RMI bags Silver award for Automechanika stand

The Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) proudly received a Silver award from Messe Frankfurt South Africa (Pty) Ltd for its stand at this year’s Automechanika show. The stand had three separate sections showcasing its associations, the latest technology innovations, a tyre-fitment competition and even a Chev 4100 engine.

(From left) Jakkie Olivier, CEO of RMI, and Danelle van der Merwe, Brand and Communications manager at RMI, received the award from Messe Frankfurt South Africa’s Group Exhibitions Director, Joshua Low.

Automechanika Johannesburg 2019

The RMI was able to secure a 200m2 stand for the Automechanika Show 2019. The purpose of the show stand was to highlight the re-focus of the RMI to the commercial interests of the membership. The stand was designed with the need to create interactivity with the visitors to the show from where the opportunity to engage further with the visitors was the goal.
The stand was comprised of three separate sections. In the middle section the RMI was joined by the MPEA, TDAFA, MIWA, ERA, ACRA, SADFIA associations which provided an interesting display of products and services.
The second section was dedicated to an interactive display of diesel injector testing and engines both new and rebuilt, by Almo Engineering from Virginia in the OFS. This area drew an enormous amount of visitor interest when the Chev 4100 was started and revved. This was no normal motor!
Finally, the third section of the RMI stand was where the tyre fitment competition took place. This area was set-up by Leaderquip to demonstrate the latest in ADAS systems and the latest in fully automatic tyre changing equipment namely the Hunter Revolution machine.
The tyre changing competition was based on the use of the most basic of equipment such as would be used in an entry level fitment centre. The tyre changer was a Leaderquip Forte and the wheel balancer was the Mezzi balancer.

Most of the competitors were clearly used to using high spec machines and had to undergo and orientation on these machines. This allowed the competitors to all operate off an equal footing after practicing a few times on the equipment.
Once the competitors were ready, the timed testing was started. The competitors were not limited in the number of attempts at achieving the best times and the improvements in times was dramatic as processes were adapted to suit the environment and the equipment.
The business owners were also on hand to provide moral support for the competitors and found themselves caught up in the excitement of the competition where they were pitting the virtues of their entrants against one another as well.
The winners were announced at 11h15 on Saturday 21 October (before the rugby!!). The top four competitors worked extremely hard to reach the fastest time of an unbelievably quick 1 minute 58 seconds. This is less than 2 minutes to deflate, strip, refit, inflate the tyre and also balance the wheel correctly.
The winning tyre fitters were:

Name Time Prize
1. Johannes Mputi 1:58 Fridge
2. Donavan Lourens 2:02 Flat screen TV set
3. Liberty Mamabolo 2:19 Microwave oven
4. Isaac Ramotebele 2:31 Bluetooth speaker system

 
The winning businesses where the tyre fitters are employed were:

Supa Quick Silverton Les Richardson (1st and 2nd place) He wins both a trip to Automechanika Frankfurt 2020, flights and accommodation as well as the Leaderquip Forte tyre changing machine.
Supa Quick Strydom Park Bailey van Breda Launch Pilot scan tool
Tyremart Randburg Bailey van Breda Weekend for two at any Premier Hotel

In conclusion, a lot of fun was had and all who participated welcomed the concept and look forward to the next opportunity to compete again in 2020. We would like to thank our sponsors for the support in this first but not last competition of this nature:
Messe Frankfurt
Leaderquip
Launch Diagnostics
Messe Frankfurt Johannesburg
Premier Hotels Group

Registrations for Automechanika Johannesburg now open

Taking place every two years, Automechanika Johannesburg is the leading and largest international trade fair servicing the automotive aftermarket on the African continent.

This event takes place from 18 to 21 September at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec.

This year’s event marks the sixth time this international trade expo takes place in South Africa. It will, for the second time, be co-located with Futuroad Expo, a truck, bus and commercial vehicle exhibition, and Scalex Johannesburg, a logistics and infrastructure trade fair.

Each of the first three days is being dedicated to a specific theme: innovation on the Wednesday, skills development on the Thursday and  buy local  on the Friday.

Why should you attend Automechanika Johannesburg?

If your business operates within these industries, then this is an unprecedented networking opportunity to grow your business footprint. Registrations is completely free, all you need to do is pre-register online to secure your visitor pass.

Secure your visitor pass online here.

Priyanka.lutchman@za.messefrankfurt.com

Visit the website:www.automechanikasa.co.za

For visitor registration queries, please contactPriyanka Lutchman (Marketing Manager): Priyanka.lutchman@za.messefrankfurt.com

Automechanika Celebrates 40th Anniversary

The Automechanika aftermarket trade fair brand has been celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, having opened its doors in Frankfurt on September 18, 1971. At that time nobody would have predicted that this event would develop into the world’s leading businesses platform for the automotive supplier industry, the service and repair sector and the trade in general.
The trade associations, especially the Federation of the German Motor Trade (ZDK) were not deterred by the cancellation of the Frankfurt Motor show that year and instead called for an event for automotive parts and accessories suppliers. About 500 companies and 75 000 visitors from 63 countries came to Frankfurt for the first Automechanika.
The participants were delighted and the results were good for all parties concerned. It was then decided to stage Automechanika in the alternate years between the Frankfurt Motor Shows.
Today Automechanika is not only one of the leading trade fairs organised by Messe Frankfurt, but also the world’s most international trade fair brand. Automechanika is now held at 11 venues worldwide in addition to the flagship event in Frankfurt. The cities outside Germany where Automechanika trade fairs are now staged are: Moscow, Shanghai, Bangkok, St. Petersburg, Dubai, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid, Istanbul and Johannesburg.
Frankfurt continues to be the home venue and last year attracted 4 471 exhibitors from 76 countries and 155 000 visitors.
Already 80 per cent of the exhibition space has already been sold for the next Automechanika to be held in Frankfurt from September 11-16, 2012. Companies wishing to register for the 2012 event can find full details on the internet at www.automechanika.com.
Automechanika South Africa will be staged at the Johannesburg Expo Centre for the third time in 2013, with the show dates being May 8 – 11.