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The 16th edition of the Auto Expo 2023 - Components Show, jointly organised by Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) is scheduled from 12-15 January, 2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. Over 800 companies from 15 countries will be displaying at the expo. With the show returning after a hiatus of three years, the overwhelming response to the 16th edition is a testimony to the industry's indomitable spirit of resilience.

Putting across his views on the response to the show, Vinne Mehta, Director General, ACMA, cited, “The participation has been overwhelming, and this is despite the fact that we are coming back after three years. There is a lot of excitement, and we are very happy that the show has done so well. The very fact that we are completely sold out, with a waiting list, is a clear indicator of the faith our community has in the show.”

Sharing the highlights of the show, Sunjay Kapur, President, ACMA, and Chairman at Sona Comstar, said, “I am delighted that the 16th edition of Auto Expo 2023 - Components, the most awaited event of the automotive industry, has shaped very well. With participation from over 800 companies, several of them from overseas, we have been completely sold out. In the backdrop of strong economic recovery and rising vehicle sales in the country, the Auto Expo 2023 - Components is expected to create newer opportunities for the components industry, as also provide a platform to showcase its prowess as it strives to stay relevant in a fast-transforming industry. With confirmation of several business and sourcing delegations, the event will provide an ideal opportunity for networking, striking international partnerships and gaining insights into the future of mobility.”

In fact, last year was a record year for profits and aftermarket growth. Speaking in terms of the industry growth in 2023, Mehta said, “The numbers of the current year are pretty robust. We are hopeful that we will close this year on a sound note.”

Talking about the focus of the show, Vipin Sondhi, Chairman, CII National Committee on Future Mobility and Battery Storage as also Chairman CII National Committee on Technology, R&D and Innovation, said, “With significant disruptive changes being witnessed in the automotive ecosystem world over and in India, the Auto Expo 2023 - Components show will be reflective of these dominant trends, including electric mobility, ADAS, biofuel and flex-fuel-based engine technologies, vehicular safety technologies, sustainable and ecologically sound manufacturing practices, digitisation, automotive start-ups, innovative technologies and solutions and much more. In tune with these, our theme pavilion 'Technovation' is designed to be a crystal ball of future of mobility, showcasing cutting-edge technology offerings from our domestic companies.”

Speaking more on 'Technovation', Mehta said, “The whole show is themed ‘Technovation’ because the entire industry is going through a transformation, from electric mobility to bio-fuels to hydrogen. Hence, there is a huge change in the dynamics of the industry. Apart from that, the CAFE II norms have already kicked in, there will be a lot of lightweighting, digitalisation of the shop floors and sophistication in terms of engine technologies happening.”

The key details of the show are –

Show size and venue
This edition of the components show is larger than the previous editions, spread across an area of over 60,000 square metres, covering the newly constructed halls (Halls A2 to A5 ground floor and first floor), with additional facilities at the Mezzanine level for parallel networking and conference events, at Pragati Maidan.

Participants
The show has attracted participation from over 800 companies from 15 countries, including Canada, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK and USA, with six country pavilions – France, Germany, Japan, Poland, South Korea and the UK.

Theme and focus
The components show is themed 'Technovation - Future Technologies & Innovations', and will have the following focused pavilions –

EV components, innovation and start-ups
ACMA safer drives
ACMA industry services
Bearings pavilion
Garage equipment pavilion
REA, Gujarat state pavilion

Showcasing future technologies
It is expected that innovative and advanced technologies in the components sector, in both greener and cleaner energy-saving formats, will be unveiled and showcased through these pavilions.

Networking platforms
The following parallel events are scheduled during the Components show –

ACMA Aftermarket Summit
ACMA Global Summit & Automotive Technology Partnership Summit & Expo (ATPSE)
ACMA IPO Forum
Stakeholders Awareness cum Consultation Workshop for Development of National Strategy for Phase-down of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
ACMA-AIWA Conference on Spare Service Support in a Changing Environment
SIAM Sourcing Group Forum

These forums will effectively engage the business community to conduct meaningful discussions and initiate dialogues for the future, with an objective to bring the latest and best technologies to the Indian automotive industry.

New products
The participants at the Components Show are using this once in two years opportunity to showcase new products and technologies with around 200 companies launching/displaying over 1,400 new products and technologies.

Visitor facilitation
The following initiatives have been undertaken for business visitors to make the best use of their time, and avoid the long waiting times at registration counters –

Register and print your own badge/QR code in advance
Get your pre-registered badge printed at the registration counter by giving your registration number
Use QR code on mobile phones to enter
Use tabs at registration counters to fill in details to get your badge

Whilst more than 10,000 business visitors have already used these mediums of registration, the Components Show is expected to be attended by over 100,000 visitors, including businessmen, government officials, diplomatic community and the media, from 40 countries.

Show timings and entry gates
The Auto Expo - Components business hours are 1000-1800 hrs on 12-14 January, 2023 and 1000-1300 on 15 January, 2023. The general public hours are 1330 -1700 on 15 January, 2023.

Entry to the exhibition halls closes every day 30 minutes prior to the closing time, while entry to the events venue closes one hour before closing. There are two gates to enter Pragati Maidan – Gate 4 on Bhairon Road and Gate 10, Metro Gate. Free shuttle services at Gate 10 will be available for the visitors from Pragati Maidan Metro Station to the exhibition halls. Whilst exhibitors can avail of the underground parking at the venue, paid parking facility will be available on Bhairon Road, Opposite Gate 4 of Pragati Maidan.

Avis India Introduces Luxury Van Rental Service

Avis India, Avis Luxury Van Rentals

Avis India has announced the launch of Avis Luxury Van Rentals, expanding its mobility portfolio to address demand for group travel. The service is aimed at corporate and leisure segments, providing transport for business leaders, families, and teams.

The fleet consists of vehicles including the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Toyota Vellfire, Kia Carnival, Toyota Coaster and Toyota Commuter. These models allow customers to select vehicles based on group size, with the capacity to accommodate up to 25 passengers. The service is available for intracity and intercity travel and is operated by English-speaking chauffeurs.

Bookings, confirmations and modifications are managed through an in-house technology platform. This system is supported by a 24x7 contact centre intended to provide assistance to users. The launch extends the company's existing suite of mobility solutions, focusing on service standards and management for group movements.

Aman Naagar, Managing Director, Avis India, said, “Avis Luxury Van Rentals reflects our focus on delivering elevated mobility experiences for customers who value comfort, reliability and professional service. The launch is designed to meet the requirements of evolving group travel in the country, and further strengthens our portfolio. The service is designed to accommodate up to 25 passengers and reinforces our commitment to delivering seamless premium mobility solutions, nationally.”

 

Carraro India Opens First Authorised Service Centre In Faridabad

Cararro India

Carraro India, a subsidiary of the Italian group Carraro, has inaugurated its first authorised service centre in Faridabad, Haryana. This facility is the first of four centres the company plans to establish across India by 2026 to support its expansion in the off-highway vehicle market.

The centre is operated in partnership with Balaji Enterprises and will provide maintenance for driveline systems, including axles and transmissions used in agricultural and construction machinery.

The facility is equipped with diagnostic tools and a stock of genuine spare parts to ensure the repair of equipment. It aims to serve customers in Northern India, reducing downtime for fleet operators and farmers. Carraro India currently operates manufacturing plants in Pune and produces driveline solutions for several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

The inauguration in Faridabad marks the start of a network growth strategy. Carraro intends to open three additional centres in locations with high concentrations of off-highway equipment. This initiative is designed to move after-sales support closer to the end-user, providing technical assistance and training for local mechanics.

Andrea Conchetto, CEO, Carraro Group, stated, “The opening of our first authorised service centre in Faridabad is a milestone in our journey to enhance customer experience in India. This facility is a testament to our commitment to providing world-class service and support to our customers. We are confident that this centre will set new benchmarks in service excellence”.

S Krishnan, Managing Director, Carraro India, said, “The Faridabad centre is the first of many such facilities we plan to open across the country. Our goal is to ensure that our customers have access to genuine parts and expert service, regardless of their location. This expansion will help us strengthen our presence in the Indian market and provide better value to our customers”.

“We are proud to partner with Carraro India in this initiative. Our team is trained to provide the best-in-class service to Carraro customers. We look forward to a successful partnership and to serving the needs of the off-highway vehicle industry in this region,” added Balaji Enterprises representative.

Knorr-Bremse And WESP-Group Launch JV For Commercial Vehicle Data Services

WESP - Knor-Bremse

Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Nutzfahrzeuge and Dutch company WAGH (WESP-Group) have established a joint venture, WESP CV, to develop digital services for the commercial vehicle industry.

The new entity headquartered in Germany will see Knorr-Bremse hold 51 percent stake, while WAGH will hold the remaining 49 percent.

WESP CV will focus on data-driven benchmarking for workshops. By comparing performance indicators, the venture aims to help companies identify operational efficiencies and use data to inform business decisions. The database created through this partnership is intended to provide transparency regarding market potential and product field data for workshops, distributors and industry partners.

The partnership seeks to address industry challenges, such as the shortage of skilled staff, by ensuring workshop employees can operate with higher efficiency through predictive maintenance solutions and integrated data ecosystems.

Alexander Wagner, Vice-President Global Aftermarket/TruckServices, Knorr-Bremse Commercial Vehicles, said, "The founding of WESP CV marks the next milestone toward a holistic and efficient commercial vehicle aftermarket ecosystem. The joint venture combines WESP's expertise in digital services for workshops with Knorr-Bremse's expertise in the commercial vehicle market. We want to support commercial vehicle workshops with data-based consulting services, helping them to identify operational efficiency potential, enable data-based decisions, and exploit previously untapped business opportunities or potential for improvement. This extensive database will not only support commercial vehicle workshops, but also other market participants and industry partners in gaining deeper transparency about market potential and product field data.”

Bas Wintjes, Managing Director, WAGH, said, “In the past months, we have consistently aligned our tools with the key KPIs of the truck, trailer and bus market. One thing has become clear: the fundamental principles remain the same – benchmarking against others enables workshops to achieve targeted improvements. In today’s environment, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to find skilled staff, it is more important than ever to ensure that workshop employees can work efficiently. Data-driven predictive maintenance solutions will play a central role in the future. Particularly valuable is the collaboration between manufacturers, distributors, and workshops: a strong data ecosystem gives all stakeholders the opportunity to measurably enhance their performance. The partnership with Knorr-Bremse is an important step in the further internationalization of WESP-Group. We look forward to combining Knorr-Bremse’s market expertise with our proven, practice-oriented tools.”

Maruti Suzuki Partners Indian Oil To Establish Service Centres At Fuel Stations

Maruti Suzuki India - IOCL

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) to set up vehicle service facilities at fuel retail outlets across India.

The partnership aims to integrate automotive maintenance with energy supply points to increase service accessibility for car owners.

As per the understanding, facilities at IOCL stations will offer routine maintenance, minor repairs and major services. This initiative expands Maruti Suzuki India’s existing network, which currently consists of 5,780 service touchpoints in 2,882 cities. Indian Oil operates a network of over 41,000 fuel stations nationwide, providing the infrastructure for the rollout.

Ram Suresh Akella, Executive Officer (Service), Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Our goal is to make car servicing as easy and convenient as possible for our customers. By partnering with Indian Oil Corporation Limited, one of India’s most trusted Maharatna enterprises, we will leverage their unmatched reach to take our after-sales service to locations frequently visited by our customers. This collaboration marks a significant step to bring mobility and energy sector together and deliver superior customer care experience. We are committed to enhance accessibility, deliver unmatched convenience, and ensure complete peace of mind in the car ownership journey for our customers.”

Saumitra P. Srivastava, Director (Marketing), Indian Oil Corporation, said, “Indian Oil is committed to enhancing the customer experience at our fuel stations through value-added services. With a network of over 41,000 fuel stations across the length and breadth of India, we are uniquely positioned to bring essential services closer to the consumer. By partnering with Maruti Suzuki, we are integrating world-class automotive maintenance along with our energy offerings.”

The collaboration represents a convergence of the mobility and energy sectors, intended to provide maintenance at locations already frequented by motorists for refueling.