The sector’s leading trade fair in Latin America concluded once again with positive numbers. In a 22% increase from the previous edition, Automechanika Buenos Aires welcomed 398 exhibiting companies (2014: 322) from 18 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, United States.
Visitors rose by 11%, with 29,802 professionals and entrepreneurs (2014: 27,064) coming from 35 countries: Germany, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, United States, France, Guatemala, Honduras, India, England, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Tunisia, Nigeria , Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The exhibition’s growth was also evident by the increase of floor space, which at around 27,000 sqm was 17% larger than during the previous edition.
Opening Ceremony
Minister Cabrera closed the talk highlighting the development of the country's automotive industry. "It has a very positive impact on our economy and productive structure,” Mr. Cabrera said, “by directly employing 85,000 workers and providing 150,000 indirect jobs distributed among 11 automakers and more than 400 spare parts companies." Mr. Cabrera also highlighted that the Spare Parts Law recently approved by Congress aims to favor the investment process and promotes new platforms and exclusive car models for the Mercosur area.
The first day of Automechanika Buenos Aires began with the "Meeting of the Automotive Industry Leaders", organized by the Association of Argentine Components Manufacturers (AFAC).
This year’s topic was "Industrial Policy and Investment Generation", with the participation of Mr. Francisco Cabrera, Argentina’s Minister of Production; Mr. Martín Etchegoyen, Secretary of Industry and Services from the Ministry of Production; Mr. Raúl Amil, President of AFAC; Mr. Besaliel Botelho, President of Bosch Latin America; Mr. Cristiano Rattazzi, President of FCA Automobiles Argentina; Mr. Enrique Alemañy; President of Ford Argentina S.C.A.; Mr. Luis María Ureta Saenz Peña, President of Grupo PSA Argentina, and Mr. Martín Berardi, General Director of Ternium Siderar, among other outstanding figures from the business and academic fields.
Mr. Gorbarán thanked the efforts and support provided by the organizations involved in the exhibition. "Today our country sees encouraging prospects,” Mr. Gorbarán said. “We must seek new strategies to increase our productivity and competitiveness, and find new ways of connecting with our neighbors and the world."
Mr. Raúl Amil said that "there is a great expectation of growth for 2017" among companies in the sector, and that "we are working together with the government to promote its development." Mr. Amil also announced the elimination of the CHAS (Certificate of Homologation of Security Auto Parts), which favors the replacements market and encourages companies to certify their products.
More markets for argentine products
With the aim of promoting international trade and the integration of local spare parts, several rounds of business were carried out during Automechanika Buenos Aires.
- 3rd Spare Part Localization Matchmaking Program
Jointly organized by the Association of Argentine Components Manufacturers (AFAC), the Association of Automotive Makers (ADEFA) and Messe Frankfurt Argentina, the 3rd installment of the Localization Matchmaking Program brought together the country's main automakers - Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Iveco, Mercedes Benz, Renault, Scania, Peugeot-Citroën, Toyota, Volkswagen and Yamaha - with national manufacturers of spare parts in order to achieve greater local integration.
- 6th International Matchmaking Program for Buyers of Spare Parts
With the purpose of promoting international trade and facilitating the entry of SMEs into export markets, the 6th round of Buyers of Spare Parts Program was conducted by Messe Frankfurt Argentina, the ProArgentina program from the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat of the Ministry of Production, and the Exportar Division of the Investment and International Trade Agency of Argentina.
A total of 704 business meetings were held with buyers from Egypt, Brazil, Germany, Ecuador, Mexico, Tunisia, Peru, Guatemala, Colombia, Honduras and Bolivia, who were optimistic about the growth of the Argentine industry for the coming year.
Automechanika Academy There was a variety of academic activities held in parallel to the main exhibition, where visitors had the opportunity to learn about the latest trends in the market. These included:
- Exhibitors Conferences
During four days, about 30 lectures were given on topics of interest to the spare parts industry, along with presentations and demonstrations of products, services and new technologies.
- Tuner Challenge V
Visitors could witness the complete transformation of a BMW Compact and a BMW 328 coupe. The modifications to the vehicles’ bodywork, engine, interiors and paint job were done with components and tools provided by the exhibitors.
Other activities
- Photographic exhibition: "Warnes Self-portraits"
The photographer Facundo Pechervsky, son and grandson of spare parts specialists, exposed part of his work featuring the nearly mythical Warnes Avenue, where spare parts dealers have set shop for decades. His recently published book was sponsored by Automechanika Buenos Aires.
- Charity
The NGO "Conscious Driving" dedicated a stand to receiving donations for rural schools in the country. The organization promotes road safety as a State policy.
- Truck Competence
The concept of "Truck Competence" was again present in this edition of Automechanika Buenos Aires: a special identification for exhibiting companies that sell products, accessories and services for heavy vehicles.
The next edition of Automechanika Buenos Aires, the leading international exhibition of the automotive service industry targeting trade visitors from South America, will take place on November 7-10, 2018, at La Rural Trade Center of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Further information: www.automechanika.com.ar
Press information and photographic material: https://ar.messefrankfurt.com/buenosaires/es/prensa/movilidadinfraestructura/automechanika-ba/prensa-foto-video.html
Links to websites: www.facebook.com/AutomechanikaBuenosAires I www.twitter.com/AutomechanikaBA
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With more than 2,400 employees at 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €669 million. Thanks to its far-reaching ties with the relevant sectors and to its international sales network, the Group looks after the business interests of its customers effectively. A comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com | www.congressfrankfurt.de | www.festhalle.de
Background information on Messe Frankfurt Argentina
Messe Frankfurt Argentina is the affiliate of the worldwide trade fair organization leader. The purpose of the fairs is to promote actual business meetings to boost activity in regional markets, in the domestic market and in turn prompt the development of the technological pole in each area. The current portfolio of shows of Messe Frankfurt Argentina includes the following exhibitions: Automechanika Buenos Aires, BIEL Light + Building Buenos Aires, Confemaq, Emitex, ExpoCehap, ExpoFerretera, ExpoMant, International Motorcycle Show of Argentina, Intersec Buenos Aires, Simatex, Tecno Fidta. In addition to numerous congresses and special events for third party, such as Argentina Oil & Gas Expo Buenos Aires, Argentina Oil and Gas Expo Patagonia, Arminera and Electronics Home, among others.
For more information, please visit our website at www.argentina.messefrankfurt.com
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