Key figures from Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City 2022:
- 173 exhibitors from 21 countries and regions
- 10,000 sqms of indoor and outdoor exhibition space
- Six country and region pavilions
- 10,112 visitors from 42 countries and regions
- 570,904 impressions on V-Connect from 90 countries and regions
- Seven concurrent fringe programme events
Ms Fiona Chiew, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, mentioned: “We channelled a lot of our efforts into championing the sustained growth and development of Vietnam’s automotive industry. We geared many of our onsite activities and online solutions to highlight domestic opportunities to global audiences. And so, it was very promising to see a solid response from overseas professionals taking part in the physical show and engaging with services on V-Connect.”
This year, the show hosted 173 exhibitors from 21 countries and regions across 10,000 sqms of space. Key companies included the likes of Benzol, CEPSA, CSG, DTE Systems, DUNLOP TECH, EPICOR, EXEDY, Greatway, INVENTIS, LOGIFORM, LTK Cable, Lubrex, Maxbelt, OBD Vietnam, PIX, REPSOL and Tasotti, to name a few.
During the three-day show, there was a strong sense of optimism about the local and regional market prospects, with many industry players keen to get back to business and interact with onsite activities. “Players can find opportunities in Vietnam's automotive production and the aftermarket. Attention from Vinfast and Thaco highlight the ingenuity of local manufacturing, with Vietnamese-made vehicles already circulating the global market. In addition, stronger purchasing power domestically is also boosting local car sales, which in turn, is creating more demand for aftermarket services. Therefore, B2C experiences at Automechanika Ho Chi Minh can help end-users understand the importance of car care and maintenance,” said Mr Nguyen Hoang Khanh, Managing Director of Würth Vietnam.
Echoing the sentiment of participants across the fair, Ms Sandra Chen (Executive Sales) expressed that Shining Blink Enterprises Co Ltd from Taiwan decided to exhibit because: “Automechanika is one of the most well-known trading platforms in the automotive industry. We joined the brand’s show in Vietnam because we were confident about the networks and connections in Southeast Asia. Vietnam is a strong emerging market, and so we are looking to establish wider retail, distribution and wholesale channels for our products both within the country and across the ASEAN region.”
Further feedback also indicated many companies used the show to find new distributors and re-establish networks lost from the pandemic. Mr Nuno Alvarez, Sales and Marketing Manager at REPSOL / United Oil Company Ltd Joint Venture (Singapore), was one such exhibitor believing: “Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City is the right B2B platform to support our objective of expanding REPSOL’s visibility and market presence across the country. We are looking for partners to expand our market reach, covering all possible segments in the lubricants market, both automotive and industrial, with the full range of REPSOL products available. The progress is indeed promising, and we look forward to following up on a good number of engagements from the show. It is definitely a good place to meet business partners in Vietnam.”
In total, the show attracted 10,112 onsite visitors from 42 countries and regions like Australia, Cambodia, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, the UAE, the US and Vietnam.
Attending the show to take advantage of Vietnam’s unique automotive landscape, Mr Vincent Poulain, Export Manager – APAC from IGOL (France), emphasised: “We are here mainly to gather information about the market. It is clear that the local automotive industry is developing very fast, and so we are exploring a number of market entry points to capitalise on the growing opportunities in the passenger, commercial and motorcycle sectors. From speaking to a number of leaders at the show, I believe our lubricants are well-suited to the market’s needs, and I am excited to take our strategic business project further.”
For the first time, V-Connect was a vital part of the Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City’s toolkit, with many appreciating remote gateways to onsite exhibitors, conferences and workshops. Australia, Cambodia, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the UAE, the US and Vietnam took up a large proportion of registered visitors from 90 countries and regions. The networking functions were some of the most popular tools that visitors utilised for onsite and online meetings. “The extension of V-Connect was great because we could share our portfolio to an even wider online audience. Several potential customers reached out via the platform, which we plan to communicate with after the show. The tool is certainly a beneficial value-added service for our business expansion,” explained Mr Mujeeb Ur Reh, the Director of Operations at Global Lubricant Industry LLC (Benzol) from the UAE.
Analytics from online users suggest that the most popular sectors explored included OEMs, passenger vehicles and aftermarket solutions. Importantly, these interest areas lined up with the show’s main highlights in Automotive Manufacturing & Automation, Automotive Services & Maintenance, and Accessories & Customising.
In this regard, Ms Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, the Country Manager of the US-based firm Epicor Software Vietnam Company Ltd, noted: “Since the pandemic, smart factory innovations and Industry 4.0 have rapidly increased, and demand in Vietnam’s automotive parts manufacturing is no different; many companies are looking for intelligent, end-to-end solutions to transform their business operations. I am glad to see this trend promoted at the show as we are here to form business relationships with carmakers and tier one manufacturers in the domestic as well as regional market.”
Events amplified market trends and business opportunities
Across the arena, a collection of educational and experiential events zeroed in on Vietnam’s distinct trends and needs in the automotive industry.
To illustrate, onsite and online audiences received the Automechanika Connected Exchange well. Mr Anurag Sood from Car Amigos (India) applauded the relevance of information shared about the recent advancements in automotive manufacturing and automation, electromobility and digitalisation. He found: “The conference was very informative, especially the topics about electric vehicle charging. Electric vehicles are the future, but the infrastructure needs to grow in order to encourage more car sales. I attended the event as I was hoping to understand how these developments may possibly apply in New Delhi too.”
Elsewhere, the Auto Service Day was one of the most popular activity areas at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center. Owing to the co-organiser’s strong understanding of the consumer market, Mr Nguyen Thanh Dam, the Founder of OTO-HUI, explained: “Our series and activities were unique because we wanted to help car owners recognise the importance of maintenance and repair. It was, therefore, great to see end-users at the show learning more about car care and accessories, in addition to workshop owners examining the latest product lines and services for their customers.”
Ms Judy Wang, President of Yorkers Exhibition Service Vietnam, said: “I believe our interactive events were an enticing way of attracting a broader range of players from across the supply chain. While speaking to local business owners, it was encouraging to hear many expressing a desire to upskill and upgrade their services and solutions. This feedback perfectly aligns with our ongoing targets and offerings, which we will carry forward during the show’s next edition from 23 to 25 June 2023.”
To access high resolution photographs of Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City 2022, please download from the ‘Press Material’ page at www.automechanika-hcmc.com.
Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City social media pages #AMHCMC22
facebook.com/automechanikahochiminhcity
linkedin.com/showcase/automechanikahochiminhcity
instagram.com/automechanikahochiminhcity
Play It! Channel VN (YouTube channel)
The fair is co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, Chan Chao International Co Ltd and Yorkers Exhibition Service Vietnam. For more information, please visit www.automechanika-hcmc.com or contact Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, +852 2802 7728 / autoasia@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com.
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
The Messe Frankfurt Group is one of the world’s leading trade fair, congress and event organisers with their own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,200 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. As in the previous year, annual sales for 2021 were significantly lower owing to the COVID-19 pandemic: approximately €154 million compared with Group sales as high as €736 million in pre-pandemic 2019. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. Sustainable business practices are a central pillar of our corporate strategy and strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity. Another of Messe Frankfurt’s strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
Background information on Chan Chao International Co Ltd and Yorkers Exhibition Service Vietnam
Chan Chao is the leading Taiwan-based international exhibition organiser, has achieved outstanding feat in organising high-technology, machineries as well as consumer-oriented exhibitions. Over three decades, Chan Chao has extended flagship brands into Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Myanmar and Vietnam with their professionalism. Yorkers is the subsidiary office of Chan Chao in Vietnam.
For more information, please visit: www.chanchao.com.tw/en