New dynamics: Futuroad Expo and Scalex Johannesburg will take place as co-located shows during Automechanika Johannesburg
Trucks, vans, buses, the transport and logistics industries, as well as materials handling will feature strongly at Automechanika Johannesburg 2017 which takes place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec, from September 27-30.
Serving not only South Africa but also the Sub-Saharan African region, and occurring only every two years, this year’s Automechanika Johannesburg trade fair for the automotive aftermarket is the fifth edition of the show.
For the first time, it will be co-located with related exhibitions, Futuroad Expo, Africa’s first truly international commercial vehicle show and Scalex Johannesburg, serving the logistics and materials handling sectors; another first as it is the pioneer trade and business platform for the road transport-focused logistics sector.
This uniquely-positioned, three-shows-in-one event, provides a powerful business platform where the combined synergies of the automotive, truck, transport and logistics industries present an unprecedented value proposition for participating exhibitors and trade visitors.
The show organiser and brand owner of Automechanika Johannesburg, Futuroad Expo and Scalex Johannesburg is Messe Frankfurt South Africa, a subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH, Germany. The South African company is headed up by CEO Konstantin von Vieregge, seasoned marketing executive with extensive marketing experience in the automotive sector.
The fact that the NAAMSA-supported Futuroad Expo is part of the offering at Automechanika Johannesburg is seen as a significant development by the industry. Futuroad Expo is the new generation commercial vehicle show that has evolved from the erstwhile Johannesburg Truck & Bus Show, which was held alongside the Johannesburg International Motor Show which was last staged at Expo Centre in 2013.
“The fact that Futuroad is now a four-day business-to-business trade show with a large, potential Sub-Saharan trade visitor reach is more appropriate for local truck and bus manufacturers and distributors than the previous 11-day consumer-facing event,” says Joshua Low, Group Exhibitions Director.
This year’s Automechanika Johannesburg will mark the fifth time since 2009 that this world-renowned brand for the automotive aftermarket has been staged in South Africa. Over the years this biennial trade fair has established itself as a “must visit” event for the key players in the motor and related industries. It has grown not only in stature locally and internationally, but also in terms of the number of exhibitors that participate and trade visitor attendance.
Automechanika’s “Truck Competence” sub-brand, which distinguishes exhibitors offering products and services to the fleet and trucking sector, will once again be a feature at Automechanika Johannesburg, as it has at most global Automechanika trade fairs for the past five years.
Truck Competence, which focuses on replacement parts, accessories, services and garage equipment for trucks and buses signifies the growing importance of the transport sector for aftermarket service providers.
At the Automechanika show in Frankfurt, the birthplace of the trade fair brand, more than 1,000 of the record number of 4,820 exhibitors offered components, replacement parts, tools and equipment for servicing and maintaining trucks and buses in the retail sector.
The identification sign – an orange Truck Competence logo – appears on all the relevant display stands where products and services for the truck and transport sectors are displayed, promoted, and demonstrated.
Automechanika Johannesburg, Futuroad Expo and Scalex Johannesburg enjoy support from the leading industry associations in the motor, transport, and logistics sectors in South Africa. Several conferences and events hosted by the various trade associations will take place at Expo Centre, linked to the three shows, as part of the Automechanika Academy Programme.
