The Automässan trade fair will take place at the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre from 18–21 January. The entire trade stand area is sold out, so visitors can look forward to a packed fair featuring many novelties and premieres, as well as a sparklingly up-to-date programme of seminars. ‘Automässan is where the most important issues in the industry all come together, and – given the times we are living in – this will be more relevant than ever,’ says Anna Lena Friberg, Business Manager at Automässan.

This is an exciting age for the automotive industry, and a lot is happening – fast. Visitors to Automässan will be able to learn about everything from tyres, components, spare parts and workshop equipment to electrification and digitalisation.

‘Automässan is just as important for finding new products and solutions as it is for keeping up-to-date and increasing your knowledge of developments in the industry. Almost 250 of the most important companies in the industry will be exhibiting at Automässan, and it is a place where a lot of business is done,’ says Anna Lena Friberg.

Electrification and skills supply

This is the great age of electrification, and it does not come without its challenges. A fact that increases the need for collaboration and dialogue.

‘The transition to electric vehicles will naturally form a large part of the fair. Both from a sustainability perspective and from a practical perspective. What does this mean for the industry, and what do we do? And how do we deal with the increase in electricity prices that has such a hard impact on the industry’s energy-intensive operations?’

As with many other branches of industry there is a major shortage of skills in this area, and issues such as recruitment and skills supply are high on the agenda.

‘The vehicle industry is short of thousands of mechanics and other people. How do we get more people to apply for the vehicle engineering programme? What we are doing is a targeted initiative aimed at upper secondary school students together with the Transportföretagen (Swedish Confederation of Transport Enterprises) employer organisation. Most recently, we had around 1,700 students visiting the fair to gain an introduction to the industry and the chance to meet future colleagues and employers.’

A knowledge-boosting seminar programme

Everyone taking part at Automässan can attend a relevant and free of charge programme of seminars produced by MRF and SFVF. This year, it will cover everything from electrification, digitalisation and skills supply to supply disruptions. We will also be touching on the new ruling by the EU commission on SERMI certification.

It is no accident that Automässan takes place in Gothenburg. The city is a well-known vehicle hub and a natural meeting place for the most influential players in the industry. A number of industry-related events will take place in conjunction with the trade fair. One of these is the Auto Awards, which are awarded to winners who, in various ways, have made a significant difference within the automotive industry.

‘The visitors to Automässan know how to have fun, and there are many meeting places in the building for social activities and networking Every day there are “after work” activities, which tend to be well-attended and highly enjoyable, with live music and a nice atmosphere,’ Anna Lena concludes by saying.

Facts

Om Automässan
Automässan is the largest meeting place in the Nordic Region for the automotive industry’s service market and aftermarket. This is where the influential players within every sector meet. Automässan is arranged by the FVU and SBF industry organisations. Find out more about Automässan 2023.