First Automechanika Jeddah to be held in 2016

Messe Frankfurt has announced the first Automechanika automotive aftermarket trade fair in Saudi Arabia. Automechanika Jeddah will be held from January 26-28, 2016 at the Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events.

This means that the global profile of the leading international trade fair brand in the automotive sector is being increased to a total of 14 B2B events in 13 countries. Automechanika Jeddah will be organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East GmbH, Dubai, a subsidiary of the Messe Frankfurt Group, together with Saudi Arabian organiser Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions (ACE).

Commenting on the decision to hold the event, Detlef Braun, member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH, said: “From a geostrategic perspective, the Gulf states are one of the Messe Frankfurt Group’s key markets. Saudi Arabia’s high purchasing power and the projected growth in the automotive and supplier sectors offer substantial potential for an international trade fair like Automechanika. We are delighted to have the opportunity to join forces with ACE Exhibitions, which is the leading organiser in Saudi Arabia with over 500 successful events in the kingdom to its credit.”

According to government information, the Saudi Arabian automotive industry is a fast-growing sector of the economy. The Saudi Arabian Central Department of Statistics & Information reported that more than one million passenger cars, commercial vehicles and trucks had been imported in 2013, valued at around US$21 billion in all. Demand for parts is also rising and is expected to grow by 7.7 percent to up to US$5.5 billion over the next five years. Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East GmbH, Dubai, said: “With 7.1 million passenger cars on the roads of Saudi Arabia, the country is well on the way to becoming the production centre for the automotive industry in the Middle East.”

Automechanika Jeddah will focus on the five product areas of Parts & Systems, Accessories & Tuning, Repair & Maintenance, Tyres & Batteries and Service Station & Car Wash. Over 125 exhibitors from some 20 countries are expected to take part in the debut event.