Tyre talk
| by Tristan Wiggill
Asian invasion at
Tyrexpo Africa 2014
While Tyrexpo Africa 2014 once again filled the Sandton Convention Centre for three days as it showcased a wide
range of tyre brands and tyre industry equipment, aBr was left disappointed by the lack of local support for the
event.
T
he bi-annual expo was once again
populated by dozens of international
tyre manufacturers, wholesalers and
distributors that displayed
specialist products for
all market sectors. The
Passenger Car Radial, Truck
and Bus Radial, Off the Road,
Agricultural and Industrial
markets were all adequately
represented – at least from an
international perspective.
It’s difficult to pinpoint why
the local industry was so
disinterested - we guestimate
that 90 per cent of the
exhibitors at this year’s event
were from Asia - making it
easy to imagine the event
was held in Shanghai and
not Sandton! We understand
that Chinese businesspeople
visiting exhibitions like these
have their flights, meals and
accommodation paid for
by their government. It’s an interesting
dynamic that we somehow
doubt will be reversed come
Tyrexpo Asia 2015.
new owners Singex Holdings, a Singapore
based company that consists of different
entities including Singex Venues Pte Ltd,
a venue management company, and
Singex Exhibitions Pte Ltd, an event
management company for exhibitions
and conventions.
According to its website, Singex
Exhibitions owns, develops
and manages a portfolio of
events through collaborations
with local and international
partners in Singapore and other
emerging markets. It claims to
have an extensive network of
regional governmental agencies,
international trade associations
and leading businesses in key
sectors that enable it to acquire,
build, market and scale events
around the world.
➲ Sicam was one of only a few recognisable
brands
In July 2013, Singex acquired
ECI International, the UK
company that has been the
driving force behind the Tyrexpo
series in Singapore, India, South
Africa and the UK.
While the acquisition
by Singex is expected
There were, however, a
handful of familiar faces, and
the aBr team was made to
feel at home in the company
of Bosch Automotive Service
Solutions. These guys are
on the front cover of aBr’s
March 2014 issue and their
Beissbarth, Robinair, Sicam
and OTC brands were all
on show. Thank you for the
hospitality guys!
to fuel growth in new
markets and further
expand Singex’s reach
in the MICE (Meetings,
Incentives, Conferencing
and Exhibitions) industry
abroad, it remains to
be seen if it can lure
significantly more local
companies to exhibit
This year’s event was the first
Tyrexpo Africa show to be organised by
➲ Charles Montandon from Direct Data shows
off an OTC diagnostic machine
| words in action
68
april 2014
come 2016…