Automechanika Frankfurt, the leading trade fair for the international automotive aftermarket, and the Association of International Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (VDIK) have agreed to cooperate in order to increase the visibility of the brand-specific aftermarket. The aim is to promote exchange between automotive manufacturers and suppliers in the run-up to the next Automechanika in Frankfurt in September 2026. A variety of special formats will be used to communicate the core topics of the industry to the trade public in the run-up to the trade fair. The issues will be examined from the perspectives of manufacturers, branded service providers, and large retail groups.
VDIK President Imelda Labbé: “The cooperation between Automechanika and VDIK brings together the concentrated expertise of the branded aftermarket. On the one hand, there is the expertise of international automotive brands in aftersales, and on the other, Automechanika is the leading international trade fair brand and platform for innovations in the areas of workshop equipment, parts, and services at 15 locations worldwide. We look forward to presenting the exciting topics and current challenges facing the industry in attractive event formats and discussing them with experts from the automotive aftermarket.”
Michael Johannes, Vice President of Messe Frankfurt and Brand Manager of Automechanika: “We look forward to working with the VDIK and see synergies and overlaps in many areas that affect both our customers and the members of the VDIK. Automechanika is a platform for innovations along the entire value chain, and industry players from all over the world align their production cycles with the dates of the leading trade fair in Frankfurt.”
Under the motto “Road to Automechanika,” the VDIK is launching a series of events with prominent speakers, panel participants, and media partners in conjunction with Automechanika Frankfurt. The content of the formats will be enriched by the expertise of the international motor vehicle manufacturers in the VDIK and other experts from the association’s environment. The focus will be on topics such as aftermarket strategies of new players, vehicle data, business prospects for automobile manufacturers and service providers, accident damage management, fleet service of the future, and important decisions for the mobility transition. The series of events will be complemented by attractive special prizes relevant to trade visitors, for example in the areas of connectivity, aftersales services, and workshop tests.
In this context, the VDIK has created the option of supporting membership in the association. This allows organizations and companies to support the work of the VDIK for the automotive industry and also benefit from cooperation with Automechanika. They can participate in professional exchanges and VDIK events, present their organization, and use the association’s network.
The VDIK is the voice of international automotive manufacturers in Berlin and represents their interests in politics and in the public sphere. The association strengthens the visibility of international automotive manufacturers in the media, thereby ensuring greater attention and awareness for its members and partners in Germany.
With 15 events around the globe, Automechanika is the most successful B2B trade fair brand in the world. In 2025, 11 Automechanika trade fairs will take place worldwide. The trade fair was first held in Frankfurt in 1971. Since the 1990s, new locations around the world have been continuously added. Automechanika is now represented in 15 cities: in addition to Frankfurt, these are Astana, Birmingham, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Ho Chi Minh City, Istanbul, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, Mexico City, New Delhi, Riyadh, Shanghai, and Tashkent. The events are supported worldwide by around 130 partners and leading associations in the automotive aftermarket.
