AUTOMECH 2005, the 10th Arab African automotive exhibition opens in Exhibition Land, Cairo today. The event brings together more than 400 exhibitors including leading car manufacturers BMW, Volkswagen, Jaguar, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Hummer, Land Rover, Opel, Chevrolet, Peugeot, Citroen, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Nissan, Renault, Mercedes and Lexus as well as representatives from the transportation, spare parts, accessories, maintenance equipment and service industries.
Commenting on the event, Ahmed Ghozzi, Chairman, ACG-ITF, the organizers of the show, said: "AUTOMECH 2005 is a comprehensive trade fair that caters to the entire spectrum of automotive industries from vehicles, motorcar workshops, service station equipment, automobile spare parts to accessories and ancillary services. The event brings together leading international car manufacturers, dealers and distributors under one roof allowing them to liaise and take advantage of the growth opportunities afforded by the region”.
"AUTOMECH 2005 provides exhibitors an ideal opportunity to improve their business prospects by reaching out to the 400 million consumer base in the MENA region. The high economic growth registered by countries in the MENA area has seen a concurrent surge in the region's automobile industry. Most international automobile manufacturers have presence in the region and new players are also seeking to set up facilities here," he added.
AUTOMECH 2005 is expected to boost car trade and the auto manufacturing and spare parts industries in Egypt, a country which provides ideal investment opportunities with abundance of cheap labour. The event is expected to attract over 200,000 visitors, a large percentage of whom would be youth. AUTOMECH is distinguished by the international participation its attracts, and 2005 will see the inclusion of 400 participants from a broad list of 26 countries including Egypt, Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Holland, Romania, Ukraine, the UAE, UK and the USA.
Leading international manufacturers are geared up for the exhibition, with BMW, Chevrolet and Hyundai promising exciting offerings. The hard-hitting Japanese trio of Nissan, Honda and Toyota are first-time entrants and are expected to put up a strong performance while the French manufacturing giants Peugeot, Renault, and Citroen are also participating with flair. The American giant GM has spent millions to vow customers and potential partners. A first for AUTOMECH is the display of the latest model Chinese cars. Chinese-manufactured vehicles have enjoyed high demand in the Egyptian market of late.
AUTOMECH has witnessed the launch of several automotive brands and agencies in Egypt since its inception in 1996, including Jaguar, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Rolls Royce and Hummer. With five million vehicles running on its roads, Egypt imports nearly 75 per cent of its automotive repair and maintenance requirements.
“It is ideal that the show is being held in Egypt, which is the gateway to the entire region. Most of the leading vehicle brand manufacturers have chosen Egypt as their regional headquarters. General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Daimler Chrysler, BMW, Mitsubishi, Volvo, Mann, Mercedes (Heavy) and others have already launched their regional manufacturing plants in Egypt. Other leading manufacturers have appointed agencies to serve both the growing local market and the surrounding regional markets," concluded Ghozzi.
