AAPEX has been held annually for more than 60 years, making it one of the longest-running major aftermarket shows in the world
Las Vegas—The Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) has announced it has been named to two industry rankings of high-performing exhibitions compiled by Trade Show News Network (TSNN) and Trade Show Executive (TSE).
Being named to such lists is notable as the U.S. hosts more than an estimated 10,000 tradeshows every year. These rankings place AAPEX in the top 1% of its peer class.
AAPEX is a business-to-business (B2B) trade show organized through the joint effort of two prominent aftermarket associations: the Auto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers. AAPEX has been held annually for more than 60 years, making it one of the longest-running major aftermarket shows in the world.
Both trade show publications provide an objective analysis based on net square footage of exhibit space sold during the previous calendar year. They also consider secondary metrics like the volume of attendance and exhibitors present.
“The U.S. automotive aftermarket is a massive, growing and innovative industry that is experiencing significant change; however, it’s the people that are the foundation,” said Auto Care Association President and CEO Bill Hanvey. “AAPEX being named to these lists is a reflection of what the automotive aftermarket is all about: an industry homecoming where people collaborate to solve hard business problems.”
TSNN Top 250 Trade Show List
The TSNN Top 250 Trade Show List describes itself as “the most comprehensive list of top trade shows in the U.S. exhibition market.” The 2026 list was announced in late May and ranked AAPEX 25th overall by square footage. AAPEX has earned a spot on this list in prior years, including last year, for the show’s performance in 2024.
“Top exhibitor counts increasingly correlate with shows that function as industry marketplaces, not just exhibitions,” wrote Danica Tormohlen, vice president of Group Content for meetings, travel and sports, at Informa, the publisher that owns TSNN.
She continued:
“Events like IMEX America, Natural Products Expo West, and AAPEX succeed because they:
- Concentrate buyers and sellers into a limited time window
- Offer structured matchmaking and high‑value appointments
- Support both established brands and first‑time exhibitors without diluting experience.”
Indeed, post-show surveys of attendees reliably demonstrate that AAPEX has earned a reputation as a tradeshow where business gets done. For example, immediately following last year’s AAPEX show, nearly seven in 10 attendees had already decided to return to the next show.
The TSE Gold 100
The 2026 GOLD 100 Honorees List by TSE was published in June and ranked AAPEX as “among the 100 largest U.S.-based trade shows.” This marks the fifth consecutive year that AAPEX has earned recognition by the publication. AAPEX has been included in these rankings more than a dozen times historically, which highlights the show’s consistent performance.
In 2023, AAPEX received the prestigious TSE award for “Fastest-Growing Gold 100 Transportation Show by Blended Percentage of Growth.” It was also recognized as one of the 50 fastest-growing trade shows that year, marking the second consecutive year for the event to earn its place on the TSE Fastest 50 Class list.
“This year, the U.S. aftermarket is forecasted to grow 5.2% to $457 billion, but despite its size and economic influence, the aftermarket is remarkable for its tight-knit and relationship-driven culture,” said MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers President Emily Poladian. “The fact that AAPEX consistently ranks in the top 1% of U.S. tradeshows is a testament to the dedication of the thousands of people working in the aftermarket.”
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