With more than 95,000 visitors from 56 countries and some 1,200 exhibitors and brands representing 40 different countries, the 2017 EQUIP AUTO achieved its goal: to establish itself as a leading show for automotive after-sales and services for mobility in France by completely redesigning it and relocating it to the centre of Paris.
"We were very keen to relocate the show to Porte de Versailles and to bring the whole automotive after-sales sector together for a modestly-sized event as a means of generating business and shining a spotlight on the challenges of the future. Given the quality of the exhibitors at the show and the numerous discussions and debates that took place, I think we achieved our goal. Innovation and training also played a key role in our discussions about EQUIP AUTO's positioning. Essentially, I'm particularly pleased with two aspects of the show: on the one hand, significantly higher numbers of start-ups and young companies at the Innovation & Start-ups Park that we created for the event – 50% more than in 2015, and on the other hand, [email protected], an event organised by the French Society of automotive engineers in partnership with the FIEV, the CCFA and the Automotive and Mobility manufacturer/supplier platform which brought together nearly 500 engineering students at the show. These extremely positive results are only the first step in the EQUIP AUTO show's strategy to reconquer the sector".
The FIEV and the FFC are delighted to see that the transformation strategy that the show has been implementing has started to bear fruit in 2017. The federations involved in organising it are also very pleased with the increase in the number of companies visiting the show compared with in 2015. For them, this is evidence of the "new formula" EQUIP AUTO show's ability to appeal to more and more companies.
"All the exhibitors, from all of their various business sectors, perfectly succeeded in appropriating the new exhibition site and were able to get their clients and prospective clients involved. One of the things I'll remember about this year's show is the excellent business climate and the friendly atmosphere which could immediately be felt in each of EQUIP AUTO's three halls. I'd like to point out that Business, Innovation and Friendliness were the watchwords underpinning the months of preparation leading up to the event. Across the Federation, we worked hard to bring two important themes to the forefront of the show: training and the diversification of the activities in which repairers are engaged. The training workshops organised in cooperation with the GNFA (France's national group for education in the automotive sector) and the FFC's Bodywork-Paintwork Competition were a success. And second-hand vehicles, with the potential that they have to generate additional business for garages, also proved more popular at this year's show compared with 2015 – a whole area was dedicated to them".
By way of a reminder, the FIEV and the FFC committed to a strategy of winning people back for this year's EQUIP AUTO and wanted to involve all of the professional bodies and their members back in 2015 in co-developing the 2017 show, ensuring it played a central role in all issues facing the sector. And the result: a completely redesigned show to help professionals "repair today and get ready for tomorrow".
Supporting them, the organisers came up with content and events designed to meet professionals' expectations in three main categories: reducing polluting emissions, improving comfort and safety by automating driving and the emergence of digital technologies in repair workshops.
Among the debates on offer, the "Autonomous vehicles, what challenges do they pose for our companies?" colloquium organised by the FIEV, the SER, the SIA and the URF was extremely successful, demonstrating just how interested professionals are in innovation and the future of their sector.
One of the defining features of the 2017 edition was its return to the capital and to the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre. Its offering was shored up thanks to the loyal exhibitors and numerous stakeholders in the sector, such as Alliance Automotive Group, Delphi, Faurecia, Mann Filter, Nexus, PPG, Robert Bosch France, SKF, Tenneco, Total Wash, Valeo and Würth, to name but a few.
This "new formula" EQUIP AUTO has therefore successfully established itself as the leading event for maintenance and service professionals in France. At international level, EQUIP AUTO, which set itself the aim of stepping up initiatives aimed at visitors from Europe and North Africa, can also be proud to have welcomed many professionals from Italy, Belgium, Algeria, Germany and Spain, as well as numerous international and embassy delegations. In total, professionals from more than 56 countries visited the show and met its exhibitors over the whole five days.
As they closed the show with their address via the EQUIP AUTO TV set, Jacques Mauge and Patrick Cholton thanked and congratulated all the exhibitors on their dynamic approach and their commitment over the 5 days of the show. We look forward to seeing you at the Paris Expo (Porte de Versailles) in October 2019.