DUBAI - The smell of auto tires engulfed the Dubai World Trade Center on Tuesday, when the 9th Automechanika Middle East trade show opened its doors, with more than 100 Chinese firms participating in the three-day exhibition.

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Amy Liao, sales manager at Anda Automobile Parts based in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, was for the first time exhibiting in Dubai.

"We produce all kinds of engines for trucks but also for ships, " Liao said, "We have no office in Dubai as yet, although we won many clients during the last years."

Dubai is well-known as a trade hub of the Middle East, linking the Far East with Africa and Europe. The Jebel Ali Free Port in the west of Dubai is the largest container port in the Middle East.

The largest market for tires in the region is Saudi Arabia, which imports 13 million tires per year, worth $800 million.

"Innovation is key in these competitive markets," said James Wang, marketing and sales director at Techking Tires Ltd., adding that his company's green sustainable approach is quite unique in the branch.

"We sell tire for trucks and off-roaders. We reduced the aroma in the tire, making the smell less aggressive for workers and end- users," he said.

Techking, based in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao, is exporting to 110 countries worldwide.

"During the first half day we had a lot of trade visitors at our stand. It starts really well," Wang said.

There is no doubt that big names, such as Michelin or Goodyear, face increasingly competition from emerging markets, including China.

Some 1,100 exhibitors from 52 countries or regions attended the Automechanika fair, organized by Messe Frankfurt, Germany's largest trade fair organizer.