The fourth edition of Chengdu International Trade Fair for Automotive Parts and Aftermarket Services (CAPAS) received an impressive amount of praise and approval following its conclusion. Held from 25 – 27 May 2017, the fair housed a total of 522 international exhibitors and welcomed 17,378 trade visitors (8% increase) in an exhibition space of 45,000 sqm (29% increase) at the Chengdu Century City New International Exhibition & Convention Center in China.
As a leading platform for business, information exchange and investment for the automotive industry in Southwest China, the show gathered exhibitors from six countries and regions, including China, Germany, Italy and the US. Leading international and domestic companies included Bluestar, Bosch, Botny, Dayco, Donaldson, FAW, Gates, GESOL, Haiye, Knorr-Bremse, Liqui Moly, Lopal, MANN+HUMMEL, Meineke, Michelin, Mobil, MOTUL, PDK, Ruiming, SAIC-IVECO, Snap-on, SORL, Strona and WABCO, and more.
Two overseas pavilions, joining CAPAS for the first time, also brought together 22 Hong Kong and Japanese companies to showcase products and solutions on auto parts & components, EV car components, electroplating & coating, and automated manufacturing at the show.
Fair participants benefited greatly from enhanced zoning
Since its debut, CAPAS has been striving to strengthen its position as an industry forerunner in Southwest China. This edition was further upgraded with a more sector-oriented structure, to highlight the unique needs of end-users and different segments across the entire automotive supply chain.
Fiona Chiew, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd, was delighted to witness another successful edition of the fair: “CAPAS has been transforming to better serve the southwestern Chinese market and to suit the ever-evolving demands in the region. I am happy to see our exhibitors and visitors taking advantage of the six new product zones. In the future, we will continue to upgrade our platform in response to market demands, as well as to solidify our position as a leading industry event in Southwest China.”
With a clear categorisation of exhibits, these zones have proved themselves as being effective procurement and business matching platforms, which gathered exhibitors and buyers of each specific sector under one roof.
Chinese exhibitor Guangzhou Botny Chemical Co Ltd recognised the benefits brought by the improved zoning. The company’s Regional Manager of Sichuan, Shipeng Qin, complimented: “We highly recognise the effectiveness of CAPAS – the enhanced zoning is very beneficial because it condenses a high volume of our target customers. Our booth, located in the Automobile Life Style Zone, drew a lot of attention on our newly launched car air-conditioner cleaner. Only on the first day, we had already met over 30 potential buyers from different areas of China, and discussed business opportunities with them.”
Visitors also benefited from the enhanced fair experience. Xuebin Dong, General Manager of Yunnan Kuaiqin Auto One Stop Service Co Ltd said, “Our workshop needs to expand its supply channels on quality parts. We came here to absorb information on the latest products and solutions for workshop management, as well as to source new parts suppliers. The fair has made a big advancement on the product categorisation with the new zoning, and it not only makes my sourcing more efficient but it also broadens our horizons for new ideas.”
Bo Qi, Sales Consultant of Hanchuan Lingfeng Trade Co Ltd who visited the show to source quick fix equipment and replacement parts, shared about his pleasant sourcing experience: “As CAPAS has a comprehensive exhibit portfolio, it is the right place for me to meet new suppliers. I particularly enjoyed sourcing at the Quick Fix and Replacement Parts Zone. It groups many quality suppliers from the quick fix sector in one location, allowing me to identify the right suppliers for our company quickly.”
The show nurtures the industry to meet regional development needs
Sichuan, where CAPAS was held, enjoys numerous geographic and economic advantages under the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. This means many participants were able to capitalise on the rapid development of the region by joining the fair. Positive sentiments from many exhibitors emphasise the show’s effectiveness in exploring these emerging opportunities, strengthening commercial networks and bringing their businesses to the Southwest market.
Norman Ng, Vice President of Hong Kong Auto Parts Industry Association, the organiser of the Hong Kong pavilion, explained how the Hong Kong enterprises valued their participation: “Together with a variety of industries in Sichuan, the automobile and parts manufacturing in the region will enjoy an accelerated growth in the next five to ten years. We see many quality Sichuan corporations here; thus it is the main reason why our association and our company members exhibit at CAPAS.”
Snap-on Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd returned to the show to capture the growing Southwestern market. The Store Manager of the company’s Chengdu office, Mr Jacky Li, appreciated the show for instrumenting the developing needs of Sichuan: “The capacity of the automotive aftermarket in Southwest China is expanding and many enterprises wish to enter this market. The fair has strong synergy as it attracts a variety of high-end enterprises and injects new possibilities into the automotive market.”
Xinjian Luo, Vice President of China Ekingo Inc, a 4S chain store, spoke about how CAPAS opens up new sourcing opportunities for them: “We have previously sourced parts directly from the manufacturers, our choice of products was limited. Participating in CAPAS allows us to connect with many equipment and parts & components suppliers from around the nation. It provides us greater flexibility from the broader selection of suppliers and products. We can now expand the product offers and provide better service to our customers.”
This elevation of the automotive industry in the region in recent years is also reflected in the Made in Sichuan Zone. The zone has gained strong participation from 137 quality exhibitors (10% increase) including 81 companies from 10 major automotive production bases in Sichuan, testifying the solid support from the local government and the industry.
One of the exhibitors in the Sichuan pavilion is Chengdu Aozhong Automotive Electronic Appliances Co Ltd. The company’s Marketing Manager, Jiyong Tang praised, “The organisation of Sichuan pavilion drew high traffic to our booth; visitors found it an efficient way to source local products in one place. In recent years, the local government has strongly supported the industry by introducing many new opportunities and industrial events, like CAPAS. It is an unmissable event, which amplifies the growth of the industry by bridging up local and overseas players.”
Spotlights on commercial vehicles and new energy cars
The need for commercial vehicles is rising as a result of the growing demand for logistics. To accommodate such demands, the Commercial Vehicle Zone has expanded this year to house more finished vehicles, engines, parts & components and oil products across the commercial vehicle sector. Many exhibitors in the zone acknowledged CAPAS as an efficient marketing platform for them. Ms Yolanda Huang, Director of Aftermarket and Trailer and Commercial Vehicles at Knorr-Bremse Commercial Vehicles Systems (Shanghai) Co Ltd, explained: “High-end commercial vehicle systems will be in great demand in Southwest China, and we rely on this key market to expand our sales and distributor network. CAPAS is an influential industry event that gathers well-known commercial vehicle brands and manufacturers, enabling us to gain market exposure and meet the right end-users.”
On the other hand, New Energy is also an industry priority in Sichuan as it reflects the country’s commitment to environmental protection. With the strong support from China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Sub-Council (CCPIT-Auto), Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Commission, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Sichuan Council (CCPIT-Sichuan) and prominent overseas and domestic car-makers, OE manufacturers and dealers of new energy vehicles, the E-mobility & Infrastructure Zone has expanded to an entire hall this year. Here, technologies for the entire supply chain of new energy cars, from vehicles, related parts & components, to the charging infrastructure were on display.
Shudu Bus Co Ltd was one of the key exhibitors in this zone. The company’s Head of Marketing, Lingjiao Fan said: “We brought a comprehensive showcase of new energy vehicles to the show. In light of the infrastructure development of the city and support from the government, new energy cars are becoming more widely accepted these days. We wish to present to the industry more of our new advancements through a well-known platform like CAPAS.”
Fringe programme combined information exchange, education and networking
A total of 22 concurrent fringe events were organised around the themes of new energy and connected mobility, commercial vehicle, repair and maintenance, and accessories and customising during the three-day show, offering participants opportunities to connect with industry experts and discuss on market trends.
One of the highlights was the Summit for Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket Development in Southwest China. Organised by the China Commercial Vehicle Parts Market Federation and the Chengdu Auto Parts Industry Chamber of Commerce, the seminar was dedicated to promoting the latest innovations in commercial vehicles and challenges in its aftermarket in Southwest China.
Yilin Zhou, Senior Consultant of China Commercial Vehicle Parts Market Federation, was delighted to facilitate the summit: “In the coming decade, driven by the economy growth of Southwest region, commercial vehicles and new energy car markets will experience a robust growth. Here at CAPAS, we gather field experts, empowering us to connect and exchange. Participants can inspire each other and deliberate on the future of the industry.”
To provide a more comprehensive experience to fairgoers, CAPAS introduced educational elements in this year’s edition. Tao Sheng, Chairman of Chongqing Automobile Maintenance and Repair Industry Association, the co-organiser of Sichuan and Chongqing Automotive Service Enterprises Experience Sharing, concluded the sharing session: “We are very satisfied with the attendance at the training. CAPAS is a platform beyond sourcing, it is also an ideal stage for information exchange and communications. In this training, audiences learned about the most updated industrial standards for car repair and maintenance. The industry is in need of more trainings like this to foster the ingenuity and professionalism of the field.”
One of the audiences, Ying Du, General Manager of Sichuan Jumafeiteng Automobile Sales and Service Co Ltd lauded: “The training is very practical and inspiring. The sharing with abundance of case studies shed light onto the future of operations and developments in the industry. As a retailer of new energy cars, this training gives us a better understanding of the needs and challenges for the downstream industry when adapting new technologies.”
CAPAS is jointly organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Sub-Council (CCPIT-Auto); Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd; and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Sichuan Council (CCPIT-Sichuan).
The next edition of CAPAS will be held in May 2018 at the Chengdu Century City New International Exhibition & Convention Center.
