By Ashley Reyes
The SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) named Alea Leather Specialist Inc. as the council's newest spotlight member. Get to know the company's story in the SEMA News interview with Alea Leather Specialist, Inc.'s senior sales manager, Chase Harvey, below.
SEMA News: Tell us the story of your shop.
Chase Harvey: Our journey in the US market began in 2007 when we identified a massive, untapped opportunity in the aftermarket interior space. At the time, the market was flooded with standard, ill-fitting slip-on covers, but there was a distinct gap for premium, factory-fit leather replacements.
Capitalizing on over a decade of success and deep manufacturing expertise servicing the Hong Kong market since the 1990s, we established our US operations to distribute Alea Leather products. We set out with a clear mission: to bring high-quality, automotive-grade leather interiors to American restylers and enthusiasts who refused to compromise on quality and fitment.
SN: What was your breakthrough moment?
CH: Our breakthrough came in 2016 when our manufacturing facility achieved the highly prestigious International Automotive Task Force (IATF) 16949 Certification. In the automotive world, this isn’t just a badge of honor - it is a rigorous, elite standard that attests to the highest level of quality management and manufacturing excellence. Securing this certification validated our technical superiority, streamlined our global supply chain and instantly elevated our credibility. It bridged the gap between aftermarket innovation and strict OEM standards, opening massive doors for our brand.
SN: Tell us about your business now and the projects that you are working on.
CH: Today, Alea Leather has grown into one of the top two major leather interior suppliers in the United States. We proudly service the vast majority of premium restylers across the nation, supporting them with high-end materials and precision-engineered interior kits.
As we continue to scale, our business is evolving rapidly. A major milestone for us is our successful expansion into the OEM space, where we have begun directly delivering our products to major car manufacturers in the US. Currently, we are heavily focused on expanding our production kit catalog with fresh, cutting-edge aesthetic patterns to stay ahead of changing automotive design trends. We are also expanding our regional team footprint and upgrading our internal platforms to ensure our nationwide customer service and technical support remain as premium as our products.
SN: Tell us about a package/product your of which you are most proud.
CH: We take immense pride in our long-standing collaboration on the custom leather seat packages for the iconic Black Widow trucks. The Black Widow brand is legendary in the custom truck aftermarket, synonymous with aggressive styling and uncompromising luxury. Being trusted to design and manufacture the intricate, high-durability, and visually stunning leather interiors for these builds is a true testament to our craftsmanship. Seeing those trucks roll off the line with Alea Leather interiors perfectly captures what we do best: elevating a vehicle's identity from the inside out.
SN: What advice do you have for young professionals contemplating a career in the automotive aftermarket?
CH: The aftermarket industry is incredibly rewarding, but it moves fast. Our advice to the next generation of industry leaders relies on three pillars:
- Passion for the industry: You have to love the automotive culture. Passion is what drives innovation and keeps you ahead of changing vehicle trends.
- Dedication to the craft: Whether you are in design, manufacturing, sales or installation, never stop honing your technical knowledge. Perfection is in the details.
- Diligence in work ethic: Success in this niche requires resilience, adaptability and an unwavering commitment to quality. If you show up every day ready to outwork the spreadsheet and deliver real value, the industry will notice.
Fill out a PRO member spotlight form to highlight how you or your company are contributing to the automotive restyling industry. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on PRO's social media, SEMA News and future PRO-member updates.
