Following a forced, one-and-a-half-year break, automotive aftermarket visitors returned to the Messe Frankfurt exhibition centre last week. 388 exhibitors took part in the special Automechanika Frankfurt Digital Plus event in Hall 3, which ran alongside the Hypermotion Frankfurt conference and trade fair in the Forum.

Organisers say that some 10,000 visitors from 70 countries followed the three-day trade fair programme live in Frankfurt and online. Two-thirds of the participants made use of the many new digital features to do so on-screen, including live streams, intelligent matchmaking and one-to-one video calls. The platform played host to approx. 25,000 interactions in all. The streams were viewed 21,000 times, while 1,600 video calls were made. 

Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, said, “The trade fair engine has been started, and the mobility and logistics industry got everything underway. Finally, exhibitors and trade visitors had the opportunity to get together in person again and make new contacts, both on site on the exhibition grounds and on the digital event platform with international industry players.”
 
The concept behind both events, an in-person trade fair supplemented by the ability to participate digitally, was well-received by exhibitors and visitors alike. Albrecht Kruse, Managing Director of SATA said, “I am delighted that we are back at Automechanika, in person. It is our most important trade fair. I think that the hybrid format of this year’s event has been a complete success, particularly for the international public that is unable to travel to Frankfurt, as it makes it possible for them to be a part of the action. Even so, I believe that meeting with customers in person is extremely important. The Automechanika team has really outdone itself in making this format a reality for Automechanika Frankfurt.”

Christian Schwer, National Sales Manager Germany at Liqui Moly said, “Particularly during these unusual pandemic times, this year's smaller Automechanika presents us with a chance to re-open communications with our customers, to be on location and make our presence felt as we resume in-person encounters. After all, business is done between people, and we believe that communication is everything. Automechanika is the platform for the innovations and new technologies that we must all come to grips with not only as suppliers, but also as customers and as an industry. That was Automechanika’s role in the past, and that is what Automechanika continues to represent for us today.”

The Automechanika Frankfurt organisers are now looking forward to welcoming the world to the next event which takes place from 13th to 17th September 2022.