AS THE Australian car-making industry enters its twilight months, companies which design, develop and make automotive parts, accessories, upgrades, tools and equipment locally have demonstrated that there is plenty of life left in this country’s close industrial relationship with the automobile.

This show of strength was spread across five acres of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre this week, where 438 exhibitors had collectively bought up 100 per cent of available floor space at the Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo and co-located Collision Repair Expo.

Among the dozens of well-known and not-so-well-known Australian manufacturers of 4×4, performance, motorsport products and much more besides were multinational component suppliers that provide both original equipment to car-makers and branded spares to aftermarket parts stores and independent repairers.

While the footprint of Australia’s event may not match international Goliaths such as SEMA and Automechanika, many of the exhibits were similarly large and elaborate as the biggest overseas events.

Speaking at a media briefing following the official opening ceremony, Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) executive director, Stuart Charity, whose industry body organises the expo, said the quality of exhibits was at an all-time high.

“I was with industry minister Arthur Sinodinos when he walked through the door this morning and the first thing he said was, ‘wow’,” Mr Charity said.

“The second thing he said was ‘wow’ and the third thing he said was ‘wow’.”

At the exhibition’s opening ceremony, Mr Sinodinos, whose portfolio covers innovation and science as well as industry, said the event typified the “positive attitude of having a go, which is also very Australian”.

“I get a lot out of coming to events like this where people are putting their shoulders to the wheel and getting on with things,” he said.

“There are areas where we don’t want to match the best in the world, we want to be the best in the world. And you are doing that.”

Mr Charity said the sold-out exhibition space and high level of visitor pre-registrations was “an absolutely remarkable feat considering the challenging times, not just for our industry but across the Australian economy and particularly from an automotive perspective to do with the exit of the car industry”.

Mr Sinodinos predicted that the aftermarket industry would continue to grow after Holden and Toyota withdraw from local car manufacturing later this year.

“What you do is so integral to what this country is about. The car industry on one level is going, but on another level it’s staying and it’s getting bigger,” he said.

“Sure, the big manufacturers are going to an import sales model but you, the aftermarket, are going to get bigger.

“One of the things I love is that you have an exporters’ council because the world is our oyster. I was talking to Stuart (Charity) earlier and we are world leaders in so many areas when it comes to high-performance, or four-wheel-drive. It just goes across the board.”

Mr Charity said it was “really important to send that message that, yes, the car industry is leaving, but the aftermarket industry is here to stay and we’ve got the fundamentals to really run and survive”.

Speaking with GoAuto at the expo, Mr Sinodinos said the Australian automotive industry “isn’t going the way of the dodo in my view”.

“What we see here is a lot of diversification, creating new products not just servicing the Australian market but a global market,” he said.

By Haitham Razagui