The recent Automechanika Johannesburg trade fair for the automotive aftermarket, organised by Messe Frankfurt South Africa and staged at the Expo Centre, Nasrec, from 7-10 June 2022, provided a blend of product displays and activations.
Corné Strydom, Sales & Marketing Executive for AutoX, had this to say about the presence of three of its brands, Willard®, VARTA® and Rentech® at Automechanika, “With hundreds of exhibitors and with visitors from Sub Saharan Africa and around the world, this was a great chance to show off some of our feature brands.”
“Our Willard brand is fiercely proud of its local roots. With a presence in South Africa since the 1920’s, Willard has had a long and fruitful relationship with the motoring public, providing a broad range of battery applications. Since 1954, when the first Willard battery was manufactured in Gqeberha, our production processes have been regularly upgraded to meet the increasing market demands at the highest standards possible. And in keeping with all things local, our manufacturing facility employs numerous locals from the surrounding community.”
Renewable Energy and Solar Batteries
“As part of the AutoX stand, we also had the opportunity to showcase products from our Rentech range. The world is undoubtedly experiencing a rapid energy transition driven by a strong growth in solar power generation. As a provider of renewable energy products and services, Rentech is able to provide expert advice to assist customers to choose the best product solutions appropriate to their specific applications and requirements.”
“Rentech’s products are of the highest quality and certified according to European standardisation specifications. We always prioritise high performance product options that come with specified warranties. Established within the AutoX battery group, Rentech has a robust track record as one of the leading suppliers of solar batteries and back-up power solutions. This track record extends further into batteries for materials handling equipment as well as leisure vehicles and equipment.”
Environmentally friendly batteries
“The third brand we showcased at Automechanika this year was AutoX’s VARTA battery brand. For several years now we have been the official distributor for VARTA batteries. VARTA batteries are the driving force behind fuel-saving innovations like start-stop engines and are manufactured with up to 20 percent fewer emissions. From an environmental perspective, it is critical that Africa catches up and contributes towards a greener automotive future, and we are proud to be instrumental in this.”
Corne Strydom concludes, “All in all, our experience at Automechanika was a positive one. After an enforced break where we were compelled to communicate digitally, it was great to interact face-to-face with buyers and customers. The opportunity to bond and exchange ideas cannot be underestimated.”
