The show will be held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre from March 18 to March 21, showcasing the local and international component industry, the automotive aftermarket, workshops, the tyre and wheel industry, car wash technology, and the industries surrounding service stations.

Dogan Trading, a joint venture between the Johannesburg Expo Centre and South African Show Services, has been granted the right to host the show by event owner Messe Frankfurt.

This took 18 months of tough negotiations, says Dogan Trading chairperson Andrew Mthembu.

Around 250 exhibitors are anticipated to take part in the local event, with 8 000 visitors expected, he adds.

The event will not be open to the public.

Messe Frankfurt launched its first Automechanika fair outside Germany ten years ago, and has since developed the Automechanika name into a global trademark.

South Africa is the 13th country to host an Automechanika show, says Messe Frankfurt board management member Detlef Braun.

Other Automechanika venues include Italy, Russia, Argentina, Malaysia, China and Mexico.

Braun says one of the main reasons for bringing the show here is because of South Africa's growing automotive industry - for example, auto exports are expected to more than double from last year's R23,4-billion, reaching R51,4-billion in 2008.

"South Africa's parts and components industry is the 18th largest in the world," explains Braun.

With annual revenues of €423-million, and more than 1 400 employees around the world, Messe Frankfurt is Germany's biggest fair and exhibition company, and the second largest in the world.

Events "Made by Messe Frankfurt" are held at more than 30 venues worldwide.

In 2007, the Messe Frankfurt group organised a 113 fairs, 69 of them outside Germany.

Other shows include consumer goods, music and textile fairs.

Braun says it would be possible to bring other shows within the Messe Frankfurt fold to South Africa, but that this will be dependent on the success achieved with Automechanika.

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