Automechanika Birmingham 2018, What’s New This Year? Find Out Here!

On the 5^th until the 7^th of June, the NEC will once again play host to Automotive Industry professionals; yes, it’s almost time for one of Birmingham’s biggest annual automotive exhibitions, Automechanika Birmingham, to open its doors. And, of course, the Automotive Recruiters at Glen Callum will be in attendance!

The Birmingham edition of the Exhibition is now in its third year, shortlisted for three awards, including ‘Best Trade Show’ at the prestigious Exhibition News Awards 2018, highlights the achievements and growth the SMMT associated show has achieved in such a short space of time.

But why does the industry consider it such an important event? Here are some numbers for you to consider; the organisers expect over 12,000 visitors this year, coupling this with over 850 exhibitors from all corners of the industry including aftermarket companies, vehicle manufacturers and Tier One suppliers. Brand names such as Bosch, JCB, Snap-On, FUCHS, Wurth and fellow MMMA members HT Brigham will be in attendance, giving Automotive professionals the opportunity to demonstrate, network, buy, sell and experience the latest developments and technology the Automotive Industry has to offer.

Another plus for this year is that Automechanika are housing a whole range of new features and areas, these include sections such as the ‘Garage Quarter’ which, as the name suggests, is for Garage equipment suppliers, workshops and MOT Centres to showcase their products and services. Also, in this section there will be a ‘Training Hub’ where companies such as Delphi and Hella will deliver training and demonstrations on their areas of expertise including ADAS and Euro 5 Pass-Thru Diagnostics, whilst simultaneously there will be ‘Technical Talks’ from Ecobat and Elta. Personally, we are hoping to get a greater understanding of the upcoming MOT changes!

The ‘Motorsport Valley Innovation’, presented by the MIA and sponsored by Staubli, will give visitors the opportunity to view and experience pioneering high-performance engineering technologies, encouraging an adoption of closer collaboration between VM’s and Tier 1 suppliers, as well as MIA members.

Future technologies is also a large item on the agenda for 2018, with The Knowledge Transfer Network, a part of the Governments Innovate UK initiative, showcasing the latest UK developments in future technologies such autonomous vehicles, electrification and ultra-low emissions; on Thursday the 7^th there will also be a series of initiatives to reach out to professionals that are interested in training and developing their skills in relation to future training priorities, and also to discuss the current skills gap, which will include companies such as Faurecia.

Of course, there will also be the usual award ceremonies, such as Garage of the Year, and educational talks and speeches about new developments and technologies by voices from companies and organisations such as the IMI, IAAF and SMMT as well as the CAT Magazine sponsored Keynote Panel which will give Aftermarket specialists the platform to tackle issues such as the future of vehicle retailing and electrification.

 Members of the Glen Callum consulting team will be available to meet at Automechanika, if you would like to discuss current trends in automotive recruitment, how we can help you address your skills gap or just general hiring and recruiting hints and tips, please don’t hesitate to call the office on 01384 485274 and we can arrange a meeting!