Preparations are in full swing for the 29th edition of Autopromotec, the most specialized international exhibition of automotive equipment and aftermarket, which will be back at the Bologna exhibition centre from May 25 to 28. The industry’s stakeholders will therefore once again have the opportunity to get hands-on with the latest news from the automotive industry and the aftermarket supply chain, discover future trends as well as current scenarios, and get professional updates on the technological innovations that have been introduced in the market in the last three years.
But above all, Autopromotec is once again an opportunity for Italian and international exhibitors and visitors to meet and resume "in presence" all those business and networking activities that for a long time were carried out in virtual mode - if at all. So the halls will be filling up again, in full compliance with all the regulations currently in force - many companies have already confirmed their participation, as can be seen in the exhibitors list already online on the event's website, so much so that it has already been necessary to open waiting lists for some sectors (bodywork, car wash and lubricants) and to set up an additional hall for the spare parts sector - demonstrating the industry’s desire to meet in trade fairs once again. In fact, if there's one thing we have all learned from these last three years, is that there is no real alternative to physical trade shows: the many digital events we have participated in over the years, while proving to be useful tools for keeping up to date and staying in touch virtually with other players in the industry, certainly cannot replace all those business activities that normally make trade shows unique moments. This idea is well supported by data: in fact, research conducted in 2020 by Professor Francesca Golfetto from the Bocconi University of Milan, shows how certain types of activities - in particular "understanding the frontier of sector innovation" and "confirming the choices made in sourcing material" - are perceived by visitors and buyers as activities that are the exclusive competence of trade fairs, thus leaving no room for possible alternatives.
Autopromotec is back, therefore, and with many new features. First and foremost, full synergy with the entire Motor Valley system, the Association that brings together the most important brands of sports cars and motorcycles in Emilia-Romagna. A collaboration that will allow Autopromotec and Motor Valley Fest - the event that celebrates the excellence of motorsports in the heart of the Motor Valley - to be held on the same dates: Autopromotec is scheduled for May 25-28, while Motor Valley Fest is scheduled for May 26-29. A synergy that will make it possible to develop a shared calendar of meetings and events, bringing together for the first time the entire automotive industry to discuss themes that are common to the sector as a whole. The key issues will therefore be the future of mobility, as well as the enhancement of the short supply chain in the context of energy transition. A unique opportunity for all sector operators arriving in Bologna at the end of May to enjoy an all-round experience. An experience that will involve a high number of operators coming from abroad: the current anti-Covid protocols, in fact, thanks to progressive loosening of the restricting measures by the Italian government, makes it possible to look at the presence of foreign visitors with full confidence. And it is precisely on the presence of players from high-potential foreign markets that Autopromotec is working in view of the next edition: thanks, on the one hand, to contributions from the "Strategic Fund for the Made in Italy" of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and ICE Agency and, on the other hand, through its own network of agents and representatives. The aim is to offer the greatest number of business opportunities to exhibiting companies, but also to put buyers in touch with all the new products, which in many cases will be previewed at Autopromotec 2022.
The first event announced by the organizers of Autopromotec will be international in scope: IAM - International Aftermarket Meetings, a cycle of 6 workshops, entirely in English, with a global character and European focus, that will put the spotlight on the most relevant issues for the sector, bringing together the main players in a series of appointments scheduled during the first two days of the event - May 25 and 26. The meetings will be organized with the contribution of EGEA (European Garage Equipment Association) as well as the main national and international trade associations, focusing on some of the central topics for the post-pandemic automotive world, offering the players in the supply chain the opportunity to upgrade and share their views and experiences. One of the meetings on the IAM calendar will be specifically dedicated to the tire sector. Three years after the last edition, Autopromotec is thus reconfirmed as the international reference appointment for the entire sector - with its sight projected well beyond its national borders.
