space.
Poland has also enlarged its pavilion by 13%, as has Morocco, which will have 12% more space.
Other country pavilions at the 15th edition of Automechanika Dubai will include Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UK, USA, and, for the first time, Vietnam.
Taking place from May 7-9, 2017 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Automechanika Dubai will be attended by a total of 1,935 exhibitors from 57 countries, with approximately 90% of them visiting from outside of the UAE.
Its global influence is underlined by the presence of 36 international trade associations, while of the 30,000-plus trade visitors that attend the show 51% typically attend it from outside of the UAE.
In general, the demand for automotive aftermarket products and services in the Middle East is on an upward curve, with revenue from engine and vehicle components, systems, tyres and auto accessories expected to grow by 5.9% annually to reach $17.3bn by 2020.
In February, the second Automechanika Jeddah exhibition was also held in Saudi Arabia, aimed at the Kingdom’s automotive aftermarket, which is expected to grow 5.1% annually over the next five years to reach $8.9bn by 2021.
