bodyshop teams up with UK Garage & Bodyshop Event

bodyshop magazine has partnered with Automechanika organiser Messe Frankfurt for next year’s UK Garage & Bodyshop Event at the NEC. To mark the announcement of our sponsorship of the event’s Bodyshop Training Hub, editor Simon Wait sat down with Messe Frankfurt UK project director Kristan Johnstone to find out what repairers can expect to see in Birmingham on 8-9 June 2022.

Tell us a bit about your role in helping to organise the UK Garage & Bodyshop Event?

I have worked with the team at Messe Frankfurt UK since Automechanika Birmingham launched in 2016. More recently my focus has been on the new initiatives of auto:resource, which is our digital content marketing platform, and now the launch of the UK Garage & Bodyshop Event, which has been born out of extensive research and feedback we’ve had from the industry over the past 18-plus months.

We realise it’s early days, but what can visitors expect to see?

In many ways it follows the usual trade event format, however we are stripping it down to some core elements, and really focusing on bringing it to life through the showcase of new technologies, products and training initiatives. By doing so our aim is to help the industry come to grips with what is new and how to approach the challenges they are facing. Hence the strapline for the event is Training, Technology and Tools. To support that we have an extensive programme of technical seminars and demonstrations to bring the technology to life, and to deliver a real practical element of insight for visitors, so as much as possible they can see things in action to really inform the decisions they need to be making as technicians, and as business owners. In addition, there will be a strong focus on the business services element, where business owners and managers can access the information and advice they need to continue driving their businesses forward. So, information around legislation, finance, marketing, staff recruitment, training and retention, and similar industry support will be prevalent too.

To read more, visit bodyshop‘s December issue.