The organisers of the Auto1/InterTyre aftermarket exhibitions have postponed next year's show as a result of insufficient space bookings.

Gavin Masterston, chairman of the organising committee links the poor space bookings to the current low profitability in the aftermarket sector.

And he argues that the postponement was preferable to staging a curtailed exhibition which would have neither lived up to previous exhibitions nor fully represented the scale of the industry.

“Previous shows have been successful events at which substantial business was done but, without the full support of the industry, those forward thinking exhibitors, including many members of the Garage Equipment Association (GEA), who had committed to auto1 and InterTyre, will now be denied a great sales and marketing opportunity next year,” says Masterston.

SMMT Chief Executive, Christopher Macgowan says: “Unfortunately, in the current tough business climate many companies, particularly in the components sector, have been unable to commit the resources necessary to ensure that the shows would be of sufficient benefit to both visitors and exhibitors . This is extremely disappointing for all involved. However, we now have to look constructively at a number of possible futures for auto1 and InterTyre.”