| Extensive research among exhibitors and visitors has led to the development of a business strategy to make the Australian Auto Trade Fair (AATF) the premier event in the Australasian automotive industry calendar.
After a long history as Australasia’s original and most trusted event for the industry, the Australian Auto Trade Fair (AATF) will be re-named AutoEquip Expo, run in tandem with a convention and be held every second year.
“From our research, it’s apparent the industry cannot support two automotive exhibitions in one year,” said Gary Fitz-Roy, CEO of organiser, Expertise Events. “When we took over the organisation of the Fair in 2004, we also inherited a legacy of infighting in certain sectors of the industry caused by the rivalry between the two shows. This is a situation we want to rectify,” said Mr Fitz-Roy. “Holding the AutoEquip Expo on alternate years to the Automotive Aftermarket Association of Australia’s show will make better business sense for exhibitors who will now only need to consider one event each year.”
“While we have the AATF’s 31-year reputation as the original and most trusted event for the industry to uphold, the time is right to bring the show into the 21st Century and serve the needs of a high-tech automotive industry,” Mr Fitz-Roy continued. “The name change is the first step of an overall plan.”
The first AutoEquip Expo & Convention will be held in 2008 at the Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, August 8-10; the 2010 event will be held in Melbourne.
In 2008, the Sydney event will run concurrently with the first International Bodyshop Industry Symposium Asia Pacific (IBIS AP) to be held in our region; this is a major coup for AutoEquip and the automotive industry.
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AutoEquip Expo will cater to the auto body repair, aftermarket parts, workshop equipment, undercar and retail management sectors of the industry. New technologies, advances in design and better solutions to create more efficient workshops will be displayed.
As distinct from IBIS AP, the aim of the new AutoEquip Convention is to focus on the latest technology and solutions for the Australian non-collision market. In the past, AATF has offered seminars and workshops which have proved extremely popular but have been limited in their content. The AutoEquip Convention is designed as an industry resource for information about products and trends. The one-day convention, held in association with IAME and other industry bodies, is an educational and training addition to the expo. Delegates will be able to interact with presenters and learn how to work smarter and streamline workshop and business efficiencies, ultimately increasing profits.
“We are in a privileged position within the industry to keep abreast of topical issues,” said Mr Fitz-Roy. “We have taken these forthright steps to deliver an expo and convention that will be the premier events on the Australasian automotive calendar. We have also timed our expo and conference to coincide with the inaugural IBIS AP enabling exhibition visitors and conference delegates to access a wealth of local and international industry information – in one place at one time,” he continued. “AutoEquip 2008 Expo will be the only auto trade exhibition held in Australia next year so we anticipate it will be one of the industry’s biggest shows ever.”
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