By Della Domingo
 Through the SEMA Show New Products Showcase, buyers can preview more than 2,000 of the industry's hottest and newest products all in one area. | |
Some 130,000 professionals from more than 130 countries are expected to attend the 2013 SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, November 5–8, to see the newest products, keep up on the latest trends and learn the best business practices the $31 billion automotive specialty-equipment industry has to offer.
More than 2,500 exhibitors will cover more than 1 million sq. ft. of floor space. The vast majority of SEMA Show exhibitors and attendees are small business owners looking to network and find new opportunities to help them increase sales and profitability.
“We expect to fill every nook and cranny at the Las Vegas Convention Center this year,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “We’ve even contracted for exhibitor space at the Las Vegas Hotel [LVH] next door,” MacGillivray said, noting that the association makes every effort to accommodate new exhibitors who typically bring new, innovative products to the industry.
The SEMA Show is primarily about doing business, but it’s also fun and offers opportunities not found anywhere else, such as:
- New Products: Nearly 2,000 never-before-seen products have already been entered in this year’s SEMA New Products Showcase. About 60% of 2012 attendees said they planned to buy something that was newly introduced at the Show. Exhibitors can continue to enter the Showcase by visiting www.semashow.com/new-products.
- Special Appearances: Dozens of heroes, celebrities and one-of-a-kind cars will make appearances at the 2013 SEMA Show. To name a few, master builders Troy Trepanier and Chip Foose, West Coast Customs' Ryan Friedlinghaus, NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon and Danica Patrick, Vin Diesel’s ’69 Dodge Challenger from The Fast and the Furious and the 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning Audi R18 LMP1. A full list and schedule is available.
- Special Events: A big part of the SEMA Show are the special events, where industry professionals are able to spend personal, face-to-face time with one another. Gatherings such as the Exhibitor Appreciation Party and SEMA Industry Awards Banquet offer unique opportunities to network. New for this year is Cars & Coffee—SEMA Edition, featuring West Coast Customs, where all SEMA Show attendees can start each day networking over cool cars and fresh coffee. For a full schedule, visit www.semashow.com/special-events.
- Education: Finally, the industry’s most successful and knowledgeable experts will share their wisdom at the SEMA Education Institute’s (SEI) SEMA Show Education Days. Free and pay-to-attend courses provide an unparalleled opportunity to learn first-hand what trends will affect business. Highlights include seminars on how to leverage the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC)—the definitive, industry-owned and -operated centralized data repository that helps drive sales. To see available sessions, visit www.semashow.com/education.