Europe’s dominant position as the world’s biggest exporter of spare auto parts and accessories will be underlined by hundreds of European manufacturers presenting their latest innovations at Automechanika Dubai, to be held next month in Dubai, UAE.

The event is the Middle East’s largest automotive aftermarket trade fair and will see more than 1,800 exhibitors from 60-plus countries participate in the event from June 10 to 12, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Over 350 companies from Europe will be showcasing their latest offerings at the event, said a statement from the organisers.

It’s estimated that global exports of auto parts totalled more than $400 billion in 2018, and according to World’s Top Exports, an online data aggregator, European countries accounted for 48 percent of that value, or $195.6 billion.

Auto parts and accessories are also the fourth most valuable export category in the European Union (EU), behind cars ($420.9 billion), and processed petroleum oils ($217 billion), making the automotive sector in particular one of highly strategic importance.

This comes as EU aftermarket and original equipment manufacturers continue to make inroads into the wider Middle East and African (MEA) region, with Automechanika Dubai 2019 presenting a gateway to markets that have otherwise proven to be difficult to reach.

Mahmut Gazi Bilikozen, show director for Automechanika Dubai, said: “We have for many years brought together the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers with tens of thousands of trade visitors and buyers, over half of which come from outside of the UAE.”

“Regional aftermarket buyers and distributors from the Middle East and Africa are seeking high-quality solutions and services that Europe is well-known for, and this year they’ll be treated to the very best EU brands,” he said.

“Seven of the 23 country pavilions at the fair will come from Europe, while there’ll be more than 25 European exhibiting countries along with eight supporting European trade associations,” added Bilikozen. 

“This is the only annual opportunity for regional aftermarket professionals to see the very best that Europe has to offer, all under one roof over three days in one of the world’s most dynamic cities,” he added.

According to World’s Top Exports, European exports of auto components and accessories in 2018 grew by 7 per cent year-on-year, while eight of the world’s top 15 exporters come from the Old Continent. 

Topping the global list is Germany, with $67.1 billion worth of exports in 2018, comprising 17 percent of the total international value, and a 7 per cent increase over the previous year.

France is the world’s seventh largest automotive parts exporter, with $15.7 billion worth shipped in 2018, followed by Italy ($15.3 billion, 8th largest), the Czech Republic ($14.6 billion, 9th), Poland ($14.3 billion, 10th), Spain ($11.7 billion, 11th), Romania ($7.6 billion, 14th), and the UK ($7 billion, 15th).

These countries will also have a strong presence at Automechanika Dubai 2019, where national pavilions from Germany, Italy, UK, Belgium, Spain, France, and Poland will present the biggest names in the business.

The Spanish presence for example has already grown by 50 per cent year-on-year in terms of exhibition space covered, and top companies confirmed to participate this year include the likes of Alkar, Air Fren, Cepsa, Gespasa, B CAR Auto Parts, and Cojali, a manufacturer of premium components for braking and cooling systems.

Javier de la Guía, sales director at Cojali, said: “In addition to braking and cooling systems components, our company produces advanced diagnostics solutions for commercial vehicles, and we are launching at the event the first and only telematics solution with real-time remote diagnostics.”

“This solution links all different parties in the transportation field, including fleet managers, drivers, workshop owners and customers. We anticipate it will be hugely popular in this region, which has a large commercial road transportation network,” he added,

Air Fren is also eager to reach out to professionals in the commercial vehicle sector, and will present its 2019 portfolio of air brake systems for trucks, trailers, and buses.

Jesús Velilla, chief executive officer and owner of Air Fren said large scale construction and a vast logistics network in the wider Middle East and Africa means demand for the company’s aftermarket solutions will continue to grow.

“The massive construction and logistics operations ongoing in the Middle East and Africa means there’re a lot of need for industrial vehicles to accomplish the many important projects in these areas,” he said.

“This reflects on the aftermarket as well, and these two markets represent an important percentage of our business in foreign countries,” Velilla added.

“Our main reason to exhibit at the event is to keep in contact with our existing regional customers, while expanding our business with new distributors,” he concluded.

Almost half of the entire European continent is covered this year at Automechanika Dubai 2019, with other exhibiting countries in addition to the national pavilions, coming from Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine.

The annual three-day event is organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, and covers the six product sections of parts and components; electronics and systems; accessories and customising; repair and maintenance; car wash, care and reconditioning; and tyres and batteries. The 2019 edition will feature four new sub-sections of agricultural parts and equipment; body and paint; motorcycle parts and components; and oils and lubricants.

A key returning highlight is the Innovation Zone, a dedicated area at the centre of the show floor featuring presentations and product showcases that are steering the course for the regional and global automotive aftermarket.

Other features include the Truck Competence initiative, where more than 1,250 exhibitors will showcase their products dedicated to the entire value chain in the truck sector, from truck parts and accessories, to workshop equipment, body repairs and care. 

The Automechanika Academy (AA) also returns, featuring key presentations such as Dubai’s auto parts and accessories trade in 2018 by the Dubai Customs, along with the findings of a survey exploring innovations in the Middle East automotive industry by global research company Explori. 
Other AA highlights include a series of sessions by AMENA and Tiqani, as well as AfriConnections, which explores rising opportunities in the African aftermarket, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service