A total of 184 exhibitors from 26 countries and country pavilions from Turkey, Taiwan, China and India, are participating in the ongoing inaugural edition of Automechanika Jeddah.
 
The event which kicked off yesterday (January 26) will conclude tomorrow (January 28), and is being held at the Jeddah Centre for Forum and Events, Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Arabian edition of the worldwide Automechanika brand is the 15th of its kind around the world and the second in the Middle East organised by Messe Frankfurt, apart from the Dubai edition, said a statement.

The exhibition is being organised in conjunction with ACE Group, and has attracted a wide representation of international and regional brands looking to gain a foothold in the growing Saudi Arabian automotive aftermarket, it added.
 
With 70 per cent of participating exhibitors originating from outside the region, the strong international interest underlines the huge market potential held out by the kingdom's automotive sector, it said.

According to analysts Frost & Sullivan, the demand for spare parts in Saudi Arabia, which was valued at $3.8 billion (SR14.24 billion) in 2013, is expected to grow at a healthy 7.7 per cent annually over the next five years to reach $5.5 billion (SR20.62 billion) by 2020.
 
Automechanika Jeddah encompasses the six core product sections of parts and components, electronics and systems, accessories and tuning, repair and maintenance, tyres and batteries, and service station and car wash, added the statement.
 
The trade show delivers the latest innovations and solutions in the fields of parts, systems, tuning, workshop equipment, bodywork and paintwork, car wash, information technology (IT) and management and the latest automobile services, it said.

The event also serves as unmatched platform for the world’s leading auto aftermarket suppliers and manufacturers to establish long-lasting business relationships with buyers and distributers from throughout Saudi Arabia, it stated.

Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “The event which is our first adventure in Saudi Arabia is indeed a significant milestone for us as organisers.”

“Since setting up our Dubai subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt in 2002, we have, including Automechanika Jeddah, built up a successful portfolio of nine world-class trade shows and 13 conferences,” he said.
 
“The event underlines both the importance of Saudi Arabia’s booming automotive aftermarket, and also emphasises our growing stature in the Middle East; we are no longer just a ‘UAE’ company, but a ‘Middle East’ company," he added. – TradeArabia News Service