New auto parts show planned for Latin America

PANAMA CITY, Panama (Aug. 2, 2013) — Following the success of the fourth annual Latin American & Caribbean Tyre Expo, the show's organizers are planning a new conference for the region focusing on auto parts.

The Latin Auto Parts Expo will take place July 9-12, 2014, at the Atlapa Convention Center in Panama City, the same location as the Tyre Expo, which will run two weeks later on July 23-26, 2014.

The new show will be tailored to the OE and aftermarket parts business for buyers from South America, Central America and the Caribbean, said Show Director Linda Bassitt.

The owner of the expos is Latin Expo Group L.L.C., headquartered in Miami with an office in Panama. The CEO of the organization, Gus Lima, also is CEO of Oriente Triangle Latin America Inc. and Grupo Sailun Latin America Inc., also based in Miami. Oriente Triangle distributes the Triangle tire brand in Latin America and Florida, while Grupo Sailun distributes the Sailun brand in Latin America.

Mr. Lima said the idea for the Parts Expo came about as a result of having to reject about 100 companies that wanted to come to the tire show to sell parts.

"I said, 'No, this a tire expo,'" he said to these parts companies wanting to exhibit at the tire expo.

"If you are not directly involved in the tire business, I'm sorry we don't want our people to get diluted with different products. This is tires, some wheels, machinery for the tire business that a guy comes in here he's been in the tire business all his life, he feels at home."

Latin Expo Group will begin marketing the Auto Parts Expo in August.

In 2015, Mr. Lima anticipates adding a third show for the food and beverage industry.

All three shows are tailored to the business-to-business market, he said. They are not open to the public and no admission is charged.

"It's strictly for business people to meet business people and make deals and make money," he said.

Regarding the 2013 Latin American & Caribbean Tyre Expo, Mr. Lima said the show grew to 220 exhibitors from 187 a year ago. Attendance reached 4,100, including 3,370 who were registered buyers, according to Ms. Bassitt.

Mr. Lima said the show is about "selling tires," and the expo helps to make that happen by bringing people together in a place they can do business on the showroom floor.

"This is a tire show by tire dealers for tire dealers," he explained. "I call this the 'show and sell' tire expo, not the 'show and tell' tire expo."

Mr. Lima said this year's expo will probably generate $500 million in sales for the exhibiting companies. The exhibitors "don't have to sell a lot to get yearly sales of the whole show to get a combined half a billion dollars," he said.

Watch the video to hear more from Mr. Lima about the expo's success and future plans.