This year’s Automechanika Birmingham proved to be a great success, as the event welcomed over 15,000 visitors for the first time in the show’s history.
The result highlights the automotive aftermarket’s resilience, growth and appetite for innovation. With training sessions, new products and technologies, and the opportunity to network, Automechanika Birmingham 2025 offered more than most trade events, to thousands of attendees.
You can view our full Automechanika Birmingham playlist, including our four daily videos, by clicking on the top right of the video below.
A record-breaking attendance shows that the event is central to many workshops plans, and the show has already announced its return in 2027, between 8-10 June. In the meantime, the UK Garage and Bodyshop Event will take place next year, on 3-4 June.
Automechanika Birmingham fully established
Automechanika Birmingham 2025 brought together over 15,000 visitors with more than 7,000 garages, bodyshops, and detailers. The audience enjoyed a range of exhibitors and content, with over 550 suppliers from more than 35 countries, and the highest ever ratings for live demonstrations, training and face-to-face engagement, the event confirmed its status as the national meeting place for the sector.
With over 70% of space already booked for the 2027 edition, the show has cemented its position as the go-to platform for face-to-face business. Even more encouraging, the appetite for in-person connection has never been stronger, as figures suggest.
“Automechanika Birmingham is now firmly established as the UK’s unmissable event for the aftermarket sector and automotive supply chain,” commented Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of SMMT. “At a time of significant transformation for the industry, it provides a vital platform to come together, share ideas, attract new talent and unlock future opportunities.”
A major new addition this year was Motorvate, a feature space designed to ignite interest and careers in automotive among students, apprentices and early career professionals. With competitions, insightful talks and hands-on experiences running throughout the show, it delivered a bold new vision for inspiring the next generation.
Training and skills
The show also saw the return of the Aftermarket Hub, Modern Garage, Workshop Hub and Paint & Spray Live, alongside fan favourites such as Vehicle Detailing Live and Body Repair Live, all delivering over 150 hours of free training sessions and covering topics including diagnostics, EV servicing, ADAS calibration, business development and more.
Also featured at Automechanika Birmingham 2025 was Innovation4Mobility, an educational theatre highlighting the future of connected and sustainable automotive technologies, further enriching the event’s focus on forward-thinking solutions.
“Automechanika Birmingham is a must-attend event in the automotive calendar, as it showcases a thriving aftermarket with a promising future,” added Kevan Wooden, CEO LKQ UK & Ireland. “It is more important than ever for the sector to pull together in retaining and attracting future talent, and our participation in the Motorvate programme highlighted the exciting career opportunities available to all.
“We are fully committed to ensuring technicians of every level are equipped with the latest skills so the aftermarket can thrive long into the future, which is reflected via our award-winning training initiatives at LKQ Academy centres across the UK.
“From welcoming fresh talent at our Motorvate stand, to promoting our extensive range and services, and engaging with loyal and new customers on our Emotive and Modern Garage stands, the event was a huge success from start to finish.”
Networking opportunity
“Automechanika Birmingham 2025 was an outstanding event for the aftermarket sector,” added Mark Hallam, Head of Marketing ZF Aftermarket UK. “It gave us the perfect opportunity to engage directly with workshops, distributors, and industry professionals, while showcasing our latest product innovations and services. The quality of the audience and the relevance of the content made it one of the most valuable events in the calendar.
“We are proud to have been a Gold Sponsor and are already looking forward to returning, it is an unmissable date for anyone serious about the UK aftermarket.”
Networking remained a core element of the event, with standout moments including the Women in Automotive Drinks Reception, IAAF Networking Drinks, and the SMMT Meet the Buyer programme that facilitated high-level procurement conversations.
Another new stand-out feature for this year was the Thirty Under 30 Awards, hosted on the Motorvate Ignite Arena, recognising the brightest young talent in the industry, drawing a large and enthusiastic audience. Meanwhile, the Garage Awards, hosted by the IAAF and supported by LKQ Euro Car Parts, celebrated excellence across the independent aftermarket.
The place to be
Exhibitors across the show floor shared a plethora of product launches, innovations and solutions, many offering added-value services to support their customers in real-time.
Gold Customers within the Automechanika Lovers programme for this year’s event included: Autel, Bosch, Elring, Launch Tech UK, Mann + Hummel, Stanley, TecAlliance, Walker and ZF Aftermarket, all demonstrating exceptional commitment, innovation and leadership across the global Automechanika platform.
“This year’s Automechanika Birmingham has been our strongest yet, not only in numbers, but in energy, ambition and impact,” stated Joanne Knowles, Event Director at Messe Frankfurt. “The feedback from visitors and exhibitors has been incredible, and we are delighted to have delivered a show that continues to sit at the heart of the UK automotive calendar.
“The industry has chosen Automechanika as the place to come together, to tackle its biggest challenges, celebrate success and shape a stronger future.”
Exhibitors and visitors will also return next June for the UK Garage and Bodyshop Event 2026, focused exclusively on the needs of workshops, technicians and body repair specialists, and packed with even more tools, technology and training.
