Visitors: 10,267 from 77 countries and regions
Exhibitors: 330 from 17 countries and regions
Scale: 11,071 sqm (halls 1 to 5 and 7C)
14 fringe events
16 strategic and industry partners
The 2023 edition of Automechanika Kuala Lumpur returned to the trade fair calendar with a clear ambition of promoting opportunities for growth and development in the regional automotive industry.
“It is great to see that the market is bouncing back in such a dynamic and active way,” said Ms Fiona Chiew, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “Thanks to our close-knit network, we were able to recognise how global trends are taking shape in the region and communicate them in easily accessible ways. The main feedback we had from participants was that the rapid rate of advancement has led to assessing products and supply chains more regularly to meet ongoing consumer needs and ensure cost-efficient operational models. Because of this, Automechanika Kuala Lumpur offered an ideal platform for collaboration and trade. Likewise, having the advantage of attracting car owners to the show meant we extended the conversation one step further by putting buyers and suppliers directly in front of end-users.”
New partnerships across the fairground
This year, the show saw a range of new and existing partners descend to the fairground, each building up the coverage of the passenger and commercial vehicle sectors. The 16 strategic and industry partners included ADTEC, ALIENTECH, Caltex Delo, Celette, CL Group, EMG, Hot Wheels, JTM, LAUNCH, Leng Kee Auto Academy, Magic Cube, Pac Auto Marketing, SATA, Schmaco, Vanli, and ZF. The combination of important organisations and vocational institutions highlighted the development of safety, transformation, talent, efficiency and sustainability in the industry.
On this note, 24 local and overseas supporting bodies brought their networks to the show, offering an assembly point for six association meetings. Dato’ Ng Koong Sinn, President of the Malaysia Trucking Federation, noted: “The main objective of our meeting was to gather opinions from various operators across the country and dissect key topics that may then go to the relevant authorities for action. We also aim to raise awareness of new technologies amongst our members. Automechanika Kuala Lumpur can actually bring these two aspects together. It is important to open our minds to digitalisation, autonomous driving and new energy trends to go with current and future changes. And so, the add-on events and conferences are highly recommendable in the sense that they bring in knowledge and new perspectives to prepare the market.”
Internationalism at Automechanika Kuala Lumpur’s return
The show was a hotspot for sourcing with buyers from 76 overseas countries and regions like Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the UAE, the UK, Vietnam and more.
The Italian exhibitor, Mr Marco Trupiano, Managing Director of My Supercar Expert, also found: “Over the past three days, I have had many productive business conversations with visitors from Malaysia, as well as Australia, Bangladesh, Singapore, the UK, and all over Southeast Asia in general. My company provides the knowledge, support, and devices for fixing European cars, as everyone has the right to repair them instead of relying on OEMs. There is definitely a niche in Southeast Asia for this, so we joined the fair to create a presence in the aftermarket amongst independent workshops and car owners.”
Capturing trends in the Malaysian market
The show highlighted three major segments seeing huge growth potential from the rise of digitalisation and electrification. The Electric Vehicle, Auto Service and Maintenance, and Commercial Vehicle Zones were crowd favourites, with exhibitors agreeing that buyers were very focused and clear in their needs.
Praise all around for the vibrant fringe events
The Digitalisation and Electrification Business Networking Event, Fleet Management Conference and AutoFEST@KL embodied Malaysia’s transformation. The collection of highly influential speakers created a dialogue about capturing opportunities and facing challenges in the regional market.
This included experts from Chevron Malaysia Limited, Continental Tyre PJ Malaysia Sdn Bhd, The National ESG Association of Malaysia, Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Traders Association (MCVTA), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Malaysia Trucking Federation (MTF), Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC), NanoMalaysia, Pos Malaysia Berhad, and Slimstock Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.
The Collision Repair Training Workshop also gathered over 200 attendees. Sessions were highly praised as trainers applied theoretical knowledge to real-life scenarios. Many also appreciated that the course included emerging topics for electric vehicle repair and maintenance. For instance, ZF covered high voltage systems, Launch and Leng Kee Auto Academy touched upon ADAS calibration, Celette brought up measuring systems, and Alientech spoke about ECU repair and tuning. CL Group and Magic Cube also discussed new business formats and management solutions for chain stores.
Living up to their name, Hot Wheels were in even hotter demand. Many attendees enjoyed winning merchandise from social media and buying items off the racks from reputable brands across the fairground. Products from other exhibitors included wrapping, accessories, and perfumes.
Meanwhile, the Auto NITZ Party saw exhibitors, visitors and car enthusiasts celebrate the return of Automechanika Kuala Lumpur. After a busy day, partygoers enjoyed bonding with their colleagues and forming strong relationships with new and existing partners.