Automechanika Kuala Lumpur sees a 46 percent leap in visitor participation

In Automechanika Kuala Lumpur’s return, there was a revived sense of business vitality from the automotive industry at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Exhibitor numbers rose by 13 percent, while visitors jumped by 46 percent to 10,267. Many participants travelled to the trade fair from the surrounding region, a clear indication of the strong drive for growth and development. Strategic and industry partners also flexed their positions in the market with a wide range of showcases, resources and knowledge, cementing cooperation with the show to promote Malaysia’s prosperous automotive industry.

Automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2023

Key figures from Automechanika Kuala Lumpur:

*       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.

Ms Cory Tham, Senior Sourcing Manager – SE Asia from GPC Asia Pacific, highlighted: “I am visiting the trade fair as my company is diversifying its procurement procedures. Southeast Asia has some strategic advantages regarding price and location for products in the passenger and commercial vehicle sectors. While this includes meeting up with current suppliers in Malaysia, the platform is a great opportunity to find new partners from the region and benchmark our current product range. The show is beneficial in providing a gateway to the local market as I can connect with many suppliers in a short space of time.”

Global brands like Brembo and TecAlliance also drew attention to their solutions and strategic advantages in the regional aftermarket. For example, Mr Chew Yee Liew, Sales Lead Asia Pacific from TecAlliance, expressed: “With our proven expertise, we can help to digitalise the Southeast Asian aftermarket supply chain. Our data management solution offers standardised information about car parts, which can improve the efficiency and flow of information across manufacturers, brand owners, distributors and workshops.

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.

From this point of view, Mr Chia See Yong, General Manager of Launch Future (M) SDN BHD, said: “The visitor traffic to our booth was very strong. Many were interested in our electric vehicle scanners and solutions for ADAS calibration; therefore, it was pleasing to have buyers place orders during the show. Electric vehicles are undoubtedly one of the biggest trends creating new demands for automotive services and maintenance equipment. With this in mind, training mechanics on repairing and maintaining electric cars is fundamental, and I believe Automechanika Kuala Lumpur can support this development. The combination of the EV Zone and Collision Repair Training Workshop helped introduce the technologies underpinning market transformation.”

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.

One speaker at the Fleet Management Conference explained: “Logistics and fleet operators should integrate higher levels of IoT and digitalisation into their business models. Data management software improves the accuracy and automation of processes as well as resource sharing within the sector.” Mr Kenny Lee, Regional Account Manager at Safe Truck Sdn Bhd, added, “These networking sessions and conferences are great ways of exploring trends as transporters are accepting these technologies very fast because they know there is a need to upgrade.”

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.

Ms Michelle Leong, Manager of Hoi Keen Auto Spray Sdn Bhd, a workshop participant, pointed out: “This is my second time attending as there are not many professional courses in Kuantan, where my workshop is based. I brought along a few employees as I would like them to know how to repair and maintain electric vehicles safely. In between sessions, I also explored exhibitor booths as I intend to upgrade our equipment based on the topics just discussed. Asides from the hands-on training, the marketing and corporate culture session was very interesting. It made me think about some new ways to engage staff. The speaker, a local celebrity in our field, spoke about feasible ways to integrate social media into our communication channels.”

Elsewhere, AutoFest@KL offered a diverse range of automotive experiences. For example, the show played host to the EMMA Malaysia Final – Car Audio and Modifications Competition, with over 80 cars each showing off the country’s flair and talent in car customisation.

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.

The next edition of Automechanika Kuala Lumpur will take place from 8 to 10 May 2025. It will incorporate new themes like motorsports and high-performance technologies in the market. For more information, please visit www.automechanika-kl.com