THE Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) has decided to stop alternating its biennial expo between Melbourne and Sydney because it has deemed the redeveloped Darling Harbour centre unsuitable for staging such a large show.

Instead, the AAAA will create a new convention called Autocare to be held at Darling Harbour that will focus more on education and global trends in automotive products, repair technology and collision repair.

“The new Darling Harbour centre is a magnificent facility and state of the art,” AAAA chief executive Stuart Charity at the opening the Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo in Melbourne this week.

“But it does present a major issue for us because it has split the exhibition space over two levels.

“And it’s not just two levels joined by an escalator, where you don’t have to leave the show. The two exhibition spaces are five stories apart.”

Mr Charity said the AAAA had three options: reduce the size of the expo, run the expo over two levels or stop alternating between Melbourne and Sydney.

He said reducing the size of the show was not acceptable as the show is the association’s main generator of operating funds. Plus, it would mean turning away a lot of exhibitors.

Running the show over two levels would risk inadvertently creating two classes of exhibitors. A survey of a show staged by another organisation that has been held over two levels at Darling Harbour showed that visitors tended to stay in one hall, which led exhibitors in the other hall to complain.

As a result, the AAAA has decided to schedule the 2019 expo in Melbourne again, to run from April 4-6.

In recognition of the importance of the NSW market to the repair and maintenance industry, the AAAA has decided to create a new convention called Autocare, to be staged at Darling Harbour in 2018.

Mr Charity said Autocare will have a bigger focus on education, with leading speakers to be brought from around Australia and overseas.

The first Autocare will be staged on May 4-5 and will focus on the theme of “disruption, innovation, rejuvenation”.

“With thousands of automotive professionals attending this convention, it will provide industry suppliers with an unrivalled business development opportunity in this large and important market.”

Mr Charity stressed that Autocare would not be a trade show but a convention, although convention sponsors would be able to mount a restricted number of exhibits.

Mr Charity said auditoriums and speaker venues would be built on the exhibition floor next to the rooftop exhibition area.

The rooftop area includes a 3000-square-metre outdoor deck and this would be used to present a display of custom and modified vehicles.

The convention would bring the latest developments and global trends to the local repair and maintenance industry.

“Autocare 2018 will provide delegates with information and practical tips to assist them to adapt and thrive in the dynamic and challenging automotive industry environment,” Mr Charity said.

There would also be celebrity guest appearances from a range of high-profile automotive and motorsport identities, he said.

By Ian Porter