Automechanika Astana 2022: a meeting of international automotive service industry in Central Asia

This year, Automechanika Astana has become a significant international event: more than 70 brands from Kazakhstan, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Japan, Turkey, China and Russia have joined the project, presenting the best solutions for the automotive service business.

For three days, exhibitors demonstrated products and services, negotiated with visitors and gave away branded merchandise at their stands. The participants noted that this year the audience of the exhibition was more professional: 2000 specialists visited Automechanika Astana 2022.

 

Phaeton, the largest distributor of spare parts in Kazakhstan, became the general partner of the event. The Phaeton team presented auto parts from famous brands, such as Bosch, Winkod, Sachs, OSRAM and dozens of others. The legendary Aston Martin sports car was also presented at the company's stand, creating a special atmosphere there.

 

At the bright stand of Karcher, visitors found out the best cleaning equipment: a new dry ice cleaning machine, especially relevant for detailing centers, powerful vacuum cleaners, push sweepers and much more.

 

One of the most popular locations of the exhibition was the stand of WOG, a manufacturer of auto chemicals, auto cosmetics and technical fluids. The visitors were attracted not only by the new MINI Cooper at the stand, but also by demonstration of the company’s products in action right on the car.

Automotive batteries of both domestic and foreign production could be found at the stands of the Kazakhstan plant Kainar and the German brand VARTA. Despite the fact that the exposition was generally dedicated to cars, the exhibition also included spare parts for commercial vehicles from TruckMotors and Kamsky Kardan.

 

Auto components, car fragrances, as well as an unusual exhibit – a motorhome by ORMO based on Ford Ranger – were presented at the regional stand "Made in Udmurtia". The cabin, located at the back of a truck is a complete living space with a refrigerator and outdoor shower that attracted a lot of attention from both visitors and other exhibitors.

 

The gradual lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the world allowed many foreign companies to join the project in 2022, including the Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters' Association from Turkey (OiB), the leading Italian engine parts manufacturer Freccia International, spare parts suppliers from Poland (Autopartner, Fristom, MaxGear), Japan (Meiji Sangyo), Hungary (K&K) and many others.

In the Chinese pavilion, with the help of translators, visitors could also talk to manufacturers and suppliers of equipment and spare parts for any brand of cars and commercial vehicles, such as Nissan, Toyota, Hyundai, Isuzu, JAC, Chery, Mercedes-Benz, SCANIA and many others.

 

An important part of the exhibition is the business program with the participation of specialists from industry associations and companies.

 

On June 23, the program was opened by the experts from KazAvtoProm, who told about the measures of government support for manufacturers of automotive components: in particular, exemption from customs duties and value added taxes. Summing up, the speakers noted that Kazakhstan now has favorable conditions for business initiatives in terms of the auto components manufacturing.

During the next session, MEIJI SANGYO COMPANY also touched upon the overseas aftermarket by presenting a Japanese line of spare parts and oils.

 

On June 24, an expanded meeting of Committee for Logistics and Transportation of the Presidium of The National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken" was organized. The industry associations – Union of Transport workers of Kazakhstan KAZLOGISTICS and Union of Motor Transport Workers of the Republic of Kazakhstan KAO – also joined the discussion of the automotive industry problems in Kazakhstan and ways to solve them.

 

Then, the speakers from LEOPART CENTER continued the program. Dias Chukobaev, together with international partners, presented software products in the field of auto business automation, which have no analogues in Kazakhstan, such as a service for searching auto parts by VIN number car and getting car insurance online.

 

This year the exhibition was entirely focused on business audience and new ways of cooperation with international partners, which is important in a constantly changing economic environment. This fact was confirmed by the majority of exhibitors, noting an increase in the share of the target audience among visitors.