With a focus on Vehicle Diagnostic Scanners, Auto Electrical Training, New Technology, Parts, Tools & Garage Equipment, the very first Workshop Aftermarket & Technology Show (WATS) taking place in Bloemfontein at Ilanga Estate on 21st October from 16:00 to 22:00 promises to be another OFS Success Story.
The WATS Expo, which from it’s inception in 2005 has enjoyed the full endorsement of the Retail Motor Industry of S.A. is this year privileged, to for the very first time work side by side with RMI Regional Manager for the Free State Mr. Louis van Huyssteen & his Dynamic Team.

• This show offers Visitors & Exhibitors the best in:
• Valuable exposure of the Automotive Aftermarket suppliers & visitors alike.
• Perfect opportunity to launch new brands.
• Networking with high quality clients and suppliers face to face.
• Minimal staff absence & overhead for this one day only event. (Fast & Furious)
• Stylish shell schemes, modern & vibrant atmosphere.

This is a fantastic opportunity for companies to showcase their products or technology to the Automotive Aftermarket of the Free State, as there has NEVER before been a TECHNOLOGY expo of this type in BLOEMFONTEIN!!.

• Free Boerie rolls & Beer/coldrinks to visitors/exhibitors @ 18h00
• Gorgeous girls giving away T-shirts in a way you would never expect!
• Prizes to be Won!
• Cash Bar will also be available.

For further information contact Miranda on: 082 9680 214 & admin@wats.co.za or Johann on: 082 5515 061 & info@wats.co.za

WATS exhibitor registrations absolutely TOOK OFF in January 2010!

So much so, that at the time of submitting this article in January only 30% exhibitor space was left over. the Show is now 70% sold out!  It has become absolutely clear that much more optimism & enthusiasm is being felt in our industry and in our country for 2010.

With a spotlight on Training & Technology in this years show & with the Heavyweight Expo taking place in Halls & open area’s around us, the extended show hours, plus an additional day, the feet through our show this year is expected to way surpass previous years.

The close relationship between WATS & the RMI is clearly evident year on year, but never more than this year where RMI Northern Region Manager Angela Calogero has brought some ground breaking initiatives to the show with the purpose of firstly, proving that “Belonging to the RMI is better business” & secondly putting additional actions to many words spoken on urgently required training in our industry by exposing more students & people interested in taking up a career in the Motor Industry to aspects of the trade, as well as encouraging FET’s to visit the show. Angela has taken it upon herself to involved the 16 constituent bodies of the RMI to take stands at WATS Pretoria so that each have something interactive on their stand that anyone showing an interest in the trade, visitors, teenage school children & school leavers, can get a hands on feel of what that sector of the Motor Industry is about, Angela has gone so far as to team up with a Panel Beating Company in Pretoria to look into setting up a Demonstration spray booth just outside one show exits where visitors & especially students can have a go at actually spraying something.

WATS will hold Four 30min short informative talks each evening of 24th & 25th March covering a range of subjects such as, Generic Fuel Injection, Diagnostic Scanning, Testing & Fault Finding, Importance of using correct brake components, correct testing of new generation Alternator Voltage Regulators & “Introduction to the Electrolog & Electrolog Advanced Training” to name a few.

Everyone at WATS is extremely excited to host a Show in 2010 which will mark one of the greatest years in South African History.  24-25th March 2010, Hall L of the Pretoria Show Grounds. 10:00 to 21:30.

For further information visit www.wats.co.za where you can register on-line or contact Miranda on: 082 9680 214 & admin@wats.co.za or Johann on: 082 5515 061 & info@wats.co.za The WATS Expo’s are fully Endorsed by the RMI (Retail Motor Industry Organization of S.A.)

WATS Team

Hot off the Press!

Have you heard! Business Recovery has started! The first quarter of 2010 Is predicted to be the time in which the most lift will be felt – ARE YOU READY FOR IT?

You will be excited to know that the 2010 Soccer World cup is NOT the only world class event that is taking place in South Africa next year!! WATS due to numerous requests is in March 2010, extended to 2days, daily 10am to 21:30pm. With 128 Stands this will be the largest WATS show to date.

The 6th WATS Expo – Workshop Aftermarket & Technology Show 24-25th March 2010 and the all new Heavyweight Expo 23-26th March 2010 have joined forces to bring you an event at the Pretoria Show grounds filled with an exciting variety of Manufacturers, Distributors and Agents of Heavy Duty Vehicles, Plant, Agricultural Equipment, Automotive Parts, Garage equipment, Tools, existing & newly released Diagnostic Scanning Equipment with live demonstrations, Parts suppliers, Aircon suppliers, IT Accounting/Workshop Control & Job Tracking Software.
For the very first time, Mechanical, Auto Electrical & various other Automotive Training Centre’s together with RMI, SDF’s ( Skills Development Facilitators ) & merSETA, On hand, to advise you on all your training & up skilling needs. Training is Crucial in ensuring that your business becomes a success story to be proud of.

“The timing of the Expo’s is Perfect,” says Jeff Osborne, CEO of the RMI, who has officially endorsed the Endeavour’s. Osborne has pointed to the potential upswing in the economy & the forthcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer as big incentives for visitors & exhibitors alike. “The RMI feels that the combination of these two shows makes practical sense and we’re looking forward to what they have to offer.” Says Osborne.

“We need to train up our new and existing technicians to comprehend and master the new technologies entering our markets on a daily basis in the form of sophisticated new products, technologies and vehicles,” says Johann de Bruyne, organizer of the WATS show & Managing Director of Kigima Auto Electrical Training Centre.

In addition to the shows, WATS will host a number of mini 30min workshops between 6 & 9pm on 24th & 25th March and the Heavyweight Expo will host a series of 4, half day workshops & conferences over 23-26th March addressing a number of vital issues pertinent to stakeholders in the automotive aftermarket and heavy commercial vehicle and machinery sector.
Stands for exhibitors @ the WATS Expo Hall “L”  - total cost for the 2days, R4,950.00 + Vat for a basic 3×3m stand with a side less Oasys Shell Scheme.
Space for exhibitors @ Heavyweight Expo starts at R140 per sq meter (open flooring).
The pricing of both Expo’s is very much in tune with the current economic climate.

Suppliers of Panel Beating, Training, equipment, tools, paints & related products Wanted for the WATS Expo.

“For more information contact Miranda de Bruyne 082 9680 214, Johann de Bruyne 082 5515 061, visit www.wats.co.za or email admin@wats.co.za”

Are you ready for another jam packed event of One on One, Business to Business, Information Communication? Bookings are now open for the Workshop Aftermarket and Technology Show™ in Pretoria Gauteng, which is set to take place on the 24th and 25th of March 2010, from 10h00 to 21h30 daily, in Hall L of the Tshwane Events Centre (Pretoria Show Grounds) in Pretoria West.

From a single automotive trade evening attended by over 2700 guests in 2008, we are very proud to announce that WATS™ has grown once again by expanding to a two day Trade Focused event, giving trade guests more time to come through and visit the show and also allowing exhibitors to spend more time with each guest. The best news of all is that although we have expanded to a two day event we have kept the price of exhibiting as affordable as ever, making it even easier to be an exhibitor at WATS™, so make sure to get your registrations in as soon as possible to secure your stand.

Tito Mboweni & many economists are confident that SA’s turn around is coming in this Q4 Oct/Nov/Dec of 2009 or in Q1 Jan/Feb/March of 2010….Are you READY?? One already gets a sense that business is picking up!! what better time to be found getting your products or services in front of your customers & new customers through attending the WATS Expo 2010! Get the exposure, do the business, exhibit or visit WATS Pretoria 2010

The Heavy Weights

WATS™ Pretoria will be taking place at the same time and in partnership with a new show hosted by the Tshwane Events Centre called the “Heavy Weights Expo” which focuses on the heavy duty side of the automotive industry. WATS™ will operate in it’s own hall independently as usual, however our guests and exhibitors will be spoiled for choice with all the extra heavy duty companies and equipment that will be on show in the various halls of the Tshwane Events Centre, so 2010 promises to not only be huge, but heavy!

We are also in the process of planning another WATS™ which will be taking place during 2010 in South Africa, more info on this will be released once we have confirmation.

WATS PRETORIA 2010 INFO

Date: 24th & 25th March 2010 (2 days)

Venue: HALL L – Tshwane Events Centre ( Pretoria Show Grounds)

Times: 10h00 to 21h30 daily

Registration: WATS™ is taking registrations, call Miranda on 082 9680 214 for more info.

WATS™ is raring to go and geared up for more one to one, business to business, information communication!

The 20th May 2009 saw the Workshop Aftermarket and Technology Show™ take
place at the renowned Cape Town International Convetion Centre (CTICC).
Our hearty thanks go to all our esteemed exhibitors and supporters as
well as everyone involved helping to make this “Fast & Furious” evening
of automotive Business 2 Business networking possible and successful.

For this smaller version of WATS™, Nineteen (19) companies filled up the thirty three (33) stands which

were made available for exhibitors, whom we would like to mention here:

1. Automechanika
2. Automotive Diagnostic Solutions
3. Autotronics Launch
4. Autoinsight Magazine
5. Caelex
6. Capricorn Society
7. Diesel Electric CT
8. Electrolog
9. Euroquip
10. Hanatech Automotive
11. Hex Diagnostics
12. Kapico
13. Precision Power Components
14. MegaPulse
15. Merseta
16. Midas Group
17. MISA
18. Motor Electro Diesel
19. Retail Motor Industry Association

The WATS™ team received many compliments and comments during the evening
all being of the same tune, that although WATS™ Cape Town was not as big
as it’s main show in Pretoria, the amount and type of visitors was just
right, with a good number of exhibitors stating they had done very good business during the evening, as well as meeting valuable new potential clients and bolstering relationships with their current clients.

The show was extremely well supported by a large crowd of enthusiastic Parts & Technology Hungry
Visitors.

We are also proud to announce Motor Electro Diesel (M.E.D) as winners of
the “Most Innovative Stand” at the Cape Town show, with their impressive
LED Light Bars and hospitality section being a major feature at the
show. M.E.D will be receiving a certificate of their achievement as well
as the traditional WATS™ trophy being the huge Blue Chromed Shifting
Spanner for display. Congratulations to Johnny Feinstein and his team
from M.E.D on a job well done!

M.E.D. was closely followed by, Hex Diagnostix, Diesel Electric Cape Town & the Midas Group consisting of ACD, Motolek, Midas, CBS & ADCO.

WATS™ is very proud to be in the position to say that even in the current economic climate, companies have placed their trust in our show to help them gain ever priceless exposure and the opportunity to improve in their relative markets. We are confident that this trend will continue into future shows, gathering momentum and offering our exhibitors valuable exposure and tangible returns.

Danny de Bruyne

WATS™