Leading international trade fair, Automechanika Frankfurt, and the Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK) have agreed a new alliance to raise the profile of the global automotive aftermarket.
Their goal is to promote dialogue between automotive manufacturers and suppliers in the lead up to Automechanika in Frankfurt in September 2026.
This will be done via numerous special formats in which the industry’s key topics will be communicated to a trade audience in the run-up to the trade fair.
The themes will be explored from the perspectives of manufacturers, branded service providers and major retail groups.
“Automechanika and VDIK’s partnership unites the full expertise of the branded aftermarket,” VDIK president, Imelda Labbé, said.
“This means that the know-how of the international automotive brands in aftersales is being combined with the presence of Automechanika – the world’s leading trade fair and platform for innovations in the automotive service industry – at 15 locations around the globe.
“We are delighted for this chance to present the fascinating issues and challenges currently facing the industry in attractive event formats and discuss these with automotive aftermarket experts.”
The content of these formats will be enriched by the know-how of the international motor vehicle manufacturers in the VDIK and other experts associated with this organisation.
The focus will be on such topics as the aftermarket strategies pursued by new players, vehicle data, business opportunities for automotive manufacturers and service providers, accident repair management, fleet services in future, and important measures for the mobility transition.
“We welcome this partnership with VDIK because we see synergies and shared interests in so many areas of relevance to our customers and to members of the VDIK,” vice president of Messe Frankfurt and brand manager of Automechanika, Michael Johannes, said.
“Automechanika is a platform for innovations along the entire value chain and industry players worldwide orient their production cycles to the dates of the flagship fair in Frankfurt.
“Now VDIK is joining with Automechanika Frankfurt to launch a series of events featuring prominent speakers, panellists and media members entitled Road to Automechanika.”
The event series will be supplemented with an array of attractive prizes related to connectivity, aftersales services and workshop tests that are sure to appeal to trade visitors.
To this end, the VDIK has introduced the possibility of sponsored association memberships that allow organisations and companies to support the VDIK’s efforts on behalf of the automotive industry while also benefiting from the collaboration with Automechanika.
They will be able to take part in the professional dialogue and VDIK events while presenting their own organisations and utilising the association’s network.
The VDIK serves as the voice of international motor vehicle manufacturers in Berlin and represents their interests in the political sphere and public arena.
The association raises the profile of international motor vehicle manufacturers in the media, helping its members and partners to reach a larger audience.
With 15 events around the globe, Automechanika is the world’s most successful B2B trade fair brand.
The first Automechanika trade fair was held in Frankfurt in 1971.
New locations have been continuously added worldwide since the 1990s and Automechanika is now being held in 15 cities: Frankfurt, Astana, Birmingham, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Ho Chi Minh City, Istanbul, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, Mexico City, New Delhi, Riyadh, Shanghai and Tashkent.
Events worldwide are supported by some 130 partners and leading automotive aftermarket associations.