Just-Auto.com
By Simon Warburton
EquipAuto director Mario Fiems at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham
Aftermarket specialist exhibition, EquipAuto says it is working with French and Moroccan supplier associations, FIEV and AMICA to create a potential new show in Tangiers for 2017.
EquipAuto takes place every two years in Paris and although it has an equivalent in Algeria, organisers are nonetheless eyeing what appears to be an easier market to obtain visas for business, in the form of Morocco.
“Algeria is a very good market, but really relies on the financial means of the country,” EquipAuto director, Mario Fiems told just-auto at this week’s Commercial Vehicles Show in the UK city of Birmingham.
“It seems the country is reorienting on other markets. Automotive was a strategic market for the government – now they are more concerned about housing [for example].
“During the last ten years we benefited from growing trends and the market was also under pressure from the government to control or eliminate counterfeiting. Now the market has been professionalised. The market is stable and sophisticated.”
However, the EquipAuto chief added although the initial aim was to target all North African countries, it was not possible to do this from one market.
“Tunisia is very specific, Morocco is very specific,” he said. “Also we expected to have Western African countries, but very few attended because of administration controls on visas.
“It is easier to go to Morocco or Tunisia. Algeria has been under a civil war for a long period and it was not easy for them.
“FIEV [Federation des Industries des Equipements pour Vehicules] is working with AMICA [Association Marocaine pour l’Industrie et le Commerce Automobile] in Morocco and created a show in Tangiers and we are discussing with them to cooperate on a joint show putting Techauto and EquipAuto [together],” said Fiems. “That could happen in 2017.
“Techauto is organised by AMICA. FIEV and AMICA already have experience of cooperating. Morocco would become a hub between Europe and Africa.”
EquipAuto runs from 13-17 October this year at the Villepinte exhibition centre near Charles de Gaulle airport, with Fiems noting it would feature a ‘remarketing universe’ for used cars, as well as running hot topics on connectitivy and ebusiness.
