Automechanika 2004 Attracts Over 4,500 Exhibitors and 163,000 Visitors

Automechanika Frankfurt 2004' the world's leading trade fair for auto aftermarket and original-equipment products' attracted 163'564 visitors from 145 countries during its Sept. 14-19 run' according to the organizer' Messe Frankfurt. This was over 2% more than in 2002. Messe Frankfurt reports that 39% of the visitors came from abroad.

The number of exhibitors also increased by 4%' to 4'505' from 72 countries. Last year's event occupied a total exhibition space of about 300'000 square meters.

Michael von Zitzewitz' chairman of Messe Frankfurt's board of management' believes that Automechanika still has room for further growth. "In many cases'" he explains' "we registered considerable growth in the number of exhibitors and visitors from the economic triad of Europe' the United States' and Asia. Automechanika is the world's foremost event for its sector and' together with our national and international partners' we will continue to build on this position. Our double strategy of internationalization on the one hand and domestic consolidation on the other hand has been a complete success."


Zitzewitz also states that his show is distinguished by its strength as the world's leading auto parts and accessories fair' and by its position in Germany as the premier fair for the workshop and repair segment' from which more than a third of its visitors come.

After Germany itself' the five biggest European sources of visitors for the fair were the United Kingdom' Italy' France' the Netherlands' and Poland. Other leading overseas suppliers were the U.S.' mainland China' India' Iran' and South Africa. Significant visitor increases were recorded from Eastern Europe' Japan' Turkey' the Gulf States' South America' and Australia.

Exhibitor increases were recorded from Italy' Austria' France' and Sweden. Eastern Europe is becoming a more important source of exhibitors' with more than 30 companies coming from Poland and eight from Serbia last year.

Exhibitors last year were markedly more optimistic about prospects for the auto parts and accessories segment than they were two years ago' with 80.2% of them indicating that the current situation is good or satisfactory (compared with just 69.4% in 2002) and 16.3% believing the situation is bad (22.9% in 2002). German exhibitors were particularly hopeful' with 86% rating the current situation as good or satisfactory (compared with 57.9% in 2002) and just 15.4% saying it is bad (36.1% in 2002). Among foreign exhibitors' 79.5% rated the current situation as good or satisfactory (73% in 2002) and 16.5% rated it bad (18.6% in 2002).

Exhibitors at Automechanika 2004 showcased their latest innovations in the fields of parts' workshop and filling-station equipment' tuning products' and accessories. According to the organizer' 54% of them were producers and suppliers of automotive parts.

To emphasize the show's position as an international forum for the showcasing of innovation' Messe Frankfurt has restructured its Automechanika Innovation Prize program so that' in addition to the presentation of the prizes' all of the products that are submitted for consideration are to be displayed in two special areas designed to provide visitors a quick overview of the spectrum of products on show at the fair. (Dec. 2004)