The aftermarket is being urged to back just one biennial event in order to cut costs for exhibitors and increase efficiency.

Garage Equipment Assoc-iation chief executive John Nelson argues that many equipment makers and suppliers struggle to sustain the cost of exhibiting once a year, never mind three times, which would’ve been the case in 2005 before the cancellation of Auto-Excel.

He urges the industry to unite behind the Automotive Trade Show next April.

Nelson says suppliers now have to budget for a minimum of £10,000 for a stand at a trade show, which forces them to balance the cost against any sales leads that may result. “We are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea” he adds.

However, Haymarket, which organises The Aftermarket Show in January, suggests calling for a return to biennial shows demonstrates that “somebody doesn’t know what they want”.