Excellence Recognised as Automechanika Dubai Awards Celebrate Automotive Aftermarket Innovation

The sixth edition of the automotive sector's premier awards ceremony has honoured leading companies, products and professionals across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, with entries more than doubling to reflect a thriving, rapidly evolving industry.

Innovation, sustainability and technological advancement took centre stage at the Automechanika Dubai Awards 2026, held at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai, as the automotive aftermarket sector gathered to celebrate its most forward-thinking leaders and emerging talent.

The ceremony marked a watershed moment for the awards programme. With 748 entries submitted from 22 countries, the sixth edition recorded a 110 percent increase in participation compared with the previous year’s 357 entries. An independent panel of regional and international experts assessed the submissions, evaluating technological innovation, sustainability credentials and broader impact on the industry, with site visits forming part of the rigorous selection process that resulted in 70 shortlisted candidates.

The expansion of entries reflected, as we reported earlier in the week, the significant momentum building around Automechanika Dubai itself, where over 1,300 exhibitors from fifty countries have gathered to explore the future of mobility through autonomous vehicles, electrification and digital transformation.

Recognition spanned service excellence, product development, digitalisation and individual achievement. Among the honoured companies, ADNOC Distribution secured two awards, including Car Care Specialist of the Year and Digital Product of the Year for its mobile application. Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre received Safety Product of the Year for Salama, its school transportation platform, whilst Dubai Taxi Company was recognised with Digitalisation Project of the Year for an artificial intelligence and machine learning based system managing EV charging operations.

Digital innovation accounted for four of the twelve company and product awards, a telling indicator of the sector’s trajectory. Axxion Claims Settlement Services was named Start-Up of the Year and received recognition for its Claims OS platform, whilst BlueVerse CleanTech’s vehicle washing and EV charging solutions exemplified the sustainability imperative driving contemporary automotive aftermarket practice.

International winners included Inchcape Kenya Bodyshop and Germany’s Meyle AG, reflecting the truly global nature of the awards and the sector they celebrate. Syeda Aisha Atif, Workshop Technical Trainer at the German Emirati Vocational Institute, was recognised as Women in Automotive Aftermarket, whilst the Rising Star award went jointly to Klevisa Toska, CEO of Northstar Shine Car Care, and Nicholas Jesus Fernandes, Senior Group Marketing Executive at Bahwan International Group Holding. Eurodiesel Services received the 20 Years Long-standing Partnership award.

Michael Johannes, Vice President of Automechanika at Messe Frankfurt GmbH, noted that the global automotive aftermarket continues to expand significantly, with 1.6 billion vehicles on the world’s roads and the market projected to generate US$850 billion by 2035. He emphasised the growing participation of public sector organisations in contributing to road safety, sustainability, infrastructure development and digital transformation, whilst stressing the importance of maintaining affordable mobility as the industry evolves.

Chris Lee, Portfolio Director for Mobility and Logistics at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, observed that the recognised companies, products and professionals reflect the investment and expertise characterising a more sustainable, agile, connected and safer automotive aftermarket, with the UAE positioned among the world’s fastest-growing markets in this sector.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The awards underscore Abu Dhabi’s strengthening position within the global automotive ecosystem. The recognition of the Integrated Transport Centre’s Salama platform for school transportation safety demonstrates the emirate’s commitment to deploying technology that enhances public welfare and road safety across its communities. Syeda Aisha Atif’s recognition as Women in Automotive Aftermarket reflects the professional advancement and skilled development taking place within Abu Dhabi’s vocational and technical education institutions.

The participation and success of Abu Dhabi based organisations signals the emirate’s capacity to lead innovation within specialised sectors that contribute meaningfully to sustainable mobility and economic diversification. As the automotive aftermarket continues its expansion globally, Abu Dhabi’s involvement in shaping industry standards, safety protocols and digital transformation positions the emirate as an active participant in a sector expected to generate hundreds of billions in value across the coming decade.

Source: WAM, the official news agency of the United Arab Emirates. https://www.wam.ae/en/article/c37a8tw-automechanika-dubai-awards-2026-honour-automotive