Dynamic and energised: participants praise Automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2024 for capturing the momentum of Malaysia’s automotive market

Kuala Lumpur, 7 August 2024. The 13^th edition of Automechanika Kuala Lumpur concluded on a high note with sourcing, training and entertainment aligning with the latest global industry trends and underscoring the enthusiasm of Malaysia’s automotive market. During the three-day show, 310 exhibitors came face-to-face with 13,017 visitors, representing an increase of 30 percent from the previous edition. Discussions revolved around automotive mobility solutions covering electrification and digitisation, as well as automation and manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain, which are injecting vitality into the automotive aftermarket and lifestyle trends.  

Key figures from Automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2024:

• Exhibitors: 310 from 19 countries and regions
• Visitors: 13,017 from 70 countries and regions
• Scale: 9,710 sqm (halls 1 to 5)

Sourcing, training and entertainment at Automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2024

Ms Fiona Chiew, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, said: “I was delighted to see such strong levels of engagement from participants across numerous aspects of the show. As we continue to respond to the market’s needs, Automechanika Kuala Lumpur, once again, proved to be an invaluable platform for business exchange, education, as well as entertainment. It validates that changing to an annual show was the right move. Moving forward, we are all set to expand into Hall 6 as we actively seek to bring more resources to the market to better serve stakeholders across the industry.”

A full coverage product showcase has always been an offering at Automechanika Kuala Lumpur. The debuting Automotive Mobility Solutions Zone spotlighted the industry’s shift towards electrification and digitisation, as well as automation and manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain. Exhibitors presented cutting-edge technologies and solutions for new energy vehicles, battery systems, charging facilities, automation, manufacturing and more. The area was further reinforced by the Automotive Mobility Solutions Conference, which hosted 35 speakers delving into topics around these trends. Participants found that this setting created synergy between product sourcing and information exchange, providing a comprehensive experience at the show floor.

The fair also featured representation from leading brands in the Commercial Vehicle & Fleet Zone, as well as Automotive Repair, Maintenance & Care / Body & Paint / Accessories & Customising Zone. These focused on solutions for fleets, in addition to technologies for diagnostics and repair, customising, car care, car wash, and more.

“It’s where the global industry comes to explore the Southeast Asian automotive market”
The show’s global draw was evident with the high degree of international brands from both an exhibiting and visiting perspective, with feedback corroborating its gateway into the Southeast Asian market, in additions to other global hotspots.

For instance, professional buyers travelled to Malaysia from 69 overseas countries and regions, including the likes of Australia, Cambodia, Canada, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UAE, and Vietnam.

Many found that the fair reflected the region’s offerings across various aspects of the automotive supply chain with 37 percent exhibitors from ASEAN, a mark-up on the participation from the previous edition. Meanwhile, exhibitors from further afield highlighted a desire to leverage the show’s resources to establish a broader network of distributors globally.

Likewise, as one of the country’s most established international trade fairs for the automotive industry, Automechanika Kuala Lumpur also took the opportunity to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.

“The fringe programme offers a completely unique experience”
Throughout the three-day event, Automechanika Kuala Lumpur presented a comprehensive programme of fringe activities, delivering valuable insights and personal experiences to participants.

The programme’s standout highlight was autoFEST@KL, which showcased a collection of customised and classic cars. It also offered DIY workshops for soundproofing and car wrapping, motorsport simulators, esports gaming, and other immersive activities. Popular motorsports drivers YS Khong, Leona Chin and Adele Lew also joined the show to share their experiences racing.

These interactive aspects were particularly valuable in engaging with a wider audience at the show, such as car owners and enthusiasts.  For example, as e-commerce and online spaces shape more touchpoints for end-users in the aftermarket, these elements produced an inviting backdrop to open up the industry to a broader type of attendee. Feedback from those who had come to the exhibition for sourcing and training purposes could also see the benefit of creating such an inclusive environment for a more rounded view of the industry.   

Furthermore, the Collision Repair Training Workshop was also a crowd favourite, attracting over 200 attendees. Expert trainers from 3M, ESnet Academy, ISQ, LAUNCH, and Magic Cube clearly demonstrated practical knowledge and techniques on diagnostics and maintenance for EVs, ADAS, measuring systems, body and paint, and workshop management.

Feedback from Automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2024

Exhibitor (Malaysia): Mr Kenneth Tan, General Manager, Schmaco Auto Parts Industries Sdn Bhd
“The main purpose of participating at Automechanika Kuala Lumpur was to promote our brand and products. We think having such a professional exhibition in our local market is a great opportunity to spotlight Malaysian products in an international space. The exhibition provides a gateway that connected us with many overseas customers from different countries like Australia, China, India, and Indonesia. The Automechanika brand is very important for our company, so we always exhibit here in Kuala Lumpur.”

Exhibitor (China): Ms Phoebe Wang, CEO, Zero Mileage Lubrication Technology Co Ltd
“We are very familiar with the Automechanika brand, which is why we decided to join the Kuala Lumpur show for the first time. As we are looking to expand our business in Southeast Asia, we believe that leveraging resources here is the fastest way to understand the local market and customer needs. In addition to potential customers from Malaysia, we have also spoken to visitors from Indonesia, Middle East and Saudi Arabia, and we will further discuss cooperation after the show. I also attended the networking luncheon celebrating 50 years of Malaysia-China diplomatic ties. I believe events like this highlight the show’s support of trade and information exchange between the two countries.”

Exhibitor (Australia): Mr Mathew James, Marketing Coordinator, PartsCheck
“There is a gap in the market for our workshop solution, so we wanted to leverage this platform to raise our brand awareness and share our vision to the ASEAN market. Our solutions help workshops remove waste from their processes to get things done faster and improve cost efficiency. The show came at the right time for us as we have recently established a Malaysian base with a few shops piloting and using our products. It is great that we were placed next to the Collision Repair Training Workshop as many repairers are filtering through to our booth as well.”

Exhibitor (Korea): Mr Kwanghyun Pi, Vice President, SamsungBrake Corp
“This is our first time at Automechanika Kuala Lumpur. We decided to join this fair to expand our market in Malaysia, as the growing economy is creating more opportunities for our brake products with consumers buying more Korean car brands. We are looking for local distributors and I have met some potential partners who know about Korean products, which will facilitate our communication and cooperation as they understand our needs. I think the mixture of sourcing, training and entertainment components keep the show relevant and can attract more visitors to expand the fair’s influence in the market.”

Automotive Mobility Solutions Zone participant: Mr Lim Mun Chun, Channel Manager, Materialise (Malaysia)
“This was my first time at Automechanika Kuala Lumpur. My company participated as an exhibitor at the Automotive Mobility Solutions Zone, and I was also a speaker at the related Conference. The audience was very receptive to my presentation about 3D printing and applications in the automotive industry. In fact, after my talk, we had a number of audience members come to our booth to continue the discussion and exchange. Therefore, I think there is a lot of synergy in this type of participation and it is very impactful for our overall experience at the show.”

Buyer (Malaysia): Mr Kevin Yap, Assistant Manager, Toyota Tsusho (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
“I am spearheading a new division for our company, and I found Automechanika Kuala Lumpur to be a relevant window where we can connect and find more business partners.  It provides a good opportunity for collaboration or even setting up joint ventures with overseas companies, bringing in more investment to Malaysia.”

Buyer (UK): Mr Alan Duckers, CEO, Lodge Initiatives Ltd
“Over the years, I have found that the only way to make real lasting relationships and good business partners with overseas companies is making the effort to attend trade fairs such as Automechanika Kuala Lumpur. This is my first time here; it is very well organised and interesting to see how the organisers are reflecting consumer trends at the show, with the likes of TikTok and other interactive elements. It signals that they are acknowledging the direction of the industry in this regard.”

Audience at Automotive Mobility Solutions Conference: Mr Sean Cheah, Chief Financial Officer, Diamond Technique SDN BHD

“We are an SME and would like to know more about the transformations in digitalisation, automation, warehousing, and supply chain. I am looking at how we can implement upgrades using the technologies recommended here. The speakers have been very informative and so continuing to have these kinds of useful sessions is a good first step for us. In fact, I was here last year as well and decided to join again to keep up with the market trends.”

Audience at Collision Repair Workshop: Mr Ng Lin Hong, Engineering Manager, Mae Handling System Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
“I found that this training course was very informative as the exposed car models showed the complexities inside a vehicle, which normally we cannot see from the outside. I learnt about the diagnostics and maintenance of EV batteries and safety. These topics are very crucial for our business as they are new to the market and can influence what we offer in workshops. I appreciate that all the speakers are very knowledgeable and willing to share. I am looking forward to attending the show next year for further updates.”

The next edition of Automechanika Kuala Lumpur will take place from 8 to 10 May 2025. For more information, please visit www.automechanika-kl.com, or email the organisers at autoasia@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com.

The brand’s flagship show, Automechanika Frankfurt, will return to the stage from 10 to 14 September 2024. Meanwhile, other Automechanika events organised by Messe Frankfurt’s Greater China offices include:

• Automechanika Shanghai: 2 to 5 December 2024
  www.automechanika-shanghai.com
• Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City: 19 to 21 June 2025
  www.automechanika-hcmc.com