SEMA News

As significant numbers of businesses migrate to outside-the-enterprise services, such as cloud computing and social media, legal experts say they should consult with their attorneys to ensure that far-flung data is protected, trackable and accessible.

Yes, that is Honest Charley Card, Hisself, parked in front of his brand-new, 30,000-sq.-ft. speed parts store on Honest Street in Chattanooga. Hot Rod’s Ralph Guldahl traveled to Tennessee in late 1970 to profile the legendary retailer, who had recently become the second inductee into SEMA’s Hall of Fame.

Dean Moon’s legacy lives on at car events all over the world. Those in the know recognize the spun-aluminum disc wheels that land speed racers prized or the pressurized fuel tanks that rode on the noses of so many dragsters.

Technically known as rapid prototyping or additive fabrication, high-end medical, aerospace and automotive designers have used the process for nearly two decades to develop small thermoplastic prototypes and models for research and development purposes. Thanks to recent advances, however, the process is now both refined and cost-effective enough to create finished goods, including manufacturing tools, jigs and fixtures—not to mention end-use parts.

Providing young automotive enthusiasts with an opportunity to develop and showcase their talents while being exposed to the automotive aftermarket industry, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow launched in 2008 at the Race & Performance Expo in St. Charles, Illinois, and has been invited to compete at the SEMA Show every year since its inception.

A group of SEMA-member manufacturers recently descended on the Chinese capitol of Beijing, for the second annual SEMA China International Auto Parts Expo (CIAPE) China Business Development Program—an intensive three days of networking and one-on-one meetings with Chinese buyers from 24 cities throughout China.

They say that hindsight is 20/20. The March 2011 issue of SEMA News featured a Best Practices article on the how and why of disaster planning, calling special attention to acts of God and other sudden business interruptions (see callout box). Now, several months later, ATC Composites COO Chris Ripper strongly encourages SEMA News readers to revisit that article—and with good reason.

Following a successful SEMA Show, it’s time to catch our breath and perhaps take a moment to ponder where we go from here.

As the automotive specialty-equipment industry moves into 2012, SEMA News put out a call to the leaders of the association’s councils and networks to seek their views about what might be in store during the coming year. Their responses are instructive and should provide helpful insights for companies in every segment of the marketplace.

Business technology is in a constant state of evolution, and it can be a maddening chore to try to keep up. It seems that every innovation begets an even newer version only a few weeks later. In some cases, the latest gizmo is only a marginal improvement on what went before, but there are significant trends and tools that simply cannot be ignored.