The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event 2024 saw a significant increase in attendance from its inaugural edition in 2022.
Over the two days, the event welcomed an impressive 5,125 industry professionals, which were mainly garage and workshop owners, technicians, and bodyshop experts, who enjoyed free parking and breakfasts at the NEC in Birmingham.
Held from 5th to 6th June 2024, the event provided attendees with access to dynamic training, cutting-edge technologies, and essential tools. With the automotive aftermarket undergoing significant transformations, particularly with changes in vehicle technology and the use of data, the importance of such an event has never been more crucial.
Visitors participated in interactive exhibitions, live demonstrations, and workshops. There were more than 100 hours of seminars led by 80+ renowned industry experts, covering topics such as engine fault diagnostics, MOT, diesel, ADAS, and more.
The event sparked multiple discussions among participants, including conversations around upskilling the workforce and helping to plug the skills gap, by embracing industry training and aftermarket recruitment strategies. Other topics included best-practice business management and efficiency advice, monetising new technology and maximising garage profitability, and preparing for future mobility.
The event featured 120 exhibitors that combined to a total of 180 suppliers, including ZF, Bosch, Hella, Alliance Automotive Group, Snap-On, Comma, LKQ Euro Car Parts, Niterra (formerly NGK) and Castrol.
Exhibitors chose UK Garage and Bodyshop Event as the place to launch more than 25 new products, showcasing the latest advancements in service and repair products, diagnostics, and garage equipment direct to visitors.
A key highlight was the brand-new Modern Garage, sponsored by LKQ Euro Car Parts, designed for business owners and managers to equip themselves with the tools, technology, and expertise to service and repair modern vehicles effectively and profitably.
The event also introduced other features like Body Repair Live and Vehicle Detailing Live, which proved popular with participants, providing hands-on demonstrations and practical insights.
Joanne Knowles, event director for the UK Garage and Bodyshop Event, said: “The second edition of the UK Garage and Bodyshop Event has surpassed all expectations. The growth in attendance and the overwhelming positive feedback from both exhibitors and visitors demonstrate the event’s importance in the automotive industry. It’s clear that garage and bodyshop professionals very much welcome the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge technologies, expert training, and invaluable networking opportunities in the alternate Automechanika Birmingham years.”
The event also welcomed the second edition Automechanika Birmingham Garage Awards, hosted by trade association, Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF), with 11 award categories, recognising the industry’s very best talent.
The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event continues to grow as a vital platform for the automotive aftermarket, with plans already underway for the event to return in 2026
Automechanika Birmingham will return on 3-5 June 2025.
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