Dubai Postpones Automechanika to October 2020

The organizers of Automechanika, the largest trade fair for the automotive aftermarket in the Middle East and Africa have announced that the show has been postponed to October 2020. The show is one of 15 such shows organized across 14 countries by Messe Frankfurt. The 18th edition of Automechanika was scheduled to be held from June 7 to 9. It will now instead be held from October 19 to October 21 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Reasons For Postponing

The decision to postpone the show was made in response to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. With social distancing and staying home being the cornerstones of containing the spread of this pandemic, travel across international borders is highly restricted and this is having a heavy impact on the global economy. Commenting on the postponement of the show, Mahmut Gazi Bilikozen, Show Director for Automechanika Dubai said that Messe Frankfurt stood united with the entire automotive aftermarket industry as they all navigated these challenging times. He termed Automechanika Dubai truly a global event and said that the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 meant that potentially thousands of stakeholders were limited in their ability to plan ahead and attend the show on the originally planned dates in June. He said, “Confirming the new dates proved particularly challenging on account of the show’s size coupled with a very busy events’ schedule at the venue toward the end of the year. However, we’re confident we’ve settled on a date that is most suitable for all stakeholders.” Mr. Bilikozen added it is important, now more than ever for the automotive aftermarket unite in order to ensure business continuity. He said that his organization was committed to staging another successful show in October as passionate advocates for the social and economic benefits of meeting face to face at events.

Safety Comes First

He concluded, “Our first priority is also to the health and well-being of our exhibitors and visitors. We’re therefore taking the sensible precautionary response, while carefully watching and taking the advice of the relevant local and global authorities. We’re working hard to ensure that all the appropriate health and safety measures will be in place for the show later this year.” Automechanika Dubai will be demarcated into six major product sections – Parts & Components and Electronics & Systems; Accessories & Customizing; Tyres & Batteries; Repair & Maintenance; and Car Wash, Care & Reconditioning.

Exciting New Launches

This year’s event will have a number of exciting elements like the Automechanika Academy, the Modern Workshop, and the Innovation Zone, which will help the thousands of trade buyers and industry professionals who attend the show gain knowledge about the latest market developments. The Innovation Zone is an area at the center of the show floor that will be used for featuring presentations and product showcases from exhibitors that are steering the course for the regional and global automotive aftermarket. Other notable features include the Truck Competence initiative, which is dedicated to all aspects of the truck sector, ranging from truck parts and accessories to workshop equipment, body repairs, and care. The Automechanika Academy will comprise presentations on key topics such as Dubai’s auto parts and accessories trade in 2019 by Dubai Customs, as well as AfriConnections, which serves as a networking platform for exploring the growth potential of the African aftermarket.