AAAA News

A highly impressive schedule of key note speakers, leading local and international industry executive identities and events will form Australia’s premier automotive aftermarket industry convention, Autocare 2018, to be held on May 4 and 5 at the Sydney International Convention Centre.

Autocare 2018 is an education, information and industry development focussed event that has been designed to address the latest developments, trends and issues facing the automotive aftermarket parts and service supply chain sector. This Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) organised event has left no stone unturned to ensure that members involved in the automotive parts manufacturing, distribution, wholesale and retail sectors, along with industry service providers, gain the maximum benefits from taking part.

The convention is presented by Platinum sponsor Repco and Diamond Sponsor I-CAR, and is supported by a host of the industry’s most successful companies including Brown and Watson International, Ryco / GUD Automotive, and Pedders Suspension together with over 80 Silver and Bronze Autocare 2018 partners.

The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) is delighted to announce that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chairman, Rod Sims, will provide the opening keynote address at Autocare 2018.  The ACCC Chairman’s address will outline the major findings and recommendations arising from their market study into the new car retailing industry and its implications for the Australian automotive aftermarket industry.

Mr Sims will also outline how the nation’s competition watchdog views our industry, the level competitiveness of our sector and how they monitor specific areas of anti-competitive and anti-consumer behaviours. Find out what the ACCC intends to do to ensure that the independent aftermarket can have confidence in a future in which consumers are able to exercise choice of repairer and parts, a future in which fair and open competition is monitored and enforced.

The program of industry leading speakers who will bring their vast Supply Chain sector expertise to Autocare 2018 represents an ensemble of global and local industry influencers, strategists, researchers and economists.

United States based Auto Care Association Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Government Affairs, Aaron Lowe, will be joined by the AAAA’s Senior Manager of Government Relations & Advocacy, Lesley Yates to provide an update on the global right to repair campaign and the impact of telematics and software driven automotive components on the future of our industry.

One of the nation’s best known and trusted Macro-economists, Saul Eslake, will contribute his vast knowledge in monitoring, analysing and predicting Australian economic trends at Autocare 2018.  As a former Chief Economist for McIntosh Securities, National Mutual Funds Management, ANZ and the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Saul is more than well qualified to provide a highly accurate glimpse at our long term economic future that should not be missed.

Autocare 2018’s outstanding roster of key note speakers also includes one of Australia’s leading social commentators, Bernard Salt from The Demographics Group, who will provide his well-researched insights to assist attendees to ensure their businesses effectively connect with the customer of the future.

The AAAA has made a significant investment in ground breaking consumer research which will be presented for the first time at the Convention by leading automotive market research firm TKP.  Based on a customer insights survey of 1,500 Australian car owners the findings will provide attendees with a complete understanding of the workshop customer; how they decide which workshop to visit, what factors are critical to customer satisfaction, loyalty and recommendation, the importance of price relative to other considerations on which workshop they use, views on fixed price servicing, perceived differences between independent and dealer workshops and lots more.

Nikki Gerling, the Automotive Aftermarket General Manager of Bosch Australia and New Zealand will address the future of mobility in an address titled ‘Electrified. Connected. Automated’.

The Digital age of doing business will be covered by Bruce Morrison, Managing Director of MotorActive, Leon Saliba, the Co-Founder and CEO of Sparesbox and Autoguru CEO Eden Shirley who will address the entry of Amazon into the Australian market and how to effectively leverage online retail opportunities and digital intermediaries .

The future of the Australian automotive marketplace will also be a key topic addressed at Autocare 2018 by the ACA Head of Automotive Research, Steve Nuttall who will be joined by ACA Account Director Ben Selwyn.

Companies looking to gain efficiencies in their domestic and international supply chains will be well catered for with presentations by John Allen, Director of Horizon Inventory and Cameron Dodd, Product Development Manager of the Auto Parts Group on the topic ‘You’ve got to know when to fold em’ and international trade and supply chain consultant

Bill Cole on addressing the topic ‘Accessing Global Markets’

According to Stuart Charity, Executive Director of the AAAA, the national body representing the $14 billion Australian automotive aftermarket industry, the scope and structure of Autocare 2018’s Supply Chain stream of presenters and key note speakers has surpassed all expectations.

“The bumper Autocare 2018 schedule of key note presentations and Supply Chain industry sector focussed speakers combines outstanding global and local expertise with specific focus on market research, customer trends and emerging technologies to ensure that our members will be able to learn from their experiences and gain the knowledge required to position their businesses to prosper into the future,” Mr Charity stated.

“The convention also includes a gala dinner, live training and technical demonstrations along with a special outdoor feature car display and a trade display featuring over 100 of our market leading companies demonstrating the very latest in technologies and services.  We anticipate over 3,000 automotive professionals will attend the combined 2 day formal Convention Program and free trade display and onsite activities, making Autocare 2018 an education, networking and business development event that should not be missed,” He added.

Autocare 2018 will be held at the Sydney International Convention Centre on May 4 and 5 2018.  Attendees are encouraged to register to attend the Supply Chain Stream of the event across both days at the Early Bird reduced cost of $440 (inc GST) per delegate, or you may select to attend one day of the convention at the cost of $275 (inc GST) per delegate for registrations made by midnight on March 15, 2018. Following that date the standard registration rates are $505 (incl GST) for two days and $320 (inc GST) for one day.

The full Autocare 2018 Convention event and program information, online registration and secure payment portal and accommodation booking service can be viewed at www.autocare.org.au.