For the past 11 years, Automechanika Kuala Lumpur has been at the forefront of providing opportunities in the transporation industry. Covering both passenger and commercial vehicle brands and businesses, the convention has been a platform for sourcing, trading, and training. This year, it’s only gotten bigger and better. 

“The atmosphere around the fairground, over the past few days, has been captivating. The extended fringe program offered even more opportunities for industry players to connect and exchange business," said Fiona Chiew, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, the organizers of Automechanika. "What’s more, the type of industry events that occurred highlight the show’s strong position and influence in the local market. As a result, I strongly believe that Automechanika Kuala Lumpur is becoming a regional platform for automotive activities in sourcing as well as training and automotive lifestyle."

With an array of fringe programme events, they all but served to hype up and further amplify the focus on the region’s rising trends and themes. Fleet management, collission repair training workshops, even car audio modification and competitions were but a few of the exhibit’s branches that were most well-received. For those who needed a breather from a whole day’s worth of networking and information gathering, they were also treated to a host of entertainment at the first ever Auto NITZ party held on the grounds themselves. 

Visitors who attended the fringe events also complemented the synergy between the topics discussed and themes around the show floor. For example, the dedicated Truck zone and IoT zone both shone a light on the growing commercial vehicle sector and way new technology is shaping the automotive industry. This year, nearly 50 percent of exhibitors showcased products and solutions related to the sector. Other themes exhibited around the hall included e-commerce, logistics, and as mentioned earlier, collision repair. 

Compared to the previous edition, this year, the fair saw international visitors increase by 16 percent. Aside from the domestic attendees, overseas visitors came from both near and afar. The top ten visiting countries included the likes of China, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, Egypt, the Philippines and Vietnam. The show attracted participants from a variety of professions including dealers, distributors, service providers, manufacturers, trade associations and organisation, universities and more.

Additionally, the number of highly-influential international companies made a strong impression as it showed Malaysia’s prosperity in the automotive industry. Across the five halls, 73 percent of exhibitors came from 15 different overseas countries and regions. At the same time, many local companies and brands also achieved great international exposure through exhibiting at the fair.