Middle East automotive aftermarket estimated at USD 11 billion per year

Autotec Automechanika Gulf is the latest edition of a series of Automechanika exhibitions currently being held in twelve countries across 4 continents. Organised by Epoc Messe Frankfurt, a subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt, the world's third largest trade fair company, Autotec Automechanika Gulf will showcase a complete range of automotive parts and spare parts, accessories, tyres, tuning and performance systems, in-car entertainment systems, garage equipment, tooling and petrol station equipment.

"This region is the ideal venue for organizing Autotec Automechanika Gulf as it provides a gateway to an estimated customer base of 1.5 billion and strategic access to the Arabian Gulf states which boast one of the highest per capital car ownership in the world. The spare parts market in the Gulf is valued at over US$ 11 billion per year and is growing at a rapid rate," said Michael El Nayal, Managing Partner, Epoc Messe Frankfurt. "The Middle East has one of the highest cars-per-household ratio in the world and the continuously increasing number of vehicles on the road has created a substantial demand for garage and forecourt equipment for the service industry, which is an integral part of the automotive trade."

Exhibitors at Autotec Automechanika will get a chance to expose their products to visitors from the Arabian Gulf states, the Middle East, Iran, Western Asian countries and the Caspian and Black Sea states.

"Dubai serves as a major center for re-export of car parts and accessories. Dubai's automotive accessories re-export trade is growing at a rate of 20 per cent per year and autoparts figure among the ten top re-exported items from Dubai," added El Nayal. "Epoc Messe Frankfurt is extremely confident that Autotec Automechanika Gulf will provide global exhibitors a platform to reach a huge market that has displayed tremendous consumption for car accessories and spare parts."

The prime target of Autotec Automechanika is the Arabian Gulf, which is a significantly lucrative market for the automobile industry. The luxury car market alone is expected to grow by 3.5 per cent annually giving rise to an increasing demand for spare parts. Kuwait is a prime example of a high-value market where luxury cars at the top-end category are in heavy demand and one in every two people owns a car. In addition, high-consumption markets such as Saudi Arabia, where the total number of automobile units sold per year exceeds 100,000 units, presents enormous and untapped opportunities for automobile manufacturers. The number of cars on UAE roads is also increasing at an average rate of 9.6 per cent per year.

The growing number of automobiles on the Middle East roads has brought about a corresponding increase in the demand for quality after sales service and genuine spare parts. There are more than 20,000 garages and motor workshops in the Gulf alone. An estimated US$2 billion has been spent in the past two years on petrol stations and forecourt equipment in the Gulf.

Dubai will be the latest venue to join a long line of successful venues worldwide, where the Automechanika exhibition has been held successfully. Messe Frankfurt has organized the Automechanika exhibitions in a variety of locations including St. Petersburg (Russia), Buenos Aires, Beijing, Guangzhou (China), New Delhi, Istanbul, Mexico City, Kuala Lumpur, Egypt and Frankfurt.

"We are extremely delighted to bring the Autotec Automechanika Gulf to Dubai because the Dubai World Trade Centre offers world-class exhibition facilities. In addition, the city of Dubai has excellent infrastructure, cosmopolitan ambience and leisure facilities, giving it an added edge for hosting such an event," said El Nayal.