14th Auto Expo – Motor & Component Shows – set to make news next week

The biennial event that gets the automotive industry all revved up – the Auto Expo Motor Show and the Components Show – is set to open next week. First organised in 1986, the big-ticket event has arrived into its 14th edition.

The exposition, which is segregated between the Motor Show and the Auto Components Show, in terms of two different venues, will bear an overall theme of 'Mobility For All’.

The main Motor Show will take place at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, and will see participation by 51 vehicle manufacturers, showcasing their products and technologies across 14 halls, spread over an area of over 74,000 square feet. The event will see 24 product launches and close to 106 unveils in total, over its first two days between February 7 and 8, which are reserved for the media and industry associates.

The Auto Components show, on the other hand, will continue to be held at Pragati Maidan, in New Delhi and will see close to 1,200 companies from over 20 countries participate and showcase their technologies and innovations, spread over 60,000 square feet of exhibition area.

According to Vipin Sondhi, chairman, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Trade Fair Committee, “Leading component manufacturers not only from India, but also from Germany, Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Canada and the UK among many others, will give a peek into their innovation and solutions for future mobility. These companies aim to show the strength of their technologies, innovation, as well as efficient manufacturing. The international contingents will not only showcase their products, but will also look towards striking partnerships with Indian companies, sharing common goals.”

Special zones at Components Show
The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) has categorised the components show into four zones – Innovation, Destination, Smart Mobility and Competition – and will also see three special pavilions.

“There would be a Bearings Pavilion, Garage Equipment Pavilion and an ACMA Pavilion for road safety to spread awareness among the visitors,” Sondhi added. The show would also see conferences and seminars being held concurrently to share knowledge, discuss and debate various industry subjects.

What is unique, and is being done for the very first time is the specially crafted student engagement activities, which would aim at making students an integral part and bringing them closer to what is the backbone of the automotive industry.

SMEs in the field of component manufacturing and distribution are also going to make their strong presence felt at the 2018 components show.

According to Nirmal K Minda, president, ACMA, “While we are facing somewhat of a space constraint in Pragati Maidan due to its ongoing renovation, still, our prime focus is on putting out a quality show. While around 1,500 companies participated the last time, the number has been slightly reduced to 1,200 to manage things better. We are expecting a footfall of over 100,000 visitors over the entire duration of the show.”

“The Indian automotive industry is gearing towards better emission standards, sustainable environment and road safety. We are going to see numerous products and technologies related to the upcoming  BS VI norms, and futuristic innovations in the space of electric mobility as well, which will include batteries and semiconductors,” he added.

Focus on tech and sustainability
Meanwhile, speaking to Autocar Professional, Vinnie Mehta, director general, ACMA, said: “The Auto Expo 2018 Components Show will display an array of products and technologies, which provide solutions to the issues that we as an industry are currently grappling with. One of the big highlights this time will be the increased focus on technology. The industry has to be compliant to the various regulations that include emission norms, environment and safety. We are graduating from BS IV norms to BS VI standards and we have incoming deadlines to adhere to the same. The 2020 deadline is now not too far away either. The other aspect is the government’s focus on electric mobility. So the participating component manufacturers are definitely going to showcase technologies around the same. So all in all, it appears that the event will be more inclined towards (futuristic) technologies.”

Motor Show to be bigger than ever
According to Dr Abhay Firodia, president, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), “The Auto Expo, which is a biennial event, improves the adrenaline flow in the industry significantly, be it the consumers, dealers, manufacturers or the suppliers. All the industry stakeholders get excited by the Auto Expo.”

While there are going to be 51 manufacturers in all, slightly reduced from 59 which showcased at the 2016 show, the overall exhibitors have gone up to 100 from 88, which includes oil companies, high-end bicycle manufacturers, universities, financial firms and auto insurance companies among others.

On the other hand, there are many mainstream vehicle manufacturers which are not going to be a part of the expo this time around. According to Dr Firodia, “Participating at the expo is not a cheap thing to do, with space comprising 15-20 percent of the cost for an exhibitor. Moreover, developing and showcasing the products is another expense on top that. Usually, companies time their market launches according to the expo and still there are many companies which are running a different design cycle and would not have benefitted out of the show. Having said that, companies that participate enthusiastically look at all of this cost as a branding exercise.”

Start-ups make an impact
While there were only two automotive start-ups on display at the 2016 Motor Show, the number has shot up to 12 firms this time around. “A surge in the number of start-ups clearly reflects at the kind of change that is coming over to India, and shows that innovation is becoming a norm to do business in the country,” said Dr Firodia.

“Green mobility is very much a part of this entire new mobility ecosystem. The Auto Expo is an opportunity for the industry to showcase what they are capable of and what they are building in the pipeline to tackle the future challenges”

The show is going to see 24 new products being launched, which are slated to become available in the market in the next 4-6 months and according to Dr Firodia, “The Auto Expo is a branding exercise for the manufacturers and suppliers. All their achievements, aspirations and their plans get registered with the regulators, financiers and consumers and this pushes forward the entrepreneurial drive in the country.”

“It is also a big window for foreign players to enter into the Indian market by making an impact on the mindset of the customers and dealers,” he added.

Apart from a showcase of all the snazzy cars and motorcycles, the motor show will also look to engage visitors with a gaming arena, a special motorsport zone and a dedicated autonomous vehicle display area as well.

Expectations from the Union Budget
Doing the curtain raiser just a day before the annual Budget on February 1, the Indian automotive industry, which employs over 32 million people in direct and indirect jobs and contributes to 18 percent of the total GDP of the country and forms 48 percent of the manufacturing GDP, has its due expectations from the government.

According to Nirmal K Minda, “The Indian auto components industry is pegged at generating US$ 43 billion in revenue annually, out of which US$ 11 billion comes from exports. We are a major contributor to the economy and we look forward to a growth-oriented Budget.”

“We hopeful that the GST will be rationalised to 18 percent on all vehicle components from being at both 18 percent and 28 percent currently, in order to provide a push to the sector.”

“We are living in a globalised world and the auto industry value chain is a testament to that. With the global markets recovering, we expect our exports performance, which registered a 3.1 percent growth in FY2016-17, slightly lower than the 3.5 percent of FY2015-16, also getting back on track in the near future.”

According to Dr Abhay Firodia, “The automobile industry is a barometer of the economy and as technology continues to evolve, automobiles will continue to see different manifestations and will make human life better, than just being plain modes of transportation.”

“As also prescribed in the SIAM’s Budget recommendations to the government, the government should encourage reinstating the 200 percent weighted deduction on R&D expenditure, for companies to continue investing into innovations and developing new and sustainable technologies for the future,” he concluded.