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TYREXPO AFRICA
Tyrexpo Africa Series to Add More Segments to 2018 Edition
Two years ago this magazine reported on the fifth edition of Tyrexpo Africa with critical interest, as it was the first opportunity for SingEx, the new owners of the Tyrexpo series of trade exhibitions to get a feeling for what they needed to do to develop the show as the primary industry event for the sub- Saharan tyre market.
At the time we reported that the organisers had some work to do, not least because of an imbalance in the exhibitor profile, which
Project Director of the Tyrexpo Series said; “We are heartened by the response to our event, which is meant to be more than just another tyre exhibition. We have created additional knowledge platforms, business and networking opportunities at Tyrexpo Africa 2016 for buyers and sellers to meet, build critical contacts and gain a deeper understanding of the industr y. In order to help our exhibitors stay at the forefront of the industry and keep up-to-date in this
competitive business landscape, we need to constantly innovate and remain relevant in this fast-changing environment.”
Indeed, our correspondent Satnam Singh, who attended the event on Retreading Business’s behalf, reported a subdued response to the show and a growing perception among attendees that the organisers need to re- invent the show and work hard to bring in more buyers and exhibitors to the event, which took place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 8-10th March 2016.
In truth, the prevailing economic situation provides a serious challenge for SingEx. The South African Rand has continued on a downward slide, its volatility underlining the currency’s sensitivity to political uncertainty in a country threatened with ratings downgrades and struggling for economic growth amid rising inflation.
“The economy is not in a very encouraging shape but we still had about 100 exhibitors from 19 countries, many of whom were keen to expand their business to the African continent,” said Eileen Hair in an interview held during the show. The organisers’ post-show press release carried the title “Tyrexpo Africa seen as Gateway to the South African Tyre Market”, but herein lies the problem. The show is widely viewed as an exhibition for overseas companies wanting to sell into South Africa – not as a show for South African suppliers. “The South African tyre industry
believes that the show is introducing Chinese tyre makers to the market, which is badly affected due to their overwhelming presence, harming their interest in the African market,” said an industr y insider at the show. Although the major tyre and tread makers showed their faces at the show as visitors,
to expand the show’s horizon and to make it a more interesting and lively event for the industry. “The idea is to bring smart as well as sustainable solutions to the sector from overseas and South Africa in line with the changing requirements of the industry,” said Hair. SingEx says it plans to aggressively market the
An interactive technical workshop took place at Tyrexpo Africa
Eileen Hair, Assistant Director (Project Management), SingEx Exhibitions
saw over two thirds of the exhibitors coming from China, and an error in the booking process which had seen local companies who were used to booking their stands late, being turned away because the show space had already been sold out. Following the 2014 show SingEx had talked about having undergone a valuable learning process and had put considerable resources into increasing local attendance at the exhibition. SingEx CEO Aloysius Arlando was quoted as saying; “ECI has developed a very strong and sustainable concept, and we intend to build on this foundation and take the Tyrexpo series to greater heights over the next few years”.
The sixth edition of the show concluded on 10 March this year and despite a reduction in the amount of exhibitors, the show organisers were putting a positive spin on the event. In their post- show press release, Eileen Hair,
by and large they stayed away from the Johannesburg event as exhibitors.
Nevertheless, despite the challenge facing them, the organisers are keen on developing the show and hope to rope in more industry stake holders in the 2018 edition. “The South African government is planning to set-up an automotive city near Capital Johannesburg, and that may help renew interest in the show in the years to come as we continue to add more segments to the show to make it more interesting,” said Hair.
SingEx plans to introduce new segments into the Tyrexpo series including tyre & automotive repair, maintenance services etc
show among various industry associations and government agencies, tyre dealers, garages and workshops to bring more buyers to the exhibition.
Meanwhile SingEx is bullish about the Indian market and has already opened an office in Gurgaon near New Delhi to serve the large Indian tyre and rubber industry better and work on organising industry specific conferences and shows. SingEx has already announced bringing Tyrexpo Series to New Delhi by organising a three-day event from 14th – 16th June 2016.
Zulu dancers at the opening ceremony of Tyrexpo Africa
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