NEWS
DBA TO LAUNCH ALL-NEW BRAKE ROTOR PACKAGING DESIGN After more than a decade, DBA will present an evolution of its brake rotor packaging at the AAAExpo The new visual design from Disc Brakes Australia (DBA) is said to not only take the customers’ purchasing experience to another level, but the packaging will also offer increased structural stability for extra product protection whilst meeting DBA’s strict sustainability targets. “DBA has grown over the last 40 plus years mainly on the back of its market leading brake rotor program, and it is still our most important product line today,” DBA Marketing Manager, Lars Mehlan, said. “As a business, our target is to match the visual appearance of our product packaging with the premium quality that our product is known for, and consequently to enhance the overall customer experience.”
automotive industry, the design language was simplified and modernised, with the box top panel now featuring one hero product image per product line and making use of self-explaining pictograms to replace lengthy text passages. The back of the box shows an easy-to-understand product outline explaining the main technical features. In several places on the box, QR codes offer the user the opportunity to link to DBA’s website or external resources for further information or engage with DBA to exchange feedback.
As part of the journey, DBA went through a comprehensive market research and benchmarking process, talking to stakeholders along the value chain about their expectations and requirements.
As part of the project, DBA went as far as to streamline its product brands within the rotor program. The result is a clear, three-tiered product offering of direct replacement rotors (STREET SERIES), upgrade performance rotors (4000 SERIES), and high-performance rotors (5000 SERIES). Existing product sub-brands such as Enshield, 4x4 Survival or Club Spec will be phased out with the new packaging design.
Consequently, taking inspiration from leading packaging concepts from within and outside the
“Obviously, En-shield protective coating will still be available for our STREET SERIES products, and
our 4000 SERIES will still be the rotor of choice when it comes to 4x4 applications,” Lars said. “However, in order to reduce product complexity and everything that goes with it from inventory management to cataloguing, we found that a simple, three-tiered system based on our successful product brands STREET SERIES, 4000 SERIES and 5000 SERIES would work best.” DBA will launch its new brake rotor packaging design at the AAAExpo on Stand L44. For further information, visit www.dba.com.au or call DBA Customer Service on 1800 730 039.
AUTOMECHANIKA KUALA LUMPUR DEFERS UNTIL 2023 The show will now be held across the 16th to the 18th of March in 2023 Messe Frankfurt, the organiser of Automechanika Kuala Lumpur, has closely monitored Malaysia’s COVID-19 situation and the viability of domestic and overseas participation. The company has maintained close communications with the local auto community, exhibitors, partners and supporting organisations and following their consultation, each party has agreed to the new show date of 16 to 18 March 2023. The allure of Malaysia’s dynamic business environment is a key driver for players eyeing up new supply networks in the automotive industry. With this, Automechanika Kuala Lumpur is a critical gateway, as the show’s far-reaching resources constitute a significant part of its S.E.T. (Sourcing, Entertainment and Training) experiences. However, continued quarantine requirements for non-residents entering Malaysia, domestic travel restrictions and preventative measures to stem the cross-country spread of COVID-19 remain fundamental factors in further postponing the show. “At the moment, domestic prevention protocols are limiting the prospects of the international auto
community attending the fair,” Messe Frankfurt (HK) Deputy General Manager, Fiona Chiew, said. “As a responsible trade fair organiser, we will continue to uphold government guidelines and monitor the situation carefully. Our mission is both to protect the welfare of all those involved and safeguard a stable business environment. With this in mind, I am grateful that our stakeholders have backed the decision to defer the show until 2023.” The last edition, held in 2019, brought industry professionals from 16 exhibiting and 58 visiting countries and regions together. “We fully appreciate the ongoing desire for networking and information exchange. In the year ahead, we will continue to evaluate communication channels and activities that promote business encounters, relationship management and industry development,” Fiona said. One such initiative, Match Up, already on the market since August, offers personalised business matchmaking. The service utilises an aggregated database of Automechanika trade fair resources from Messe Frankfurt’s Greater China subsidiaries. Based on each participant’s sourcing requirements, a
dedicated consultant from the organiser connects registered users from a pool of participants in more than 60 countries and regions. As of December, Match Up had already lined up more than 1,900 meetings and recommendations. Messe Frankfurt says a survey revealed that 90 percent of participants agree that the service meets their business needs, owing to its tailored approach to facilitating precise matching between suppliers and buyers. To sign up for Match Up, please visit www.automechanika-kl.com/business-matching-reg For more information about the show, please email autoasia@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com or visit www.automechanika-kl.com Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine March 2022
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