Auto Shows, Opportunity or Threat?

Khodrocar – In many year exhibitions were a place to show products and be competitive and they just made industries to improve and develop and the development is obvious through the shows. Auto industry was not an exception during these years and companies tried to improve before exhibiting in shows.

Iran’s auto shows didn’t have perfect timing and they didn’t hold in some years but experts think that Iran’s shows beside the bad schedule are showing our active industry which is going toward the improvement and insisting on the local production.

The main question is, are Iran’s exhibitions a place to attract the investors, absorbing new buyers, branding and finally making a competitive atmosphere among foreign and local automakers or not?

"Tehran auto show needs some changes this year. it would be better to fill the gap of foreign exhibitors with the workshops, specialized classes and technical knowhow to make the exhibition more attractive.” Ali Shokouhi, an expert of auto industry told Khodrocar reporter.

"For example, foreign companies could use the help of technical universities of Iran to hold workshops in the exhibition. Importation may be banned and there are some limits in partnering with foreign companies but they can share their knowledge with Iranians. All together it just needs the support of the government.” He added.

"Private sector doesn’t have the ability to walk in this path alone so the government has the ability to support the private sector. In marketing, specialized exhibitions are a way to make a relation between people and brands. In the recent years, we didn’t have a specialized exhibition and they were just a gathering for importers and automakers. They didn’t even offer any new technologies.” He said.

"In the last 2 years Tehran auto show was getting better but sanctions restored and big brands left Iran and maybe this year we just see a few foreign companies with domestic automakers in Tehran auto show.” Shokouhi said.

"As foreign exhibitions such as Geneva, Frankfurt, Shanghai, and many other exhibitions in other metropolises take place, and the latest actions of manufacturers are displayed in these specialized exhibitions, it will also be a good opportunity for Iran to make such a conducting events in Tehran and attracting more people and international media. Tehran international auto show could be a great opportunity to achieve technical knowhow about tuning, spare parts and etc. It’s a chance to improve the auto industry in knowledge.” He said.

"If the exhibition changes then importers would take part with more motivation and they can share their knowledge because they don’t have any cars to offer but they can work in after sales services and spare parts.” He continued.

During the past years, Tehran auto show didn’t hold but in other cites it was held properly. Now experts and market activists think that the auto show should continue in any condition to attract tourists and companies to Iran. Therefore, less than a month, the International Automobile Exhibit Tehran has remained, and many believe that the exhibition should not be held due to the lack of foreign companies, but some experts believe that it is incidentally that at this time, Iran could have a relationship Strengthened with the remaining partners and found a way to save the automotive industry.

Khodrocar Reporter: Negar Mir Karimi

Khodrocar Translator: Amin Zamani