A total of 1,954 exhibitors from 57 countries, looking to make inroads in a regional market where spare parts revenue will be worth $14.8 billion by 2021, are participating in Automechanika Dubai 2017 which opened today (May 7) in Dubai, UAE.

The three-day event will run until May 9, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The biggest names in the global automotive aftermarket are gathering in Dubai this week, as they take aim at a Middle East spare parts market and auto services industry that’s estimated to grow by 4.9 per cent over the next five years, said a statement from the organisers.

The 15th edition of the Middle East and Africa’s largest auto aftermarket trade fair was flagged off by Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the board of executive Directors at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority.

Spanning 69,089-sq-m of exhibition space, the event’s global footprint is underlined by the presence of 25 country pavilions and 36 international trade associations, while more than half of the 30,000-plus trade visitors are expected to come from outside of the UAE.

Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Automechanika Dubai’s organiser Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “It’s estimated that 44.5 million passenger vehicles will ply Middle East roads by 2020, while a further 1.8 million commercial vehicles in the GCC will pave the way for some impressive opportunities for the automotive services industry.”

“The event presents the key to this dynamic market, offering a unique platform for global and local players alike to look for new regional distributors, open up new markets, or expand on existing customer bases where there’s still plenty of room for growth,” he said.

Automechanika Dubai covers the six product groups of parts and components (1,125 exhibitors); tyres and batteries (230); accessories and customising (205); repair and maintenance (200); electronics and sSystems (140); and car wash, care and reconditioning (55), said a statement.

Among the leading global brands this year is WABCO, a provider of electronic braking, stability, suspension and transmission automation systems for commercial vehicles.  The Belgian-headquartered company, which achieved sales of US$747.3 million in the first quarter of 2017, is showcasing its entire range of aftermarket technologies and services.

Philippe Colpron, vice president, Wabco Aftermarket, said: “The GCC has become a very attractive market for transport and logistics in the last years. As the oil price is declining, the region is looking for new ways to grow, for example with a stronger focus on tourism.”

“In the next years there will be a significant number of big events, including the Expo Dubai 2020 and the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. These events are connected to giant infrastructural projects which result in a higher demand for transport and logistics,” he said.

“Our role is to support the transport and logistics companies in the region to reduce the downtimes of fleets and to maximise their efficiency,” he added.

“Our team is at Automechanika Dubai this week to get in direct contact with the industry and to show them how we can support their needs and help them to address the infrastructural challenges,” added Colpron.

Dr Alexander Sabbah, managing director of ZF Services Middle East, said: “Through our well established Middle East footprint comprising a head office in Dubai paired with a fully equipped technical centre, a central logistics centre and branch offices in Kuwait and Qatar, we perfectly meet the rising regional demand well into the future.”

“At the event we are displaying a broad variety of ZF’s product portfolio. The 9 HP automatic transmission for vehicles with front-transverse mounted engines will be among the key exhibits,” he said.

“For motorsport specialists, ZF Aftermarket is also showcasing our extensive motorsports products from the Sachs Performance programme for race car applications,” he added.

Automechanika Dubai is the Middle East and Africa’s largest automotive aftermarket exhibition, connecting the world’s leading manufacturers with traders, distributors, wholesalers, importers and exporters from throughout the wider region and beyond.

It also features two insightful conferences providing a deeper understanding into connected mobility and the future direction of the regional aftermarket: The Spare Parts and Maintenance Conference which was held today (May 7), and Smart Traffic Middle East to take place on May 8-9, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service