Automechanika Birmingham Garage Awards 2024, hosted by the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) and headline sponsored by LKQ Euro Car Parts, is set to receive a dose of laughter and entertainment as the talented comedian Justin Moorhouse joins the prestigious event as the guest entertainer.
Automechanika Birmingham and Women Automotive Network will jointly host a free in-person networking drinks reception on Thursday 7 March. The event welcomes all automotive professionals and targets the creation of a support network for women in the industry. The event recognises the need to plug the current skills shortage, showcasing a progressive industry. Forecasts suggest that there will be a significant shortfall in the skills needed to service an evolving car parc, particularly technicians qualified to work safely and competently on electric vehicles. Women remain underrepresented in the sector, with around 19 per cent of roles in the automotive supply chain filled by female workers.
Messe Frankfurt UK, which organises Automechanika Birmingham and UK Garage & Bodyshop Event, has appointed Joanne Knowles as event director.
The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event returns in 2024 and organiser Messe Frankfurt UK reports receiving a swathe of bookings for early bird offers on stands. Leading automotive aftermarket suppliers, parts distributors, and manufacturers have booked over 60% of stands for the event, positioning them to engage with garage and bodyshop owners and professionals at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) on 5-6 June 2024.
The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event (UKGBE), presented by Automechanika Birmingham, will participate in this year’s Bangers4Ben rally. Its team, dubbed the Dublin Driving Dolls, will travel 1,500 miles across Ireland over four days (7-10 October) alongside other entrants in their very own ‘bangers’, all of which cost less than £750. The rally will cross the Irish Sea from Holyhead to Dublin, hitting the winding roads of Ireland, before completing the tour back in Dublin and the ferry back to Britain. UKGBE has partnered with LKQ Euro Car Parts and established aftermarket business owners Louise Baker and Rachel Murray on its entry.
Automechanika Birmingham culminated in the prize of third-place for customer engagement for Maverick Diagnostics.
Launch Tech UK’s Automechanika Birmingham stand was “a hive of activity”, according to the company, with popular influencers Baz Meredith, and Jimmy O’Riley of O’Rileys Autos on hand to talk to fellow technicians about Launch Tech’s diagnostic devices and workshop equipment.
Following a four-year absence, Automechanika Birmingham is reporting a record number of UK automotive professionals attended the 2023 show at the start of June. The 14,402 visitors figure was an increase of 19 per cent on the 2019 show. The total of 6750 garages, workshops and bodyshops, was also a record. A total of 511 suppliers from 23 countries – including key leading brands exhibited.
With about a fortnight to go until it opens its doors once more, Automechanika Birmingham – hosted from 6th – 8th June at the NEC – has given visitors a flavour of what’s to come at this year’s highly anticipated show, launching its official event preview.
Alldata Europe is hosting a panel of industry experts to discuss the significance and impact of access to vehicle manufacturer data at Automechanika Birmingham 2023 in June. Specifically, Alldata UK sales director, Simon Frost; and technical support specialist, Steve Derham, will welcome: Dave Shepherd – founder and director of The Cognoscenti Partnership Limited; Tim Benson – Independent garage owner, Oldfields Garage; and James Dillon – founder Technical Topics. The theme is “Remove the guesswork”.
As a platinum partner, Hella will be exhibiting a broad range of its workshop equipment, as well as its original equipment (OE) replacement parts programme, at Automechanika Birmingham. Through its Hella Gutmann brand, Hella will be showing both vehicle diagnostics and tools for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), from stand Q90 in hall 19.
Europe’s largest battery distributor, Ecobat, reports that it is demonstrating its solutions across five defined areas: automotive, leisure, mobility/motorcycle and chargers/invertors at Automechanika Birmingham (stand G90 in hall 20). In addition sister company, Ecobat Solutions, focuses on electric vehicle (EV) technology.
LKQ Euro Car Parts will be the headline sponsor of the first Automechanika Birmingham Garage Awards, hosted by the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF). Celebrating outstanding achievements across the garage sector as well as the federation’s lobbying activity, the awards will be held on the evening of Wednesday 7 June at Hilton Metropole NEC. The event coincides with the automotive aftermarket trade exhibition, Automechanika Birmingham, where LKQ Euro Car Parts promises “an eye-catching display”. Award nominations are now open; you can submit your nominations here.
Automechanika Birmingham has shared its specialist event expertise and knowledge by supporting the biggest ever free Christmas party, One Day at Christmas, arranged by events industry publisher, Mash Media, for those who are alone or vulnerable over the festive period. Held on 5 December simultaneously in London, Birmingham and Glasgow, the events industry pulled together to support the dedicated initiative, welcoming over 900 people across the three venues, giving lots of elderly and lonely people a moment to remember this Christmas.
Automechanika Birmingham will be partnering with the National Tyre Distribution Association (NTDA) for its 2023 event. Taking place from 6 to 8 June 2023 at the NEC, Automechanika Birmingham 2023 will be the first UK event since 2019 and is already set to be a sell-out show packed with new brands exhibiting, features and training hubs for collision repair, electric vehicles, ADAS and more.
NTDA Chief Executive Stefan Hay commented: “We hope that more of our supplier members will join the hundreds of other businesses at the largest national gathering of automotive professionals in the UK and showcase their latest parts, components, equipment, tools, technologies and services this year. Of course, we also hope that as usual many of our full tyre distributor and fast fit centre members will also visit this fantastic event and come to meet the NTDA team.”
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