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Press Release: CTO Expo 2026 Exhibition

Post release
Moscow, 24 June 2026

The car service season is open: the results of the international exhibition CTO Expo 2026 in Moscow were summed up in Moscow   

From May 26 to 29 th of May 2026, the International Trade Fair for Spare Parts, Automotive Aftersales Market and Service – CTO Expo 2026 was held for the fourth time at the Crocus Expo IEC, Moscow. The project opened the annual season of large-scale specialized events in the car service industry.
The total area of the CTO Expo 2026 exposition in Hall 13 was 7 339 sq. m. A strategic decision of the organizers was to hold the event in the same Pavilion No3 with the Leading Trade Fair for Commercial Vehicles and Technologies - COMvex. This made it possible to create an effective business environment: visitors were able to close all requests in one place, and exhibitors received direct contact with their target audience.

CTO Expo 2026 exhibitors: meeting business goals for the year and expanding the geography of contacts in 4 days
In 2026, 215 companies took part in CTO Expo. The exhibition confirmed its international status: 172 participants represented Russia, and 43 companies represented China, Turkey, Belarus and the UAE.

Recognized leaders presented their product groups and technological solutions for the car service industry, including: VolgaAvtoProm, Rostar Group of Companies, MAZ Zapchast, ETS Group, Enterprise, AM Point, RN-Lubricants (Rosneft), Exovo, GNV Oil, OSAKA Pneumatic Tools, Shturman Rus, Equinet, Thermal Systems, XCMG, Teploavto, Sorl, Phoenix Filter, AVLKRAFT, Shacman Rus, Suprotec, CNRG-Oil, Phoenix Lubricants, Lubrigard, NPP Qualitet, Good King, Avtodieselpart and many others.

For many participants, the fact that CTO Expo opened the season of specialized exhibitions of the car service industry this year was of particular value:
"This is the first spring exhibition at the beginning of the year, interest in it is traditionally high. People have missed live professional communication over the winter and are coming from all over the country to share their successes and outline vectors for further cooperation. The results are global, the exhibition went very well," Dmitry Borovik, Comtrans (Enterprise).

More than 95% of the participants separately noted the wide geography of visitors, which allowed companies to quickly establish contacts with new regional partners.
"The geography of the exhibition this year is really extensive: representatives of almost all regions met at the site: from Kaliningrad to the Far East. We held meetings with clients from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Penza, the Urals, Siberia, as well as from the South of Russia, including Krasnodar and Dagestan," said Vladimir Kirzner, Shturman Rus company.

More than 90% of exhibitors noted the high concentration of the specialized audience: for companies participating in CTO Expo on a regular basis, the exhibition is a reliable platform for effective work with target customers.
"We are participating in the CTO Expo for the third time. The project attracts with its driving atmosphere, but most importantly, with the quality of the audience. Our booth is visited exclusively by professionals who know the instrument well and work with it. We definitely plan to come back here next year," Elena Dushina, Goodking Rus.

92% of participants noted the high density of negotiations and meetings, as well as an increase in their number compared to last year.
"Already on the first day, it became obvious that the number of customers this year significantly exceeds the indicators of the last exhibition. From year to year, the project demonstrates high-quality development and is gaining popularity in the professional environment," said Maxim Lvov, AVLKRAFT company.

Exhibitors emphasized that the high attendance of the exhibition exceeded their expectations and made it possible to effectively solve the tasks of strengthening and increasing the recognition of their brands.

"CTO Expo brought together all key customers, which makes participation strategically important for us. For the company, it is a priority to demonstrate that we produce equipment here, in Russia, and work for brand recognition. Despite the general market trends, the number of visitors was pleasantly surprising. The schedule of negotiations with potential buyers at the booth was so tight that there was practically no free time left," Olga Uretya, Siver company.

СTO Expo has traditionally become a platform for the presentation of the updated assortment and the launch of promising business areas. Companies used booths to demonstrate equipment in action and train customers, which helped them make deals quickly and conduct direct sales.

"It is important for us to convey information about our products and novelties to business representatives, and the exhibition site fully solves this problem," - Anastasia Panova, AM Point company.

"At the booth, we not only demonstrate new directions, but also immediately conduct training. Customers see the equipment in operation and are satisfied – new contacts have been established, and deals are concluded right here," Georgy Ryabov, Hydrosystemy company.

The efficiency of the participants work was further strengthened by the synergy of five related industry exhibitions: CTT Expo, COMvex, CTO Expo, Logistika Expo and Mining CTT. Such a unity allowed companies with a wide range of products to attract a related audience and develop several business areas at once on one platform.

"The exhibition turned out to be very large-scale. We demonstrate solutions not only for commercial vehicles, but also for special machinery. Thanks to the single space of adjacent exhibitions, our booth united different areas and gathered a huge audience that is interested in them. It was fundamentally important for us to present all our capabilities here," Olga Poletaeva, TerraFrigo plant.

Visitors of CTO Expo 2026: audience growth and high business status of guests
In 2026, CTO Expo was visited by 26 126 specialists and professionals from 31 countries and 81 regions of the Russian Federation, which is 6% more than last year. Among the leading regions in terms of the number of visits are Moscow and the Moscow Region, St. Petersburg, the Republic of Tatarstan, the Nizhny Novgorod and Samara Regions. Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Sverdlovsk, Bryansk, Rostov regions and the Krasnodar Territory also showed high activity.

At the same time, the commercial status of guests has changed markedly: the number of decision-makers or people involved in decision-making process has increased to 92% against 76% last year, while the proportion of top management and business owners has remained at a high level of 70%.
According to a guest survey, 86% of visitors have entirely completed their business goals at CTO Expo 2026, confirming the relevance of the exposition to current market demands.
  48% of specialists came to the site to expand the pool of contractors, find new suppliers and make direct purchases of products or services for their production.
"CTO Expo gathers all market participants in one place, which significantly saves time on business trips and simplifies the search for contacts. Here we were able to personally meet and negotiate with partners with whom we had not previously been able to contact remotely," said Sergey, visitor from Karelia.
  25% of the professional audience focused on collecting relevant information and studying technological innovations in the industry;
"CTO Expo clearly reflects the current trends in the industry and forms an overall picture of the market for the year ahead. The main purpose of the visit is to get acquainted with the current proposals of the participants, study the vectors of development, as well as search for answers to current business questions," Arayik, visitor from Rostov-on-Don.
  12% of guests used the platform for face-to-face negotiations with existing partners in order to strengthen business relations.
"I was impressed by the scale of the event - the exhibition is truly international, Russian, Belarusian, Chinese and Turkish companies are widely represented here. For our plant, this is a traditional and important event: СTO Expo allows you to personally communicate with existing customers, as well as find new partners for business development," Rustam, visitor from Ufa.

The structure of visitors has also changed in comparison to last year. The most noticeable trend was the accelerated digitalization of the industry: the share of online store representatives increased from 2% to 14%, which reflects the active development of online sales channels. The share of traditional wholesale companies has decreased from 42% to 37%, and retail from 36% to 32%, but these areas still form the basis of the audience.

The maintenance and repair sector demonstrates stability: the share of specialists in the repair of passenger vehicles was 27%, truck maintenance - 16%, and repair of special equipment - 9%. At the same time, the share of representatives of the production segment increased to 13% (instead of 12%), which confirms the active development of local production of spare parts and components.
CTO Forum Business Program: current agenda and high event attendance

During the 4 days of the CTO Forum business program site, 17 sessions were held, at which 40 recognized industry experts spoke. The number of listeners confirmed the relevance of the topics raised in the professional community. The events of the СTO Forum ensured the full occupancy of the hall, gathering 1 098 listeners against 915 in 2025.
The professional status of СTO Forum was supported by the partners of the event: Avtoсom, Index, Za Rulem, EuroAuto Franchise, Nadyezhny Autoservis, Automarketolog, FitService, Pravilnyi Autobusiness, Soyuz Auto Service and InsightHub.
The program of the first day was opened by the panel discussion "Car Service 2026: Survival Strategy and Breakthrough Points", in which experts presented an up-to-date analytical cross-section of the market. The speakers paid key attention to the transformation of the supply chain and interaction in the triangle "manufacturer – distributor – service station", the quality of supplies from China, the impact of labeling, marketplaces, the growth of the share of private labels and the pressure of regulatory changes on business margins.

"A rich business program makes the exhibition truly meaningful, taking it beyond the usual demonstration of beautiful booths. Previously, insights could only be obtained within a narrow circle of partners, but today visitors can combine negotiations with obtaining ready-made analytics. This turns the exhibition into a full-fledged information and business platform," Ilya Plisov, Deputy General Director of EuroAuto (session moderator)

The program of the first day was continued by the open conference "How to Increase efficiency and profitability in 2026", in which representatives of the "Soyuz of Car Services" acted as invited experts. They presented to the professional community practical solutions to optimize internal processes and increase business profitability.
The events of the second day were focused on solving practical problems of car service stations. All presentations were based on the analysis of real successful cases and ready-made instructions for station managers. The speakers presented working business models that allow maintaining the operational stability of enterprises and finding new points of profit in crisis conditions.

"I am very pleased with how the program went – a huge number of people came. It's great that the car service people are swaying: the audience was active, a lot of questions were asked from the listners, the attendees were constantly taking pictures for themselves. Face-to-face business programs and personal communication are now definitely needed. Such meetings are an integral part of the exhibition, which makes it truly attractive," Natalia Vaganova, creator of the conference "Reliable Autoservice" (moderator of the expert discussion: "Car service as a sustainable business").

A separate block was devoted to the commercial segment, where participants received step-by-step algorithms to ensure stable loading of cargo and passenger service stations. The final part of the events focused on real marketing tools: experts gave specific guidelines on revising advertising budgets and launching relevant channels for attracting customers.

"The exhibition brings together the professional community on one platform, allowing you to meet colleagues, make new acquaintances and sign contracts. Participation in the business program provides an opportunity to understand how the industry lives and what its current pulse is. Invited experts have a deep understanding of the market and generously share their opinions and best practices, providing participants with an accurate analytical cross-section of the market, which is critically important for business development," said Tatyana Akimova, automotive industry expert.

The program of the third day of the forum was prepared and conducted by the co-organizer of the CTO Expo exhibition - AUTOCOM Association. Within the framework of the conference "Car Service as a Successful Business", experts and speakers of the event focused on practical tools for optimizing freight and passenger stations: from calculating the cost of a standard hour and automating corporate fleets to tax security issues. The key topics of discussion were also the specifics of working with Chinese manufacturers, building an effective oil matrix, combating counterfeiting and developing private labels as the main vector of profit and competitive advantage.

"The business program gives visitors not just fresh data, but specific tools: ready-made instructions that can be immediately implemented into the work of your car service. The high attendance from the first minutes of the opening confirms that this format is in demand by business. CTO Expo gathers the market in one place, allowing you to quickly obtain up-to-date information, conclude direct contracts and determine further development steps," said Alexander Ukhov, Head of the AUTOCOM Academy (session moderator).

The final day of the Forum was devoted to the analysis of current trends and an overview of consumption volumes, the potential for the development of the market for motor oils and technical fluids. Experts paid special attention to economic and regulatory challenges: the dynamics of prices and assortment at the distribution level, the complication of supply chains and customs control. In the practical part of the conference, the participants discussed the first results and experience of the implementation of the mandatory Chestny Znak labeling in this segment, as well as the methodology for conducting resource tests and current requirements for the certification of motor oils.

"CTO Expo is traditionally distinguished by its program: here you can listen to reports and calculations on analytics, which cost a lot of money on the market and are bought by professionals. As participants and moderators of analytical sessions, we always try to prepare exclusive, interesting and understandable material for our audience," said Vitaly Kravets, Managing Director of the INDEX analytical agency (session moderator).

The Main Industry Awards: The Triumph of the Winners and the Vector of Consumer Trust
The Forum's business program served as a platform for summing up the professional results of the year and awarding the leaders of the automotive industry as part of three professional awards.

Grand Prix Passenger Car "Za Rulem" 2026
On the first day of the CTO Forum, a solemn ceremony was held to award the winners of the country's automobile award - the Grand Prix "Za Rulem" 2026. The event brought together more than 200 guests, including top officials of the automotive industry, heads of leading brands and market experts. The main symbols of the award - the Golden Pegasus statuettes - were personally presented to the winners by the editor-in-chief of the magazine Maxim Kadakov.
The winners in the nominations were determined exclusively by users during online voting. A Lada Iskra car was raffled off among all the survey participants, the keys to which were handed over to a reader from Angarsk on the final day of the exhibition.

Brand of the year “Za rulem” 2026
Another important event was the announcement of a large-scale expansion of the Brand of the Year Za Rulem consumer trust award. The project, established in 2023, has earned a reputation as a key indicator of car owner loyalty. The presentation of the updated format was held by the editor-in-chief of the magazine Maxim Kadakov and the producer of the award Maria Gorokhova. For the first time within the framework of the exhibition, the award went offline: a solemn awarding of diplomas to the winners of the last year took place at the site.
From 2026, five more categories have been added to the traditional seven categories ("Gas Stations", "Batteries", "Motor Oils", "Tires", "Auto Chemicals", "Auto Electronics", "Antifreezes"): "Brake Pads", "Car Filters", "Wiper Blades", "Bearings", "Car Lamps".

"The project is already three years old, it is firmly entrenched in the market, and now we are significantly expanding its format, increasing the number of nominations from 7 to 12. The award is of great importance for the car market, because thanks to it, tens of millions of motorists across the country can make an informed choice when buying components. Our goal for the current season is to determine the best of the best. From July 1, we will launch online voting, and in August at the InterAutoMechanica exhibition at the Crocus Expo IEC, we will announce the interim results of the first stage and present dozens of leaders in each category. They will continue to fight in the fall, and we will sum up the final results of the year in December. The award ceremony will take place exactly one year later at the CTO Expo 2027 exhibition," Maxim Kadakov, Editor-in-Chief of Za Rulem magazine.

MAK 2026 (World Automotive Components)
On May 29, the first stage of the World Automotive Components 2026 International Award (MAK 2026), organized by the Autocomponents magazine, was officially launched at the CTO Expo site. This event is traditionally held at every trade fair of CTO Expo, and the current season was no exception, having aroused great interest from the professional community.

Media Results and PR Effectiveness: Millions of People in the Federal Space
Media support for the exhibition was provided by media partners from among significant industry and automotive publications: Dvizhok, Autocomponents, DRIVE2, Avtovzglyad, Monocle, Autobusiness News, Auto Parts and Prices, and other specialized magazines. Za Rulem publishing house acted as a strategic information partner and worked at the CTO Expo in the Open Studio format, covering topical issues of the industry together with the participants of the exhibition.
According to comprehensive PR monitoring, the information coverage was 5 403 804 people, and the qualitative weight was 63 570 points of the visibility index. 92% of all publications were published in federal publications, including such authoritative resources as Za Rulem, RIA Novosti and Rambler.ru.
The recorded indicators directly reflect the effectiveness of participation in the CTO Expo. The format of the exhibition provides for the integration of face-to-face negotiations at the booths, the business program and continuous annual online promotion within the framework of the Marketing 365 concept. The resulting coverage in the federal and industry media provides exhibitors with a prolonged marketing effect, contributing to the growth of brand awareness and sales support after the end of the exhibition.

CTO Expo 2027: start of the exposition formation
Immediately after the end of the CTO Expo 2026, the formation of the next season's exposition started. The 5th anniversary International Exhibition CTO Expo will be held on May 25-28, 2027 at the Crocus Expo IEC. Active filling of halls has already begun thanks to rebooking. Until September 1, 2026, special conditions for early booking of stands are valid for companies.

Next meeting: InterAutoMechanica opens up new horizons
The next important event of the summer season will be the InterAutoMechanica international exhibition, that will be held from August 18 to 21, 2026 at the Crocus Expo IEC, Moscow.
The project will continue the concept of continuous annual promotion and will present the market with a large-scale exposition of spare parts, equipment and auto components with an exclusive composition of exhibitors. The practical part of the program will include the area of professional master classes "AutoWorkshop" and the interactive obstacle course "Colosseum". The business agenda of the AutoBusinessForum exhibition will be supplemented by the announcement of the finalists of the Brand of the Year award, as well as a drawing of a car among visitors. Registration for industry professionals is open on the official website of the interauto-mechanica.ru/registration with the promo code OTRIAMRS.