There is unprecedented interest in Automechanika Johannesburg from other African countries this year. This follows the attendance at the first four roadshow meetings in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya to promote the event, which takes place at Expo Centre, Nasrec, from 18-21 September. More than 75 percent of the floor space has been booked already.
MIAZ, the Motor Industry Association of Zimbabwe, is planning on bringing a delegation of buyers to the show this year, as well as at least 30 buyers from Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya. Another three of these events are scheduled for, Rwanda, Botswana, and Namibia which will ensure more visitors from Africa than ever before to the show.
Automechanika Johannesburg will be opened officially in the morning of Wednesday, September 18, and will then continue with the presentation of the various, highly valued Innovation Awards.
Many organisations and some companies are also using Automechanika as the venue for meetings, conferences, and workshops. Among those who have already booked events of this kind are: Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), Engine Remanufacturing Association (ERA), Collision Repairers’ Association (CRA), Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA), Fuel Retailers’ Association (FRA) and Safer Connected Mobility.
Many of the exhibitors will be taking the opportunity to announce new products and services during the show.
One of these is Gulf Oil, who is demonstrating interest in Africa, by launching the brand in South Africa amongst others in Africa. Gulf’s in-country resource, Godfrey Rajool, is a qualified metallurgist with more than 15 years’ experience with a major oil company in South Africa.
Rajool comments that the new company is already operating in the lubricants market, with warehouses holding stock in Jet Park, Gauteng, as well as in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Gulf has appointed a national distributor, Shakti Lubricants, which is headed up by Donovan Iyemperumal, previous technical manager at one of the leading oil companies.