Automechanika Dubai 2017, the 15th edition of the premier trade exhibition for the automotive aftermarket in the wider region, concluded recently in Dubai, UAE, attracting 28,839 visitors from 134 countries.

Trade buyers and industry representatives were on the lookout for new suppliers, fresh product ideas, spare parts and essential equipment.

Among the highlights of Automechanika Dubai 2017, which featured 1,955 exhibitors from 57 countries who took 69,089 sq m of exhibition space, was the spate of regional and global product launches by exhibitors from across the world, looking to make a major impact in the regional marketplace.

It also featured the Automechanika Academy, where the latest updates about Dubai’s auto aftermarket trade were revealed.  According to Dubai Customs, the emirate’s trade for auto spare parts and accessories was valued at Dh39 billion ($10.6 billion) in 2016, comprising around three per cent of Dubai’s Dh1.28 trillion worth non-oil foreign trade for the year.

Around two million tonnes of auto parts, engine components, tyres, batteries and systems were imported, exported, and re-exported to neighbouring countries last year. Japan topped the list of Dubai’s trading partner countries, accounting for Dh5.8 billion worth of imports and exports for the year – six per cent more than in 2015.  

The US, with Dh3 billion worth of trade, swapped places with South Korea (Dh2.93 billion) as Dubai’s second largest partner country in 2016.  Germany, (Dh2.8 billion) and China (Dh2.4 billion), rounded out the top five trading of Dubai’s auto aftermarket trading partner countries for the year.

Exhibitors from these countries were also prominent at Automechanika Dubai 2017, spearheaded by Germany.  A total of 116 leading German aftermarket brands occupied 3,000sqm at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, a 15 per cent increase over the previous year, while 107 of these were part of a government-backed German Pavilion.

Already possessing a transcontinental footprint that reaches across the wider Middle East, the Levant, Central and South Asia, North and East Africa, Automechanika Dubai 2017 featured 25 Country Pavilions and attracted the support of 36 international trade associations.

The strong turnout from the international trade reinforces the decision by leading global players to continue investing in the Middle East and Africa, as they showcased their innovative automotive technologies across six product groups of Parts & Components; Electronics & Systems; Repair & Maintenance; Tyres & Batteries; Accessories & Customizing; and Car Wash, Care & Reconditioning.  

Automechanika Dubai 2017 also featured two insightful conferences providing a deeper understanding into the next step for smart and connected mobility, and the future direction of the regional aftermarket sector.

The Spare Parts and Maintenance Conference focused on new regulations, upcoming standards and changing dynamics of the vehicle services and aftermarket sector in the Middle East while the Smart Traffic Middle East Conference featured critical discussions on intelligent vehicle technologies, intelligent transport system and infrastructure, connected vehicles and sustainable transportation. – TradeArabia News Service