Collision Expo a big hit

New products
New products on the GPI stand included the Filler Detective, which hunts down even a hint of filler in sheet metal parts and Roberlo Fusion bodyfiller – which has the hardener in the middle tube and mixes in the element mixer without allowing air in.
The demonstration Lowbake booths were the ideal environment to showcase new products for the industry. Lowbake demonstrated the instant curing method that it has developed, while 3M showed off its new primer gun, the Accuspray (see page 44). Concept paints demonstrated its Nomix low VOC, while De Beer  introduced its WaterBase 900 Series.
The Farécla stand was well visited and new products included a denib kit (see page 39) and a German-made spray gun, the Trifity (see page 47).
 
Record visitor numbers
The two Expos delivered record trade visitor crowds and exceeded the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) organisers’ expectations.
"With a final count of 12,625 visitors, these Expos set records 20 percent up on the Melbourne Expos in 2007 and 50 percent up on the Sydney Expos in 2009," said Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association Executive Director Stuart Charity. "Interstate and international visitor numbers increased significantly on previous years and the shows were busy from start to finish. Most importantly, exhibitors told me they were delighted with the number and quality of the visitors.
 "We thank the exhibitors for the tremendous efforts - and considerable investments - they made in presenting displays of international standard. They were the stars of the shows," he said.
“The 12,625 attendance figure for the 2011 Expos is remarkable when you realise that there are only an estimated 15,000 aftermarket mechanical and collision repair workshops in the whole of Australia,” he said. “We were also delighted with the significant increase in interstate and international visitor numbers this year. Exhibitors welcomed visitors from Western Australian and the Northern Territory, a delegation of 750 New Zealand trade visitors and high level buying missions from China, India, Taiwan and the USA,” said Stuart Charity.
 
Star stands
"We thank the 69 Collision Repair Expo exhibitors for the tremendous efforts – and considerable investments – they made in presenting displays of international standard. They were the stars of the show and were rewarded with an enthusiastic crowd," said Stuart Charity.
Among those who prepared the most impressive stands were the DuPont, Glasurit, Car-o-liner, Akzonobel, Concept Paints and Lowbake – the Paint and Panel stand was just a bit dwarfed.
 
Visitor follow up
Charity also said: "Most importantly, countless exhibitors told me they were delighted with the number and quality of the visitors, because there were few ‘tyre kickers’. Our visitor research shows that workshop owners and managers visit the biennial Expos to learn about and shop for the latest technologies and products,” he said.
I-Car CEO Richard Pratt echoed the sentiments of many of the exhibitors with his comment on the Expo: “The show for us was excellent, huge enquiry, some firm commitment and great number of strong leads.”