Exclusive Interview With Automechanika Istanbul Fair Directors
Ceyda Alp Acımış and Can Berki
Automechanika Istanbul, one of the world’s leading trade fairs for the automotive aftermarket industry, is opening its doors for the 25th time this year. With a quarter-century of experience, the fair is a strategic meeting platform that shapes the direction of the industry on both regional and global scales. The grand event, taking place on 19–22 May 2026, will bring together participating companies from more than 40 countries and tens of thousands of industry professionals in Istanbul.
Designed around the themes of e-mobility, digitalization, sustainability, and smart mobility solutions, the fair is also one of the strongest platforms representing the lubricants industry. What began as limited participation in the early years has now evolved into a magnificent hall and a comprehensive ecosystem. This scale represents not only quantitative growth but also opportunities for brand positioning, new export connections, technical collaborations, and integration with next-generation vehicle technologies for lubricant manufacturers and distributors.
Automechanika Istanbul Fair Directors Ceyda Alp Acımış and Can Berki shared their vision for the 25th anniversary, the preparation process, and the strategic transformation opportunities the fair provides for the automotive aftermarket industry in an exclusive interview for Lubricant World. Acımış and Berki also delivered special messages to the lubricants sector, one of the fair’s key stakeholders.
Automechanika Istanbul Fair Director Can Berki: Automechanika Istanbul is not only about today’s industry but a strategic ecosystem where we shape the future of mobility together.
Automechanika Istanbul celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. How do you see the parallel between the transformation and growth of the Turkish automotive industry over the past quarter century and the development journey of the fair?
Automechanika Istanbul, first held in 2001, has become a strong platform accompanying the development of the automotive aftermarket industry over the past 25 years. The fair has grown and strengthened alongside the transformation of our industry.
Over this quarter century, the Turkish automotive ecosystem has gained a structure that increased production power, raised quality standards, and consolidated its position in global markets. The automotive aftermarket industry has been directly influenced by this change.
Over the years, Automechanika Istanbul has gone beyond being a classical trade platform to become a strategic hub where industry trends, innovative technologies, and international collaborations converge.
Today, both the Turkish automotive ecosystem and Automechanika Istanbul share common priorities: global integration, technology-driven growth, and sustainable competitiveness. In this respect, the fair’s position in the industry is highly significant.
What does the current scope, sub-sector diversity, and visitor-participant profile tell us? How should we interpret the international visitor profile and export potential on a regional scale?
The current position of Automechanika Istanbul shows that our fair has gone beyond being a regional organization to become one of the critical nodes of the global automotive aftermarket network. The participant profile and exhibited solutions together highlight a structure encompassing the entire value chain of the aftermarket.
Product and service diversity is shaped around technology, equipment, and digitalization, while the fair positions itself as a reference meeting point where the industry’s development parameters can be observed.
Automechanika Istanbul 2025 brought together more than 40 countries and tens of thousands of professionals, clearly demonstrating the international scale the fair has reached. This year, with strong ongoing sales, we are excited to host the industry’s leading companies and connect them with domestic and international buyers.
The international visitor profile, particularly with strong participation from Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, creates tangible opportunities for Turkish manufacturers in terms of strengthening export connections, accessing new markets, and increasing brand visibility. From a regional perspective, Automechanika Istanbul acts as a strategic platform bridging different economic geographies, accelerating trade volume and sectoral interaction.
How is the preparation process for this major event progressing? What is the main theme, strategic priorities, and core message you want to deliver for the 25th anniversary?
The preparation process for Automechanika Istanbul 2026 is progressing with an intensive and multi-layered structure in terms of both operational planning and content design. Taking place on 19–22 May, during the week of May 19 which symbolizes the spirit of youth in the Republic, the fair combines its quarter-century legacy with an innovative vision, focusing on the future of the automotive aftermarket industry.
This year, we structured our main framework around four transformation areas: e-mobility, digitalization, sustainability, and smart mobility solutions, alongside parts and systems. Service infrastructures for electric and hybrid vehicles, data-driven maintenance models, AI-supported applications, circular economy approaches, and remanufacturing solutions play a decisive role in the content architecture.
Our core message for the 25th anniversary is that Automechanika Istanbul is not only focused on today’s industry but is a strategic ecosystem where we shape the future of mobility, business models, and technological transformation together.
Automechanika Istanbul Fair Director Ceyda Alp Acımış: For the lubricants industry, participating in Automechanika Istanbul is not just an operational presence but a long-term strategic investment.
Automechanika Istanbul is the fair with the widest participation from the lubricants industry. What commercial and strategic gains does the fair provide for the lubricants industry? Why is participation a strategic investment for lubricant manufacturers and distributors?
The lubricants industry is a critical pillar of the automotive aftermarket ecosystem. Therefore, participating in Automechanika Istanbul is not merely an operational presence but a strategic investment and a long-term market positioning tool for companies.
What began with limited participation in the early years has now evolved into a strong ecosystem occupying an entire hall, clearly demonstrating the dynamism of the industry and the commercial value created by the fair. For 2026, leading global and national companies in the lubricants industry have already confirmed their participation.
For the lubricants industry, Automechanika Istanbul serves as a platform for brand positioning, expanding distributor networks, accessing new markets, and sharing technical knowledge. Especially in the transforming automotive world shaped by e-mobility and sustainability, participating in the fair means presenting next-generation products and solutions to the right target audience, establishing international business connections, and creating competitive advantage.
Compliance with sustainability criteria, integration with next-generation vehicle technologies, and strong supply chain management are becoming increasingly decisive for the lubricants industry. Automechanika Istanbul offers industry players the opportunity to closely follow this transformation and present their innovative solutions to global buyers.
How has the exhibitor profile evolved over the past 25 years? How has Automechanika Istanbul transformed sectoral standards in terms of booth design quality, digitalization, networking infrastructure, and global connection networks? What vision and preparation level do you expect from today’s exhibitors?
Over the past quarter century, we have observed a clear transformation in the exhibitor profile. In the early years, participation was more product-oriented and shaped by traditional exhibition approaches. Today, companies position Automechanika Istanbul as the center of experience design, brand storytelling, and business development strategy.
Exhibitors now place greater emphasis on booth design quality, visitor experience, and digital presentation technologies. Automechanika Istanbul, in turn, provides strengthened networking infrastructures, B2B matchmaking systems, and digital platform integrations, offering access to global purchasing professionals.
We expect participating companies to act with clear business development goals, plan experience-oriented booth designs, and strongly reflect sustainability and innovation messages. Therefore, we emphasize that companies joining our fair on 19–22 May should be well-prepared and adopt a goal-oriented approach.
Where do you position Automechanika Istanbul in the future? How will the fair’s quarter-century of experience reflect on the next 25 years?
We are building the future positioning of Automechanika Istanbul on three main axes. First, we aim to leverage Istanbul’s geographic location more strongly, consolidating our role as a global connection platform bridging Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. Second, we are making e-mobility, digitalization, and sustainable production more visible. Finally, through Automechanika Academy, Innovation4Mobility, and thematic areas, we are growing the fair as an experience ecosystem focused on learning and vision generation.
With our quarter-century of experience, Automechanika Istanbul continues to be not only a platform reflecting the current picture of the industry but also a meeting point accelerating transformation dynamics. We believe that in the next 25 years, the fair will resolutely maintain its role as the center of regional trade, the showcase of next-generation solutions, and the stage for sustainable business models.
