The Shanghai International Trade Fair for Automotive Parts, Equipment and Service Suppliers (Automechanika Shanghai) takes place today at the Shanghai New International Expo Center. The trade event is scheduled to end on Friday.

The fair houses a complete range of original automotive equipment and aftermarket products, from low to high-end, from basic to hi-tech.

In line with the profile of the global Automechanika brand, products on display cover parts & systems, accessories & tuning, repair & maintenance, and service station & car wash.

The wide-range fair - one of China's leading professional events for the industry of automotive parts, components and aftermarket - has attracted more than 1,200 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions.

Exhibitors include some of the world's best-known companies and market leaders, including Bando, Bosch, Chengdu Galaxy Power, and Zonda. Pavilions from Germany, Italy, Korea and China's Taiwan Province will also be featured.

Forums

Automechanika provides a well-rounded business forum for both exhibitors and visitors, with a comprehensive program of special events running alongside the exhibition, including the Automechanika Academy and match-making forum.

The Automechanika Academy runs for a full day today, featuring eight lectures by leading automotive industry professionals and academics from Chinese universities.

Topics of the lectures, conducted in both English and Chinese and free of charge to all fair attendees, cover range of topics including the effect of automotive product recycling policy on the Chinese auto parts industry, the effect of auto brand sales management methods on the Chinese aftermarket industry, purchasing requirements of the major automobile corporations, brand protection, the investment opportunities in the Chinese auto parts industry, access to the North America automotive market and Green auto-manufacturing: development and review in China, and the development of auto-testing equipment in China.

The match-making forum, scheduled for Thursday, allows exhibitors to meet one-on-one with specially selected, top-level buyers in a quiet environment away from the show floor.

Buyers invited to the 2007 fair include Beijing Aurea Investment Management, AUREA Holdings International, Beijing Automotive Industry Import and Export Corporation, Beijing Direction Brilliance Automobile Trading, BMW China Automotive Trading, China Automotive Industry International Corporation, Cummins East Asia International Purchasing Office, Great Gain Group Holdings, Ingersoll Rand (China) Investment, Mahle Technologies Holding (China), Stoneridge Asia Pacific Electronics (Suzhou), and Valeo Group Asia Purchasing Office.

The buyers presentation will take place tomorrow. At this forum, top-level buyers from some of the world's biggest automotive companies will offer an overview of their sourcing requirements, product preferences and supplier criteria - giving manufacturers and suppliers valuable insight and guidance for their research & development activities.

Buyers that confirmed their participation include Global Procurement & Supply NEA Chrysler (China), Beijing-Benz DaimlerChrysler, Chrysler (China), Mahle Technologies Holding (China), and Shanghai General Motors.

Also taking place on Thursday is the product/service presentation where exhibitors can give a more in-depth explanation about their products' specifications and applications.

IP protection

The Quality Brands Protection Committee (QBPC), under the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment, has organized nine member companies of the Automotive Industry Working Group - Bosch, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Delphi, Ford, General Motors, Peugeot-Citroen, and Volkswagen - jointly with other two well known automotive parts manufacturers, Mann-Hummel and ZF, to participate in Automechanika Shanghai 2007.

As one of the leading international events in China for the automotive manufacturing and aftermarket industry, Automechanika in Shanghai guarantees that the QBPC's "anti-product piracy" message will be heard by thousands of parts dealers and buyers from across the country.

As part of the organizer's "Messe Frankfurt Against Copying" global campaign, a special display stand will be set up at Automechanika Shanghai 2007, where visitors can find information about Messe Frankfurt's initiative, and exhibitors can seek legal advice from an intellectual property right professional.

Automechanika Shanghai is organized by Messe Frankfurt in partnership with the China National Automotive Industry International Corporation. Fair hours are 9am-5pm on December 5-6, and 9am-4pm on December 7. Admission is free to trade professionals.

(China Daily 12/05/2007 page16)