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Automechanika Frankfurt: dates, what is exhibited and how to prepare

Automechanika Frankfurt is the reference trade fair for the automotive aftermarket: spare parts, accessories, repair and maintenance, diagnostics,…

Published on 30 September 2026Updated on 30 September 2026

Automechanika Frankfurt is the reference trade fair for the automotive aftermarket: spare parts, accessories, repair and maintenance, diagnostics, workshop equipment and IT. It runs biennially at Messe Frankfurt, next edition September 2028. For a Spanish exporter, Germany's scale as an import market for machinery, vehicles and vehicle parts (chapters 84 and 87 lead the country's import table) makes this fair a direct route to distributors and workshop chains across Europe.

Fact sheet

Dates
2028-09-05 → 2028-09-09
City
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Venue
Messe Frankfurt
Organiser
Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
Frequency
bienal
What is exhibited
Productos, tecnologías y servicios de todo el aftermarket y sector de servicios de automoción: recambios y componentes, accesorios, reparación y mantenimiento (chapa y pintura), diagnóstico, electrónica, lavado y detailing, equipamiento de talleres e IT.

Source: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbHData for 2026-09-29Verified on 30 September 2026

Sector imports in the country

USD · 2025
ChapterImports (USD)
84 · Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear…190,139,583,943
87 · Vehicles; other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and…157,931,462,418
39 · Plastics and articles thereof50,984,461,100
73 · Iron or steel articles29,455,325,380
72 · Iron and steel27,419,591,290
76 · Aluminium and articles thereof22,894,419,815
88 · Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof20,346,172,655
40 · Rubber and articles thereof18,423,273,080
48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or…14,859,779,116
74 · Copper and articles thereof14,763,828,029
82 · Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base…7,071,970,318
83 · Metal; miscellaneous products of base metal6,414,928,050
89 · Ships, boats and floating structures4,199,514,627
86 · Railway, tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts…4,181,430,294
47 · Pulp of wood or other fibrous cellulosic material…4,013,401,650

Imports declared by each country from the world. Countries report with a delay: the period is the latest with consolidated data.

Source: UN ComtradeData for 2025Verified on 30 September 2026

Other fairs in the sector

What to check before exhibiting or visiting

Germany is a market inside the EU customs union, so a Spanish company selling automotive parts or accessories there does not face import tariffs or customs declarations at the border: goods move under the same rules as a domestic sale within Spain. What still applies is EU product regulation, since automotive parts, electronics and workshop equipment can fall under specific EU directives (such as ECE type-approval for certain vehicle parts, or CE marking for equipment). Which rules apply depends on the exact product and its subheading, and that is confirmed in Access2Markets and the relevant EU directive text on EUR-Lex.

If the same product line is later offered outside the EU, from a market visited through contacts made at the fair, the tariff and any preferential rate depend on the destination country, the exact tariff subheading and whether an agreement with the EU is in force. That is checked case by case in Access2Markets or, for the exporting side, in TARIC.

Exhibiting at Automechanika Frankfurt means competing for attention among a market where machinery and mechanical appliances (chapter 84) and vehicles and parts (chapter 87) are the two largest import categories reported by the country, according to UN Comtrade. That points to a market with deep, established demand for both finished vehicles and the components and machinery behind their production and repair — the same segments the fair covers.

Companies planning to exhibit should request the exhibitor manual and space rates directly from Messe Frankfurt through the official fair website, since stand costs, technical requirements and deadlines are set and updated by the organiser, not by third parties.

For visitors, the practical preparation is the same as for any major German trade fair: business-level German or English for meetings, an updated product catalogue with technical specifications, and, if samples are brought, awareness that intra-EU transport of goods for a fair does not require an ATA Carnet — that document is only relevant when the same samples are later taken to a non-EU country.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an import license to sell automotive parts in Germany from Spain?

No. Spain and Germany are both in the EU customs union, so there is no import license or customs declaration for trade between the two. What may apply is EU product regulation specific to the part (type-approval, CE marking), which depends on the product and is checked in Access2Markets or the relevant EU directive.

How often does Automechanika Frankfurt take place?

It is a biennial fair, held at Messe Frankfurt in Germany. The next edition runs from 5 to 9 September 2028.

Is Germany a large market for automotive aftermarket products?

Among the country's imported goods, vehicles and vehicle parts (HS chapter 87) and machinery and mechanical appliances (HS chapter 84) are the two highest-value categories, according to UN Comtrade for 2025. That places automotive-related demand at the top of the country's import structure.

Can I bring product samples to the fair without paying customs duties?

Yes, since samples travelling from Spain to Germany move within the EU customs union and are not subject to import duties or customs formalities. An ATA Carnet is only needed if the same samples are later taken to a country outside the EU.

Where do I find the exhibitor costs and deadlines for Automechanika Frankfurt?

Stand rates, technical requirements and application deadlines are published and updated by Messe Frankfurt, the fair's organiser, on the official Automechanika Frankfurt website.

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