СТО Forum 2026: a survival and growth manual for the automotive businessThe four-day business program has been designed as an intensive practical course, where leading industry experts and practitioners will present ready-to-implement algorithms for adapting business to new market realities. The thematic sessions are divided into key areas and are focused on solving specific operational and management tasks of the automotive service industry.
The program has been developed with the professional interests of key market participants in mind:
for service station owners and managers (including the commercial vehicle segment): up-to-date market analytics, business scaling strategies, legal aspects, and new management models in the face of staff shortages;
for service advisors and technical experts: standards of effective customer interaction, optimization of vehicle acceptance processes, and modern repair technologies;
for marketers and analysts: effective tools for customer acquisition and retention, marketing digitalization, and analysis of successful auto service promotion cases;
for spare parts suppliers and fleet managers: supply chain optimisation, inventory management, telematics, and IT solutions for corporate fleet control.
The business program of the exhibition will open with the
analytical panel «Auto service 2026: survival strategy and breakthrough points», dedicated to transforming market challenges into sustainable business growth under regulatory pressure. The discussion will be moderated by Ilya Plisov, Board Member of the Union of Auto Services and Deputy General Director of the «EuroAuto» network. During the session, leading industry experts will dissect six key business blocks. Vitaly Kravets (INDEX) will present aftermarket analytics and forecasts up to 2027, while Andrey Serebryakov («Kanavara Logistic») will assess the impact of new legislation, labeling, and economic factors on profitability. Issues of supply quality from China and synergy within the «Manufacturer – Distributor – Service Station» triangle will be addressed by Olga Solovyova (OLGA LLC), while Vladimir Kovalevsky («Aquarium» service station network) will analyze the economics of customer retention in a crisis environment. The phenomenon of private labels as the primary profit vector will be examined by Dmitry Medvedev (Komtrans LLC), and Vladimir Grimaylo (expert at the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation) will answer whether marketplaces pose a threat or an opportunity for traditional service stations.
Traditionally, during the СТО Expo exhibition, its co-organiser —
the Association of Automotive Component Suppliers «AUTOKOM» — will hold a large-scale conference entitled «Auto service as a successful business». The event will take place on May 28 and will occupy the entire day. The session will be moderated by Alexander Ukhov, Head of the «AUTOKOM» Academy.
In the management thematic sector, Igor Churbanov («Pro Commercial Vehicle Service») and Olga Krasilnikova (FIT SERVICE) will present solutions for optimizing warehouse profitability and automating corporate fleets, while Elena Lefterova («Lefterova Outsourcing Bureau») will examine tax security for service stations and the risks of business fragmentation. The technical block will be dedicated to product quality: Artem Berezin (NPK «Avtopribor») and Roman Sokuev (UPEC) will assess the realities of manufacturing in China and the principles of building «oil matrices» for commercial vehicle fleets, and Ilya Karpov («Tosol-Sintez») will raise the issue of counterfeit products on the automotive chemicals market. The commercial sector will be rounded off by presentations from Andrey Kochetkov (TopCover), Dmitry Medvedev («Komtrans»), and Alexander Shcherbakov (HL Mando), who will analyze the phenomenon of private labels in tenders and techniques for argument-driven sales of spare parts based on total cost of vehicle operation.
An exclusive event of the business program
– the author’s master class by Natalia Vaganova entitled «Auto service management: profit, control, personnel, clients, promotion, taxes», organised by the « Nadezhny Autoservis» project. The speaker will be Natalia Vaganova, Board Member of the Union of Auto Services and owner of the «AVTOritet» service station, who, together with a special guest — a promotion expert — will present practical business management tools. The program includes a breakdown of financial indicators, planning methodologies, auditing departmental reporting, team motivation algorithms, and effective methods for increasing sales. The master class is a paid event. Mandatory advance registration for the СТО Expo 2026 exhibition is required to participate.
The final analytical event of the business program will be the
specialized conference «Current trends in the motor oils and technical fluids market», organized by the exhibition’s partner — the analytical agency INDEX. The session will be moderated by Vitaly Kravets, Managing Director of the agency. The event program is focused on the most market-relevant topics: lubricant consumption volumes, transformation of car owner consumer behavior, pricing, and assortment policy at the distribution level. Experts will pay special attention to logistics chains, the implementation of mandatory «Honest Mark» labeling, and the results of motor oil resource tests.
Special Events and Strategic PartnershipFor the first time, a comprehensive series of major industry awards will take place at СТО Expo, with the participation of the event’s chief strategic information partner — the «Za Rulem» Publishing House.
May 26 will see the «Za Rulem» Grand Prix: a gala awards ceremony honoring the winners of Russia’s oldest automotive award, recognizing the market’s key achievements.
May 28, as part of the «Za Rulem Brand of the Year» award, new nominations adapted to the ongoing changes in the auto service business structure will be announced.
Throughout all exhibition days, the Open Studio «Za Rulem» will operate on-site, serving as the main media center for live broadcasts and interviews with leading figures of the automotive service industry.
May 29 will feature the presentation of the independent professional award to leading manufacturers and distributors of automotive components as part of the «World Automotive Components» (MAK) award.
The detailed schedule of the СТО Forum 2026 business program sessions is available on the official exhibition website https://cto-expo.ru.