Automechanika Malaysia 2009 Partly Driven by Official Initiatives

Buoyed by the success of the last show in 2007, the 6th edition of Automechanika Malaysia (Malaysia International Trade Fair for Automotive Parts, Equipment & Service Suppliers) was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from March 25-28, 2009, attracting 133 exhibitors from 14 countries, as well as 4,521 visitors. The top five visitor countries outside Malaysia were Singapore, China, Thailand, Korea and Egypt.

Expressing relief amid the downturn while officially opening Automechanika Malaysia, the Malaysian Deputy Minister of International Trade & Industry YB Dato' Jacob Dungau Sagan said: "I am happy that Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong is proceeding with this event despite the automotive industry is experiencing a bumpy ride."

Confirming the Malaysian government's awareness of the need to have an automotive parts and aftermarket trade fair to boost the industry, YB Dato' Jacob Dungau Sagan introduced some official initiatives that aim to minimize the impact of the global economic downturn on the local automotive sectors, including a RM200 million allocation to the Automotive Development Fund; a review of the National Automotive Policy to ensure competitiveness; and fast-track applications for import duty exemption on raw materials, components and machineries.

Taking a pro-active approach to enhance export opportunities, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) sponsored the Incoming Buying Mission (Buyers-Sellers Meeting), resulting in 345 in-person meetings between buyers and suppliers.

Real-life Success Stories

With the Egyptian truck parts company Al Fath being one of the invited buyers to the meeting, company representative Mr. Mustafa said: "The matchmaking program allowed us to find two companies meeting our requirements, so we will visit their factories and consider placing an order with them."

MAC SA, a Colombian company specializing in lead-acid automotive batteries and components and automotive battery chargers and accessories, was also among the invited buyers. Ms. Maria Fernanda Mejia C, president of the firm, was impressed with the quality of suppliers: "It's a very efficient way to talk to the suppliers and share information. I met 12 suppliers and many of them are well-established. I know some of them will become my suppliers."

Positive Exhibitors' Responses

Mr. Lau Keng Chong, Marketing Manager of Amerseal Industrial Sdn Bhd, takes part in eight Automechanika shows every year. "In this prudent spending environment, it is even more vital to participate in good exhibitions to find new markets and opportunities," he commented. "We've met many quality local and overseas buyers and I am delighted that we've received very encouraging orders."

Sharing a similar view was local giant Unipac Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd. Mr. David C.K. Yap, Group CEO, said: "It is an excellent platform to show our best equipment to existing customers and new buyers to gain brand recognition. Amid the tough economy, we can stand out from other competitors by participating in exhibitions."

Dr. Andreas F Durst, Board Director of the German company Dursol-Fabrik, a leading manufacturer of automotive cleaning and care products, praised the quality of visitors. "I've met our existing customers and made new valuable contacts with professional buyers. Participating in Automechanika Malaysia is an excellent way for companies to market themselves, especially under the present economic climate," he said.

Tech Interchange Programs

A series of programs ran alongside Automechanika Malaysia for industry players to exchange information and update market intelligence.

CATER Workshop on Mass Customization of Vehicles aimed to share state-of-the-art knowledge, results and the outcome of the CATER project, which is supported by the European Commission. Speaker Dr. Halimahtun M. Khalid, Executive Director of Damai Sciences Sdn Bhd, commented: "Automechanika Malaysia is the right kind of event for us to share the results and innovations from the project. In light of the current automotive industry environment, it is even more important for automotive enterprises to be more customer-centric and therefore improve their business.”

Held for the third time was the Federation of Automobile Workshop Owners' Association of Malaysia (FAWOAM) Annual Convention, which attracted over 300 participants. President Mr. Cho Chee Seng said: "Through participating in the convention and trade fair, we aim to educate and update our members with the latest technical developments, market and product knowledge."

Automechanika Malaysia is one of 13 such shows held globally, with the next show scheduled for March 2011. For more information, please visit www.automechanika.messefrankfurt.com or e-mail autoasia@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com