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Egea, the first 2021 general meeting held last April
Massimo Brunamonti
The first 2021 Egea General Assembly saw the debut of the new board of directors chaired by President Thierry Coton
The first 2021 Egea General Assembly held last April 20, once again on a web platform due to the persistent Covid restrictions, saw the debut of the new board of directors chaired by President Thierry Coton who, in welcoming everyone in attendance, described the new operational organization of the Association based on mandates issued to several members of the board of directors which include communication, relations with other stakeholders, political relations at EU level in Brussels and communication.
After the president's opening greetings, it was time for the sponsors to illustrate their activities planned for the immediate future. Equip'Auto presented its "Equip'Auto on Tour" program based on a series of traveling events programmed in the fall of 2021. Autopromotec confirmed the 2022 edition. Automechanika mentioned a possible revision of the format of the fair planned initially in Frankfurt 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic (later confirmed by the announcement of the return of Automechanika to the classic physical format in September 2022). Next, after the customary institutional approval of the association’s budget and statutory changes, which were unanimously approved, the program moved on to perhaps the most significant moment of this meeting. For some time now, member companies have been discussing the possibility of adopting a standard communication protocol designed to interconnect tools and equipment with each other and with the working environment; in past years, evaluations and studies have been carried out, which have not led to any practical conclusions. Now, it seems, things are changing: Asanetwork GmbH presented the "Workshop-Net" solution, an evolution of the previous version of its protocol, which represents an independent and autonomous solution for any user, be it an auto repair company, a motorization inspection centre or a supplier of equipment, parts or services. The proposal was accepted, and the Assembly approved the adoption of the Workshop-Net as a proposed standard protocol for the automotive aftermarket.
Communication becomes a priority for Egea and as previously announced by the president, it was decided to create a periodic bulletin "Egea-inside" which aims to inform the entire aftermarket about current activities, challenges and difficulties. Furthermore, potential new members especially in European countries that are not represented in Egea could be reached thanks to the association’s bulletin. The assembly continued with an overview of the challenging activities carried out by the various working groups. From new safety standard for garage lifts, to Adas equipment user guides, new emissions tests, cybersecurity and free open access to vehicle Obd ports, to a new standard for headlight centering equipment. It is worth noting once again the quantity, variety and complexity of the issues being dealt with and appreciate the commitment of the working groups in the interest of all members. After the usual updates from member associations, the meeting closed with the definition of a date for the next meeting in October 2021, with the hope this time to meet physically at the end of the covid emergency.
After the president's opening greetings, it was time for the sponsors to illustrate their activities planned for the immediate future. Equip'Auto presented its "Equip'Auto on Tour" program based on a series of traveling events programmed in the fall of 2021. Autopromotec confirmed the 2022 edition. Automechanika mentioned a possible revision of the format of the fair planned initially in Frankfurt 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic (later confirmed by the announcement of the return of Automechanika to the classic physical format in September 2022). Next, after the customary institutional approval of the association’s budget and statutory changes, which were unanimously approved, the program moved on to perhaps the most significant moment of this meeting. For some time now, member companies have been discussing the possibility of adopting a standard communication protocol designed to interconnect tools and equipment with each other and with the working environment; in past years, evaluations and studies have been carried out, which have not led to any practical conclusions. Now, it seems, things are changing: Asanetwork GmbH presented the "Workshop-Net" solution, an evolution of the previous version of its protocol, which represents an independent and autonomous solution for any user, be it an auto repair company, a motorization inspection centre or a supplier of equipment, parts or services. The proposal was accepted, and the Assembly approved the adoption of the Workshop-Net as a proposed standard protocol for the automotive aftermarket.
Communication becomes a priority for Egea and as previously announced by the president, it was decided to create a periodic bulletin "Egea-inside" which aims to inform the entire aftermarket about current activities, challenges and difficulties. Furthermore, potential new members especially in European countries that are not represented in Egea could be reached thanks to the association’s bulletin. The assembly continued with an overview of the challenging activities carried out by the various working groups. From new safety standard for garage lifts, to Adas equipment user guides, new emissions tests, cybersecurity and free open access to vehicle Obd ports, to a new standard for headlight centering equipment. It is worth noting once again the quantity, variety and complexity of the issues being dealt with and appreciate the commitment of the working groups in the interest of all members. After the usual updates from member associations, the meeting closed with the definition of a date for the next meeting in October 2021, with the hope this time to meet physically at the end of the covid emergency.
