OSS Association Takes Leading Role at Automechanika Istanbul

Automechanika Istanbul 2022, the world's leading trade fair brand in the automotive aftermarket sector and the largest international organization of its sector in the region covering Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Middle East and North Africa, brought the sector together again this year. Automotive Aftersales Products and Services Association (OSS), the umbrella organization of the automotive aftermarket in Turkey, also left its mark on the organization held at Istanbul TUYAP Fair and Congress Center between 2-5 June 2022 in cooperation with Messe Frankfurt Istanbul and Hannover Fairs Turkey. The OSS Association participated in the organization, of which it was one of the main supporters, with 117 members and shed light on the sector with the activities it organized for 4 days.

Speaking at the opening of the fair, Ziya Ozalp, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OSS, said, "Inflation and unstable exchange rates are unfortunately at the top of our agenda with such a long-lasting uncertainty for the first time. But despite this picture, we manage to continue our work uninterruptedly with our business models that we redesigned after the pandemic." Touching on the production and export figures of the sector, Ozalp said, "There was an increase in sales and export figures in 2021. In addition, the positive trend in employment was among the promising developments. In addition, there was an increase in both sales, exports and employment in the first quarter of the year. We believe that this optimistic picture will continue in the second quarter of the year.

On Thursday, June 2, at 15.00, the Brand Protection - Global Perspective Panel organized by OSS in the field of E-Mobility took place with the participation of Guy-Olivier Ducamp, Independent Aftermarket Director of Renault Group, and Tarek Kitouni, Brand Protection Specialist at Borgwagner, moderated by Emirhan Silahtaroğlu, Member of the OSS Board of Directors and Brand Protection Working Group.

On Friday, June 3, at 14.00, the Woman Talk panel was held, where Erdem Çarıkçı, a member of the Balancing at Work Working Group, shared the latest developments on the Balancing at Work project, which is carried out to increase women's employment and qualified manpower in the sector, in which the members of the association have put a lot of effort. In addition, within the scope of the same project, on Sunday, June 5, the after-sales sector was introduced to the young people invited to the fairground with the guidance of the Future is Clearer Youth platform, with an all-day promotional tour.

On Saturday, June 4, at 15.00 on the panel titled "The Effects of Block Exemption on Special Services", OSS Secretary General Ali Ozcete presented the effects of the block exemption from the OSS perspective to the audience.

The most exciting of the events was undoubtedly the 7th OSS Conference organized this year. Arnd Franz, CEO of LKQ Europe, the leading distributor of aftermarket spare parts for automobiles, commercial vehicles and industrial vehicles in Europe, which employs 27,000 people in total with more than 1000 branches in more than 20 European countries, with a revenue of 5.5 billion USD in 2020, met with OSS Members on Saturday, June 4 at 16.00 with a talk titled "Is the Aftermarket Ready for the Future?". The conference, which attracted great interest, ended with a plaque ceremony.

The conference was followed by a cocktail reception at the OSS Lounge, which will be open to all OSS members from 10:00 to 18:00 during the exhibition this year.

Automechanika Istanbul, of which OSS is the main supporter, will take place next year between June 8-11, 2023.