UK’s £50 billion aftermarket sector to seek trade opportunities at Automechanika Frankfurt 2022

• SMMT to bring its largest overseas delegation to Automechanika Frankfurt since pandemic began.
• UK pavilion at leading global aftermarket trade fair to feature 22 firms from across the industry.
• Companies part of British aftermarket sector that turns over more than £50 billion every year.

Automechanika Frankfurt 2022 today plays host to the largest UK aftermarket  overseas trade mission since pre-pandemic 2019, with a dedicated UK Pavilion organised by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Twenty-two leading companies will represent the breadth and quality that the British sector has to offer, from engine remanufacturing and suspension system design services to specialist components, lubricants and tyre sealants.

The aftermarket sector is an important and significant part of the UK automotive industry, ranking fourth in Europe and ninth in the world in terms of size, making it an attractive global partner with which to do business. It contributes over £12.7 billion to the economy, supporting 350,000 jobs across 54,000 businesses, with a turnover of some £50 billion every year. British companies are continuing to demonstrate their capacity and resilience in the provision of servicing, maintenance and repairs to the more than 40 million vehicles on UK roads.

This UK vehicle parc is incredibly diverse, with British aftermarket firms providing unrivalled expertise, services and products for a variety of vehicles, from the world’s largest mining vehicles to high-performance sports cars. Britain’s vehicle fleet is also in the midst of its most dramatic transformation, with the UK to phase out the sale of new pure petrol and diesel cars and vans in 2030 and all new heavy goods vehicles sold in Britain required to be zero emission by 2040.

The transition is already underway, with new UK registrations of battery electric cars up 35.4% so far this year and expected to reach more than a quarter of a million new registrations by the end of 2022. The rapid uptake of this next generation of ultra-low and zero emission vehicles gives the UK aftermarket an early advantage, developing the requisite skills necessary to service the latest zero emission automotive technology, capabilities that will enable them to meet the growing expectations of international customers.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said,

As with the wider automotive sector, the aftermarket is set to undergo a massive transition driven by the shift to zero emission mobility. This presents new opportunities for many companies whilst also servicing and repairing the millions of conventional vehicles on our roads, keeping them safe and running. The UK is also a key European market for this important sector, with Automechanika Frankfurt 2022 a crucial platform to drive new business and trading relationships for aftermarket companies across Britain and the EU.

Automechanika Frankfurt 2022, held fully in person at Messe Frankfurt for the first time in four years, is one of the world’s largest trade fairs for the aftermarket covering the entire value chain for the sector. When last held, it welcomed 4,987 exhibitors from 76 countries and 134,622 visitors from around the world.

Visitors to the show can find the UK pavilion in Hall 3.1 stand J86 and are invited to join an informal networking reception on Tuesday 13 September, from 16:00, where Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, will be present, along with other stakeholders and representatives from SMMT. Please contact international@smmt.co.uk if you would like to attend.

The Aftermarket Section is one of SMMT’s largest areas of membership, drawn from the independent sector for service and repair, including parts manufacturers and suppliers, importers, distributors, workshops and data providers. The UK Pavilion exhibitor line-up at Automechanika Frankfurt 2022 includes these leading companies:

1. Allmakes 4×4 PR2 Limited – a wholesaler of quality parts for Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles.
2. Autocraft Solutions Group – repairer and remanufacturer of battery packs for several original equipment manufacturers and also remanufactures electric drive units.
3. Autogem Invicta Ltd – an OE and aftermarket supplier of emission component products, manufacturing and distributing more than 5,000 products consisting of clamps, gaskets, mountings and workshop consumables.
4. Britpart – an independent wholesaler of quality parts and accessories for all Land Rovers.
5. Carwood – supplies a wide range of cost and eco-friendly solutions to the car, commercial vehicle, off-highway, motorsport and defence industries. Its remanufactured portfolio spans OEM-approved fuel injectors and pumps, diesel particulate filters, turbochargers, engines, starters, alternators and other coil wound electrical components, soon to include electric motors for the latest hybrid and electric vehicles.
6. Design911 – specialist in Porsche parts and accessories, now open in Great Britain and The Netherlands, including wheels, tyres, exhaust, servicing, repairs and body shop.
7. Dunlop Suspension Systems – designer, manufacturer and solution provider of advanced electronic control systems and air suspension components for all passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and industrial applications.
8. Eurocams Limited – manufacturer and supplier of valvetrain components with over 2,500 parts in range for all major vehicle brands.
9. Eurolec Core Supply LTD – Buyer and seller of core products since 1979.
10. European Braking Systems Ltd (EBS) – manufacturer and distributor of air brake and vehicle control system components, and repair kits, in both its own successful premium quality brand as well as various original brands.
11. G3 Concepts Ltd – developer of high precision calibration tools specially for the turbocharger re-manufacturer industry with a product range including minimum-flow test benches and advanced actuator programming tools.
12. GTI group – supplier of all components within an engine, through to complete engines, for a huge range of applications.
13. IMA Group – an end-to-end product development partner to the global auto parts industry with five strategically located manufacturing and distribution centres uniquely serving the needs of local markets.
14. Lubepack Ltd – a specialist packer and supplier of greases, lubricants, cleaners, degreasers, adhesives and sealants to original equipment and aftermarket specification, covering such items as clutches, brakes, wheel bearings, constant velocity joints, lighting, ignition modules, camshafts, cylinder heads and wheel nuts/spacers.
15. MEI Brakes Limited – manufacturer of brake components for commercial vehicles, which include slack adjusters and calipers. MEI produces a global range for truck, bus and trailer axles made in Asia, Europe, North and South America.
16. OKO Tyre Sealants – producer of anti-puncture tyre sealants in the UK since 1978 with a range covering every type of pneumatic tyre, from bicycles, through on road four-wheel vehicles, to off road agricultural and construction machinery, and up to the world’s largest mining tyres.
17. Owen Springs – manufacturer and supplier of leaf springs and leaf spring steel products for a range of sectors also able to provide replacement springs, either off-the-shelf or manufactured to order, with the ability to repair and modify existing springs plus stockists of leaf spring accessories including U bolts, pins, and bushes.
18. Premier Supply – offers premium parts and accessories at affordable prices for Land Rover vehicles.
19. Presco Radiator Caps Ltd – manufacturer of radiator caps for over 30 years and an after-market supplier in the UK. Both round and wing type metal and plastic caps are supplied for application in automotive, commercial and agricultural vehicles, compressor and domestic DIY industries.
20. Rolling Components Limited – supplier of new and surcharge free alternators and starter motors including rotating electrics, brake calipers, CV joints and driveshaft, engine management parts and wheel bearing hubs.
21. Top speed – official distributor of SEA FOAM and PERMATEX in the UK and Europe, distributing chemicals from a centrally located warehouse to guarantee prompt, reliable delivery and manufacturer our No Smoke Oil©.
22. UCAL Exports – part of the UCAL Group of Companies with a 100 year old manufacturing heritage and 25 manufacturing plants around the world including North America. The group focusses on supplying a range of world class automotive parts to OEMs around the world.