The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event will provide a focused opportunity for suppliers and their garage and bodyshop customers to engage, learn and facilitate progress as we seek to adapt to the rapidly changing nature of the industry.
The event has been designed to meet market demand, after the organisers surveyed over 300 garages, and consulted with suppliers. They identified the need for an event where suppliers can deliver training, product and technology expertise to a captivated, core audience through live demonstrations, technical seminars and high-value training.
Taking place on 8th and 9th June 2022 at the NEC Birmingham, the event will offer leading suppliers, three training hubs and three feature areas. There will be live demonstrations and accredited training across three key areas: EV Hybrid, Workshop and Collision Repair, each offering technical seminars from industry experts covering ADAS, MOT, safety/service and repair, collision repair, diagnostics plus more.
Feedback in the survey showed 78 percent of garages wanted to return to face-to-face events, and participants overwhelmingly supported the concept of a dedicated garage and bodyshop event to run in 2022.
The event has seen huge industry support with associations already supporting the event including the Institute of Motoring Industry (IMI), Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF), Society of Motoring Manufacturers (SMMT), Independent Garage Association (IGA), National Bodyshop Repair Association (NBRA), Hybrid Electric Vehicle Repair Association (HEVRA), Automotive Bodyshop Professionals Club (ABP) to name a few.
Mark Field, CEO of IAAF said “With arguably the biggest shift for the UK aftermarket happening here and now with the presence of ADAS and hybrid/EV technology, increased cybersecurity and access to in-vehicle data, a UK focused exhibition for garages and bodyshops is essential to keeping the industry connected and up to date.”
Adam Griffiths, Marketing Country Lead UK & Ireland of ZF ‘This event gives us a great opportunity to engage directly with our end customers at a time where such support is much needed. With so much change and development taking place in our industry, it is imperative we take a proactive approach in regards to delivering training, advice and support to our networks, ensuring our industry is equipped to face the future.’
Simon Albert, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt UK, comments: “The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event will be the first national trade event for the aftermarket since 2019 offering opportunity to engage with thousands of UK garages and bodyshops. We’re looking forward to bringing the aftermarket together again.”
Other features for visitors to benefit from include; a best-in-class, modern garage workshop to showcase the latest infrastructure, equipment and tools, to inform business planning and investment priorities.
There will also be a take-home training guide folder for visitors to collate their training library and options from each training hub, stand and feature. In addition, there will be a Garage Equipment Showcase of products from garage equipment suppliers, and an inaugural summer networking event hosted by the IAAF.
If you’d like to find out more about The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event, please contact grant.elrick@uk.messefrankfurt.com or call +44 (0) 1483 483984. Tickets will be available at www.garage-and-bodyshop-event.uk.messefrankfurt.com/
What the industry is saying:
David Cresswell, Chairman of Auto Body Professionals Club (ABP): With the pace of change in the industry, the rate in which workshops and bodyshops must invest to be competitive is increasing, as is the constant training and development required to ensure they are fully equipped to repair vehicles. A national trade event to bring the bodyshop industry together is needed and we’re glad it’s coming!
Peter Melville, HEVRA: We’re delighted a focused national event for owners and technicians from both garages and bodyshops will highlight the rapid change towards electric and hybrid vehicles, the challenges and opportunities this brings for the aftermarket. We look forward to seeing you there, meeting face to face at last again!
Hayley Pells, Owner of Avia Autos: The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event is a must for my diary as a workshop owner. Digital resources have helped enormously during lockdown, but I am looking forward to experiencing first-hand the training and products that are going to drive my business forward.
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. The Messe Frankfurt Group employs around 2,500* people in a total of 30 subsidiaries. The company generated annual sales of approximately €250* million in 2020 after having recorded sales of €738 million the previous year. Even in difficult times caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we are globally networked with our industry sectors. We have close ties with our industry sectors and serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of the Group’s key USPs is its closely knit global sales network, which extends throughout the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are expanding our digital expertise with new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
* preliminary figures 2020