Messe Frankfurt, producer of Automechanika, the leading international brand of automotive trade shows, and Advanstar Communications, one of the largest tradeshow organizers in the U.S., will join forces to launch Automechanika Chicago. The show will be the 14th Automechanika event around the globe, and will take place April 24-26, 2015, at McCormick Place.

Automechanika Chicago will showcase the newest tools, equipment and products in the market and will be the largest U.S. trade show dedicated to high-end technical training and management classes for automotive technicians and shop owners. The event will leverage the world’s most-trusted show brand – Automechanika – with Advanstar’s leading automotive publications for the service repair and collision repair segments, Motor Age and Auto Body Repair Network.

The launch of Automechanika Chicago was announced today by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel during a press conference. Chicago was chosen as an ideal location for the venture because it is centrally located in the U.S. and easily accessible for drive-in attendees and air travel. McCormick Place will serve as home to Automechanika Chicago on a biannual basis starting next year.

"We are excited about our partnership with Advanstar. Our combined experience in launching successful events only strengthens our ability to service this untapped niche within the automotive aftermarket industry,” said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt.

Positioning
The U.S. automotive aftermarket has maintained steady growth of more than 3.4 percent annually, fueled by an aging vehicle population where the average vehice age is 11.4 years. These trends along with an explosion of new technology means technicians must keep pace. Automechanika Chicago will be THE venue for shop-level training in North America.

Michael Johannes, Brand Manager of Automechanika, said the show’s shop-friendly environment “will allow visitors, from technicians to shop owners, to really get a feel for the new product offerings through the various demonstrations, management seminars and technical training sessions. With the number of diverse product categories exhibiting at this one event, attendees can experience the latest advancements in a very efficient manner."