15.08.2011 PAACE Automechanika Mexico 2011 hosted 474 exhibitors from 20 countries and 11,895 visitors

• Key exhibitors reinforce PAACE Automechanika Mexico as the most important trade event for Mexico and Central America
• PAACE Automechanika Mexico Seminar Program participation increases
• More than a 10% increase in the Customized Vehicle Display

The 13th edition of PAACE Automechanika Mexico, Mexico and Central America’s most important international trade show for the automotive aftermarket, returned to the Centro Banamex in Mexico City, July 13 – 15, 2011. The event showcased 474 exhibitors from 20 countries and hosted an impressive number of 11,895 visitors from 31 countries.

Exhibiting companies reinforced the success of the 2011 event, recognizing it as the most important platform in Mexico and Central America for the automotive aftermarket industry.  Returning exhibitors were pleased with the notable amount of buyer traffic and quality of attendance while first-time exhibitors analyzed the opportunities in the Mexican market with enthusiasm.

“PAACE Automechanika Mexico continues to be an excellent venue for us to showcase our products within a very large market. The show provides it’s exhibitors with many opportunities to grow their business within Mexico. Best Brakes will not miss this important “Mid Year” Aftermarket Industry event,” stated H. Kevin Wells, VP Sales & Marketing, North America.

The continuance of strong buyer attendance underscored the opportunities and positive outlook forecasted for Mexico’s automotive aftermarket as well as the importance of PAACE Automechanika Mexico as the industry’s key event.

“PAACE Automechanika Mexico has positioned itself as the leading Automotve show in Latin America which is evident by the quality of buyers and decision makers that attend the event,” stated by Leandro Solórzano, International Trade Specialist, U.S. Department of Commerce / U.S. Commercial Service.

Thousands of buyers in the industry attended the three-day trade show to find the latest products and services from around the world, network with industry colleagues, learn more about the personalization of vehicles and enhance their education in the PAACE Automechanika Mexico Seminar Program.

The Seminar Program exceeded 2010 by reaching nearly 9,000 participants over the three day event. PAACE Automechanika Mexico provided participants with a broad range of training and educational opportunities through its Seminar Program, sponsored by exhibiting companies. The program featured more than 40 seminars ranging from specific technical topics such as Diagnostic and Repair of AutomaticTransmissions, presented by Power Star to general business topics such as How to Start and Improve Your Business, Even In Times of Economic or Mental Crisis, presented by Injectoclean.

“After almost a decade of sponsoring seminars at the annual PAACE Automechanika Mexico trade show in Mexico City, I have seen that presenting a training seminar becomes a win/win opportunity for both the manufacturer of a product as well as the attending technician,” commented Joe Logue, International Sales Manager, Lubegard by International Lubricants, Inc.

This educational component attracted thousands of industry professionals looking to enhance their skills and learn about the latest technology impacting today’s market, with the Power Star seminar drawing the highest attendance of 920 participants.

David Audrain, president of Messe Frankfurt, Inc. stated,“We were pleased to be able to deliver another quality event. As Mexico and Central America’s premier event for the automotive aftermarket, PAACE Automechanika Mexico offers unparalleled opportunities to industry professionals to source products on an international level and grow their business in the Latin American market.”

One of the primary attractions was the more than 100 customized vehicles showcased throughout the show floor - an increase of more than 10% from the 2010 event. The display drew thousands of attendees interested in personalization of vehicles, a growing market in Mexico, PAACE Automechanika Mexico was pleased to showcase this special feature area, sponsored by the National Association of Mexican Auto Clubs (ANACM) and Muscle Cars V8 Magazine.

Exhibitor Statements

Mahle, Luis Alberto Gutiérrez Piña, Managing Director, Mexico:
“It is very important for us to participate because this is an International exhibition.  The level of the visitors is excellent; we already received a visit from three of the largest wholesalers in the country, and we are also meeting with regional players.  At PAACE Automechanika Mexico I can meet with 30 key buyers in one day, instead of traveling to visit them one by one.”

Alto Products Corporation, David Landa, President, USA:
“The PAACE Automechanika Mexico show is far and away the best venue for reaching our customers in the Mexican market. This is one of the best shows we do every year and always get a great return in our investment. We are already planning for next year.”

Beru, S.A. de C.V., Mario Loske Mehling, Managing Director, Mexico: 
“PAACE Automechanika Mexico has been very good to us. It is always nice to receive the visit of known clients and friends, and also new visitors from the country and abroad as well. The attendance is good in this show; we regard quality of visitors above quantity.”

BrakeQuip, LLC, Bill McCulley, North American Sales Manager, USA: 
“Our company president has walked the PAACE Automechanika Mexico show in the past and decided that we should take a shot at seeing what the interest was in Mexico for our program. We also used this year’s show to have a prospective master distributor work the show with us and let him get a feel for the level of interest and what the business opportunity could be for him. As it turned out we had several hundred interested visitors that we scanned. It looks like we have now a solid base to launch our program into a great new territory. We certainly plan on being back in the future.”

Knopf Automotive, LLC, David Gaytan, USA: 
“PAACE Automechanika Mexico was a wonderful show for us.  It was our first time and we are already looking forward to 2012!”

Seal Aftermarket Products, Wendy Ritz, Regional Sales Manager, USA: 
“PAACE Automechanika continually provides the return on investment.  I am glad we exhibited in 2011 as a result we have been given some great opportunities in Mexico.  We will be there in 2012.”

Best Brakes, H. Kevin Wells, VP Sales & Marketing, North America, USA: 
“PAACE Automechanika Mexico continues to be an excellent venue for us to showcase our products within a very large market. The show provides it’s exhibitors with many opportunities to grow their business within Mexico. Best Brakes will not miss this important “Mid Year” Aftermarket Industry event.”

Autozone de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., Jessica Chapa, Marketing Coordinator, Mexico: 
“This is our first year and the response has been very favorable, we are attracting more buyers from this region. Now that we have over 200 stores in Mexico it was for us the right time to participate in an event of such magnitude as PAACE Automechanika Mexico.”

King Engine Bearings, Inc., Michael, USA:
“PAACE Automechanika Mexico was really good for us…best ever… plenty of targeted and high value accounts came to see us.”

Atlantic Pacific Automotive, LLC, J. Hill Ryer, Vice President Business Development, USA: 
“This was our third year at Automechanika Mexico, and have become big believers in its benefit to our company.  The quantity and quality of our contacts and leads seem to get better every year.”

Schumacher Electric Corp, Michael OToole, Director International Sales, USA: 
“We have exhibited at PAACE Automechanika Mexico for several years and in the present economic climate (with all costs being scrutinized and dollars spent justified) I was interested to see if this specific show would be of a tangible benefit to SEC (Grupo Schumex).  Happily I would have to say unequivocally yes!  I was personally astonished at the number of people who attended the show - we were busy from the opening of the doors to closing each and every day - approximately 450 leads to hand over to our existing distributors.”

Robert Bosch, Sergio Aguilar, Automotive Aftermarket Director, Mexico:
“We have made many contacts from mechanics and repair shops interested in our Bosch Car Service network.  A great many people are asking about the distribution of our products, both retail and wholesale.  We had lots of business meetings with current clients and prospects to discuss business opportunities, which is what we are looking in this market.”

PAACE Automechanika Mexico is organized by Messe Frankfurt, Inc. in partnership with key industry associations including APRA, MEMA and SEMA.  The organizers are already working on the next edition of PAACE Automechanika Mexico, July 18 – 20, 2012, which promises more innovation, more products and more opportunities for exhibitors and attendees in the automotive aftermarket sector.

For further information, please visit: www.PAACEAutomechanika.com