Thu, 05/02/2013 - 14:17

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NEWS NUGGETS

  nhra
  

VANDERGRIFF LOOKS TO KEEP MOMENTUM ROLLING AT HOME EVENT: Bob Vandergriff and his C&J Energy Top Fuel dragster team enter the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals on a hot streak after Vandergriff won the most recent event in Houston. Vandergriff continued his tradition of jogging from past the finish line to join his crew at the starting line to celebrate the victory. Atlanta Dragway is merely 60 minutes from Vandergriff’s home in Alpharetta, Georgia, and he will have a full contingency of friends and family cheering him on during the weekend. For more on this story, visit www.nhra.com .For tickets, call 800-884-6472 or visit www.NHRATix.com.

beckman 
  

BECKMAN HONORED BY U.S. AIR FORCE: NHRA Funny Car world champion Jack Beckman will visit the Gunter Annex of Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, May 2, to be presented with the U.S. Air Force Wall of Achievers honor in Enlisted Heritage Hall. Beckman, a former Air Force sergeant will visit the base the day before he begins competing in the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. Beckman joins an impressive list of former enlisted airmen receiving the honor, including President George W. Bush, Brigadier General Chuck Yeager, singers Johnny Cash and Gene Autry, actor Charlton Heston and comedian Flip Wilson. Heritage Hall presents tributes to enlisted men and women who have contributed to the growth and development of the United States Air Force.

  dejoria
  

ALEXIS DEJORIA FEATURED IN UPCOMING ISSUE OF INKED MAGAZINE: Alexis DeJoria and her Tequila Patron Funny Car will be featured in an upcoming issue of Inked magazine which features the art, style and culture of tattoos. The issue will highlight the automotive theme and will be on the newsstands later in the summer. Photographers will be at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals shooting photos for the issue.

DON SCHUMACHER TO BE INDUCTED INTO INTERNATIONAL MOTOSPORTS HALL OF FAME: NHRA pioneer and championship team owner Don Schumacher will be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame on Thursday night during a gala celebration at the Talladega Motor Speedway. Joining him as the 2013 inductees will be NASCAR legends Rick Hendrick, Dale Inman and Rusty Wallace. Schumacher joins NHRA legends, including Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins, Joe Amato, Kenny Bernstein, John Force, Don Garlits, Bob Glidden, Warren Johnson, Shirley Muldowney, Wally Parks and Don Prudhomme.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA SOUTHERN NATIONALS, Atlanta Dragway, May 3–5: Greg Anderson comes into the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals as a four-time winner at the event and defending champion. The Charlotte resident has years of experience at the track and knows many of the nuances of the facility.

"I worked for 12 years with Warren Johnson, and that's where we tested all the time. He may have been inside the car, but I was right outside and so I've had a lot of experience with that racetrack,” Anderson said. “I think that's one of the main reasons we've been able to run there ever since we first formed this KB Racing team. Even though it's not our home track, it was mine for 12 years. It's another one of our favorites."

The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals is the seventh race of the 2013 season and drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will earn points toward the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships. The 2012 winners of the event were Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472) or visit www.atlantadragway.com.

  kansas
  

NHRA KANSAS NATIONALS, Heartland Park Topeka, May 17–19: The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series comes to Heartland Park Topeka for the 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals, May 17–19. The eighth event of the 24-race season will feature competition in three professional drag racing categories—Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock. All of the biggest stars in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will compete at the site of record-breaking performances. The 2012 winners of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event were David Grubnic (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Allen Johnson (Pro Stock). The race action will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. To purchase tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472). Tickets are also available online at www.NHRAtix.com. Also vist www.HPT.com for more information.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

torrence 
  

RETURNING TO SITE OF FIRST WIN: “It was unbelievable. All of the hard work we put into putting the team together all paid off that day. And it was made more special because my dad was with me.”

–Steve Torrence on getting his first career Top Fuel win at the 2012 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. Torrence went one to win two more events in the 2012 season.



INSIDE THE NUMBERS

78 races: Number of races since a Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) or John Force Racing (JFR) Funny Car has failed to lead the points. Two-time Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon took the points lead from Matt Hagan on the strength of his second in of the season in Houston. The last non-DSR or JFR driver to lead the points was Cruz’s brother Tony in 2009.

DID YOU KNOW…
Don Schumacher Racing Top Fuel and Funny Car teams will look to regroup following the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. This was the first time since the 2011 season, 39 races, that a DSR Funny Car or Top Fuel car failed to make it to the finals.

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 14:17

Compiled by SEMA Editors

NEWS NUGGETS

  nhra
  

VANDERGRIFF LOOKS TO KEEP MOMENTUM ROLLING AT HOME EVENT: Bob Vandergriff and his C&J Energy Top Fuel dragster team enter the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals on a hot streak after Vandergriff won the most recent event in Houston. Vandergriff continued his tradition of jogging from past the finish line to join his crew at the starting line to celebrate the victory. Atlanta Dragway is merely 60 minutes from Vandergriff’s home in Alpharetta, Georgia, and he will have a full contingency of friends and family cheering him on during the weekend. For more on this story, visit www.nhra.com .For tickets, call 800-884-6472 or visit www.NHRATix.com.

beckman 
  

BECKMAN HONORED BY U.S. AIR FORCE: NHRA Funny Car world champion Jack Beckman will visit the Gunter Annex of Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, May 2, to be presented with the U.S. Air Force Wall of Achievers honor in Enlisted Heritage Hall. Beckman, a former Air Force sergeant will visit the base the day before he begins competing in the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. Beckman joins an impressive list of former enlisted airmen receiving the honor, including President George W. Bush, Brigadier General Chuck Yeager, singers Johnny Cash and Gene Autry, actor Charlton Heston and comedian Flip Wilson. Heritage Hall presents tributes to enlisted men and women who have contributed to the growth and development of the United States Air Force.

  dejoria
  

ALEXIS DEJORIA FEATURED IN UPCOMING ISSUE OF INKED MAGAZINE: Alexis DeJoria and her Tequila Patron Funny Car will be featured in an upcoming issue of Inked magazine which features the art, style and culture of tattoos. The issue will highlight the automotive theme and will be on the newsstands later in the summer. Photographers will be at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals shooting photos for the issue.

DON SCHUMACHER TO BE INDUCTED INTO INTERNATIONAL MOTOSPORTS HALL OF FAME: NHRA pioneer and championship team owner Don Schumacher will be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame on Thursday night during a gala celebration at the Talladega Motor Speedway. Joining him as the 2013 inductees will be NASCAR legends Rick Hendrick, Dale Inman and Rusty Wallace. Schumacher joins NHRA legends, including Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins, Joe Amato, Kenny Bernstein, John Force, Don Garlits, Bob Glidden, Warren Johnson, Shirley Muldowney, Wally Parks and Don Prudhomme.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA SOUTHERN NATIONALS, Atlanta Dragway, May 3–5: Greg Anderson comes into the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals as a four-time winner at the event and defending champion. The Charlotte resident has years of experience at the track and knows many of the nuances of the facility.

"I worked for 12 years with Warren Johnson, and that's where we tested all the time. He may have been inside the car, but I was right outside and so I've had a lot of experience with that racetrack,” Anderson said. “I think that's one of the main reasons we've been able to run there ever since we first formed this KB Racing team. Even though it's not our home track, it was mine for 12 years. It's another one of our favorites."

The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals is the seventh race of the 2013 season and drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will earn points toward the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships. The 2012 winners of the event were Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472) or visit www.atlantadragway.com.

  kansas
  

NHRA KANSAS NATIONALS, Heartland Park Topeka, May 17–19: The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series comes to Heartland Park Topeka for the 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals, May 17–19. The eighth event of the 24-race season will feature competition in three professional drag racing categories—Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock. All of the biggest stars in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will compete at the site of record-breaking performances. The 2012 winners of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event were David Grubnic (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Allen Johnson (Pro Stock). The race action will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. To purchase tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472). Tickets are also available online at www.NHRAtix.com. Also vist www.HPT.com for more information.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

torrence 
  

RETURNING TO SITE OF FIRST WIN: “It was unbelievable. All of the hard work we put into putting the team together all paid off that day. And it was made more special because my dad was with me.”

–Steve Torrence on getting his first career Top Fuel win at the 2012 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. Torrence went one to win two more events in the 2012 season.



INSIDE THE NUMBERS

78 races: Number of races since a Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) or John Force Racing (JFR) Funny Car has failed to lead the points. Two-time Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon took the points lead from Matt Hagan on the strength of his second in of the season in Houston. The last non-DSR or JFR driver to lead the points was Cruz’s brother Tony in 2009.

DID YOU KNOW…
Don Schumacher Racing Top Fuel and Funny Car teams will look to regroup following the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. This was the first time since the 2011 season, 39 races, that a DSR Funny Car or Top Fuel car failed to make it to the finals.

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 14:14

SEMA News—April 2013

INTERNATIONAL
By Alysha Webb

Case Study: Globalizing Sales

One Company’s Methods May Be a Model for Others

 

David Canitz (second from left), manager of Royal Purple’s international markets, and Lars Nordberg Lenco (second from right) of Middle East FZC, and the company’s distributor for the UAE, Qatar and Oman, chatted at the event.
David Canitz (second from left), manager of Royal Purple’s international markets, and Lars Nordberg Lenco (second from right) of Middle East FZC, and the company’s distributor for the UAE, Qatar and Oman, chatted at the event. This was Canitz at the first SEMA Middle East trip in the UAE meeting with owners of performance shops, repair shops and entrepreneurs who wanted to sell Royal Purple’s high-performance consumer lubricants.

   
SEMA members are increasingly finding overseas markets and growing their exports, at least in part by taking advantage of resources and opportunities made available through SEMA. Royal Purple is one such company. Last year, international sales of its consumer products grew from almost nothing to around $60,000. Now it is setting its sights much higher.

“We see the potential for double-digit growth in our international sales over the next 24 to 36 months, both on the consumer side and the industrial side,” said David Canitz, manager of the company’s international markets.

Royal Purple’s consumer products are high-performance lubricants for automotive, motorcycle, marine and racing enthusiasts. Its industrial product is high-performance synthetic oil to the petroleum industry. Its business in the United States is about 55% industrial and 43% consumer. Internationally, however, consumer products account for only about 20% of sales.

The company, based in Porter, Texas, now aims to change that. It has embarked on an ambitious program to grow sales of its consumer products by up to one-third this year.

The smaller market for consumer products was mainly because of the high cost of finding distributors and marketing the consumer products, Canitz said. But in July of 2012, privately owned Royal Purple was purchased by Calumet Specialty Products, a much larger, publicly traded company. That sale will provide the needed resources to grow international sales by adding more distributors.

   

SEMA organizes a trip each spring to the Middle East and each September to China to assist members in better understanding these key emerging markets and to meet face to face with potential buyers. For more information on these and other SEMA international resources, such as hands-on access to vehicles popular around the world but not sold in the United States, make and model data for key countries, and top strategies for meeting with international buyers at the SEMA Show, contact SEMA Director of International Relations Linda Spencer.

     
Lots of international travel is part of the plan. Nothing can replace face time in a distributor’s home country, Canitz said, and Royal Purple’s long-term distributors are Canitz’s good friends.

“You know there is a good relationship when you have traveled to their country and they want to invite you to their homes for dinner or a drink,” he said.

Given the growing number of international attendees at the SEMA Show, it is also “a great place to make initial contact without the expense of flying all over the world,” said Canitz. SEMA’s business-development conferences are also opportunities to meet potential distributors, he said.

Canitz attended the Abu Dhabi conference last April, where he met owners of performance and repair shops and entrepreneurs who wanted to sell Royal Purple’s high-performance consumer lubricants.

“Without SEMA, it would have taken a long time to go out and locate those people,” he said, since most of Royal Purple’s previous business in the Middle East was for industrial products. “The last container for my Middle East distributor, a third was retail product, whereas it would have been 5% before.”

Overseas Distribution Basics

When evaluating a potential distributor, Canitz looks for “someone who is hungry and will work hard to promote your products. If they are too successful, they may not be hungry enough.”

Read the rest of the article, "Case Study: Globalizing Sales," featured in the April 2013 issue of SEMA News.

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 14:14

SEMA News—April 2013

INTERNATIONAL
By Alysha Webb

Case Study: Globalizing Sales

One Company’s Methods May Be a Model for Others

 

David Canitz (second from left), manager of Royal Purple’s international markets, and Lars Nordberg Lenco (second from right) of Middle East FZC, and the company’s distributor for the UAE, Qatar and Oman, chatted at the event.
David Canitz (second from left), manager of Royal Purple’s international markets, and Lars Nordberg Lenco (second from right) of Middle East FZC, and the company’s distributor for the UAE, Qatar and Oman, chatted at the event. This was Canitz at the first SEMA Middle East trip in the UAE meeting with owners of performance shops, repair shops and entrepreneurs who wanted to sell Royal Purple’s high-performance consumer lubricants.

   
SEMA members are increasingly finding overseas markets and growing their exports, at least in part by taking advantage of resources and opportunities made available through SEMA. Royal Purple is one such company. Last year, international sales of its consumer products grew from almost nothing to around $60,000. Now it is setting its sights much higher.

“We see the potential for double-digit growth in our international sales over the next 24 to 36 months, both on the consumer side and the industrial side,” said David Canitz, manager of the company’s international markets.

Royal Purple’s consumer products are high-performance lubricants for automotive, motorcycle, marine and racing enthusiasts. Its industrial product is high-performance synthetic oil to the petroleum industry. Its business in the United States is about 55% industrial and 43% consumer. Internationally, however, consumer products account for only about 20% of sales.

The company, based in Porter, Texas, now aims to change that. It has embarked on an ambitious program to grow sales of its consumer products by up to one-third this year.

The smaller market for consumer products was mainly because of the high cost of finding distributors and marketing the consumer products, Canitz said. But in July of 2012, privately owned Royal Purple was purchased by Calumet Specialty Products, a much larger, publicly traded company. That sale will provide the needed resources to grow international sales by adding more distributors.

   

SEMA organizes a trip each spring to the Middle East and each September to China to assist members in better understanding these key emerging markets and to meet face to face with potential buyers. For more information on these and other SEMA international resources, such as hands-on access to vehicles popular around the world but not sold in the United States, make and model data for key countries, and top strategies for meeting with international buyers at the SEMA Show, contact SEMA Director of International Relations Linda Spencer.

     
Lots of international travel is part of the plan. Nothing can replace face time in a distributor’s home country, Canitz said, and Royal Purple’s long-term distributors are Canitz’s good friends.

“You know there is a good relationship when you have traveled to their country and they want to invite you to their homes for dinner or a drink,” he said.

Given the growing number of international attendees at the SEMA Show, it is also “a great place to make initial contact without the expense of flying all over the world,” said Canitz. SEMA’s business-development conferences are also opportunities to meet potential distributors, he said.

Canitz attended the Abu Dhabi conference last April, where he met owners of performance and repair shops and entrepreneurs who wanted to sell Royal Purple’s high-performance consumer lubricants.

“Without SEMA, it would have taken a long time to go out and locate those people,” he said, since most of Royal Purple’s previous business in the Middle East was for industrial products. “The last container for my Middle East distributor, a third was retail product, whereas it would have been 5% before.”

Overseas Distribution Basics

When evaluating a potential distributor, Canitz looks for “someone who is hungry and will work hard to promote your products. If they are too successful, they may not be hungry enough.”

Read the rest of the article, "Case Study: Globalizing Sales," featured in the April 2013 issue of SEMA News.

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 13:18

By SEMA Editors

show
Ninety-one percent of buyers base their decision on whether to attend the SEMA Show partly on which companies are exhibiting.
SEMA Show exhibitors are making their marks, as they begin selecting the location for their booths during the Priority Booth Selection Process. The two-week process runs May 2–15, 2013, and begins with exhibitors in North and Central Halls, followed by those in upper and lower South Halls. During this time, the floorplan will be updated every 30 minutes to reflect where exhibitors will be during the actual event on Tuesday–Friday, November 5–8, 2013, in Las Vegas.
 
Attendees are invited to visit www.SEMAShow.com and watch as the floorplan is updated to see what companies are exhibiting and where their booths will be.
 
“The floorplan is updated throughout the process so that exhibitors can monitor the space and know where the available spaces are when it’s their time to choose,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA director of trade shows. “However, that floorplan is a valuable tool for attendees who want to see who’s exhibiting and where they will be during the event.”
 
Ninety-one percent of buyers base their decision on whether to attend the SEMA Show partly on which companies are exhibiting. While the online floorplan helps buyers see which 2,000 companies are signed up to exhibit, only 21% of buyers are attracted to an exhibitor’s booth based on its location. The top factors influencing a buyer’s decision to visit a booth are product displays (89%), vehicle displays (60%), demonstrations (56%) and the layout of design of the booth (47%).
 
Additional exhibitors will continue to be added to the website as the Show approaches; Companies are able to sign up to exhibit anytime by visiting www.SEMAShow.com/buyabooth.
 
To learn more about the 2013 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.
Thu, 05/02/2013 - 13:18

By SEMA Editors

show
Ninety-one percent of buyers base their decision on whether to attend the SEMA Show partly on which companies are exhibiting.
SEMA Show exhibitors are making their marks, as they begin selecting the location for their booths during the Priority Booth Selection Process. The two-week process runs May 2–15, 2013, and begins with exhibitors in North and Central Halls, followed by those in upper and lower South Halls. During this time, the floorplan will be updated every 30 minutes to reflect where exhibitors will be during the actual event on Tuesday–Friday, November 5–8, 2013, in Las Vegas.
 
Attendees are invited to visit www.SEMAShow.com and watch as the floorplan is updated to see what companies are exhibiting and where their booths will be.
 
“The floorplan is updated throughout the process so that exhibitors can monitor the space and know where the available spaces are when it’s their time to choose,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA director of trade shows. “However, that floorplan is a valuable tool for attendees who want to see who’s exhibiting and where they will be during the event.”
 
Ninety-one percent of buyers base their decision on whether to attend the SEMA Show partly on which companies are exhibiting. While the online floorplan helps buyers see which 2,000 companies are signed up to exhibit, only 21% of buyers are attracted to an exhibitor’s booth based on its location. The top factors influencing a buyer’s decision to visit a booth are product displays (89%), vehicle displays (60%), demonstrations (56%) and the layout of design of the booth (47%).
 
Additional exhibitors will continue to be added to the website as the Show approaches; Companies are able to sign up to exhibit anytime by visiting www.SEMAShow.com/buyabooth.
 
To learn more about the 2013 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.
Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:59

By SEMA Editors

bod
The current SEMA Board of Directors.

Election materials for the (2013–2016) SEMA Board of Directors election have been mailed to the primary contacts at all eligible SEMA-member companies. The voting period is May 15–June 11, 2013. Votes must be cast by each company's designated primary contact. Learn more about each candidate on the 2013 Board of Directors Nominees, Bio and Questionnaire page. 

The SEMA Board of Directors is responsible for providing strategic direction to the association and shaping the future of the automotive specialty-equipment industry. For the election, candidates submit a questionnaire that clearly states the issues they feel are critical to the industry. For the first time in the SEMA Board election, the questionnaires will be posted online and made available to the SEMA electorate to help members make a well-informed decision and select the leadership they feel will make a positive impact on the Association and industry.

In addition to the questionnaires, each candidate also provides a detailed biography that includes career experience, personal insights and an explanation of their primary goals in running for a seat on the SEMA Board. The biographies offer more insight into the candidates' background, professional contributions and personal motivations for choosing to volunteer for the Board.

Here are the candidates campaigning for one of four open seats on the SEMA Board:

Chairman-Elect Category

Manufacturers Category (two open seats)

Manufacturers' Representative Category (one open seat)

Winners will be announced in June and formally introduced as the newest members of SEMA's Board of Directors at the SEMA Installation Banquet in July. All industry professionals are invited to join the celebration and welcome the new Board members by attending the gala July 26.

For additional information on the 2013 SEMA Board of Directors election, contact Arlene Wood at arlenew@sema.org or call 909-978-6678.  

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:59

By SEMA Editors

bod
The current SEMA Board of Directors.

Election materials for the (2013–2016) SEMA Board of Directors election have been mailed to the primary contacts at all eligible SEMA-member companies. The voting period is May 15–June 11, 2013. Votes must be cast by each company's designated primary contact. Learn more about each candidate on the 2013 Board of Directors Nominees, Bio and Questionnaire page. 

The SEMA Board of Directors is responsible for providing strategic direction to the association and shaping the future of the automotive specialty-equipment industry. For the election, candidates submit a questionnaire that clearly states the issues they feel are critical to the industry. For the first time in the SEMA Board election, the questionnaires will be posted online and made available to the SEMA electorate to help members make a well-informed decision and select the leadership they feel will make a positive impact on the Association and industry.

In addition to the questionnaires, each candidate also provides a detailed biography that includes career experience, personal insights and an explanation of their primary goals in running for a seat on the SEMA Board. The biographies offer more insight into the candidates' background, professional contributions and personal motivations for choosing to volunteer for the Board.

Here are the candidates campaigning for one of four open seats on the SEMA Board:

Chairman-Elect Category

Manufacturers Category (two open seats)

Manufacturers' Representative Category (one open seat)

Winners will be announced in June and formally introduced as the newest members of SEMA's Board of Directors at the SEMA Installation Banquet in July. All industry professionals are invited to join the celebration and welcome the new Board members by attending the gala July 26.

For additional information on the 2013 SEMA Board of Directors election, contact Arlene Wood at arlenew@sema.org or call 909-978-6678.  

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 10:39

By SEMA Editors

 Yokohama Mississippi Plant, Power Automedia, Stuart Bourdon Editor
Hikomitsu Noji, president and representative director of The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd., along with Governor Bryant and officials from the state of Mississippi, participated in the signing ceremony at the West Point Ritz near the site of the future company plant.
  

Yokohama Signs Agreement to Build Plant in Mississippi
Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) signed an agreement to build a commercial truck tire plant in West Point, Mississippi. According to Yokohama, the facility, which is expected to produce one million tires starting in 2015, will have an initial capital investment of $300 million and potential plant expansions could reach up to four times the original employment and investment levels. The plant will be built on more than 500 acres of land with construction expected to begin in September and completion two years later. Yokohama expects to hire approximately 500 employees to work at the facility.
 
“Since our entry into the U.S. market more than 40 years ago, along with the subsequent acquisition of our plant in Salem, Virginia in the ’80s, Yokohama has been on a continual growth," said Hikomitsu Noji, president and representative director of The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., YTC’s parent company in Japan. "Now we will build a factory in the United States for the first time. It re-affirms our commitment to the North American market and to the continued mutual success of Yokohama and its business partner—our dealers." 

Roush Yates Car Show Set for June
The Roush Yates 5th Annual Car Show will take place Saturday, June 8, 2013, at Roush Yates Performance Products, 122 Knob Hill Road, Mooresville, North Carolina. The show will have attractions for the entire family, including, race cars, free raffles, a bounce house, free food, a live band, games, prizes and more. The Roush Yates Car Show is open at no cost for the first 100 cars registered, and all makes and models are welcome. The producers of the car show announced that chassis dyno services will be also available to the public for those who want to see just how much punch their hot rods really pack. Register for the event on the Roush Yates Performance Products' website.

Yokohama Mississippi Plant, Power Automedia, Stuart Bourdon Editor
Power Automedia hired truck-market publishing veteran Stuart Bourdon as editor of OffRoadXtreme.com.
 
  

Power Automedia to Launch OffRoadXtreme.com and DieselArmy.com, Names Stuart Bourdon Editor
Power Automedia announced that it will add two new truck-focused publications in 2013—OffRoadXtreme.com and DieselArmy.com. The company says that the new releases will target the truck market with hard-hitting tech and how-to articles, as well as the latest in OE trends, accessories, performance parts, suspension upgrades, wheels/tires and industry-leading event coverage. Both OffRoadXtreme.com and DieselArmy.com are scheduled for debut in September 2013, making them the 10th and 11th publications fielded by Power Automedia. In addition to the announcement of the new publications, Power Automedia also hired truck-market publishing veteran Stuart Bourdon as editor of OffRoadXtreme.com. For more than a decade, Bourdon served as staff editor for Four Wheeler and 4Wheel & Off-Road magazines.

Ford Donates $1 Million to College for Creative Studies
The College of Creative Studies (CCS) announced that Ford Motor Co. will donate $1 million to the institution over the next five years that will help provide educational opportunities to Detroit youth. The funds are being used to establish the Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies (HFA: SCS) College and Career Transitions Office, and start a Blue Oval Scholarship fund for graduates of HFA: SCS to attend CCS. The HFA: SCS is the public charter middle and high school created as a partnership between CCS and Henry Ford Learning Institute (HFLI), with support from the Bob and Ellen Thompson Educational Foundation. HFA: SCS is located inside the CCS A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education and will graduate its first high school senior class this year.

Diana Brennan to Head Sonoma Raceway’s PR Affairs
Diana Brennan, who has worked in the Sonoma Raceway Media Relations department since 1999, was recently named senior director of media and community relations. Brennan assumes the management of the raceway’s department, overseeing all media communications, as well as the facility's community initiatives, including the local chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities. “It has been inspirational to watch Diana’s development over the years from college intern to one of the industry’s most respected professionals,” said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president and general manager. “She is more than ready to assume this leadership position and we are fortunate to have her on board.” Brennan has worked full-time in the media relations department at Sonoma Raceway since 2001, most recently as director of media and community relations. Brennan was first hired as an intern in 1999.

Strategic Marketing Services Named One of Top Places to Work in Kentucky
Strategic Marketing Services LLC was named one of the "Top 20 Best Places to Work in Kentucky" by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in April. According to The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the selection process is based on the assessment of the company’s employee policies and procedures, as well as the results from an internal employee survey.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA eNews. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.  

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 10:22

SEMA Member News—May/June 2013

2013 SEMA Membership Directory Printed and Online

 

  Member News, Aftermarket News, Automotive Industry News, Car Stereo Retailes, Off Road Retailers, Powersports Distributors, Tire Dealers
Information and resources are at your fingertips at www.SEMA.org.  
   
The May issue of SEMA News magazine doubles as the annual SEMA Membership Directory, and SEMA encourages you to keep this copy on your desk throughout the year to use as your reference tool in locating SEMA-member companies.

The membership directory is also available online. The online membership directory is continually updated to include new SEMA members. In addition, the online version of the membership directory lists members’ staff personnel, and you can contact them via e-mail through your MySEMA account. For those who prefer a hard copy, the membership directory can be downloaded as a PDF file.

If you don’t already have a MySEMA account, it’s no problem. If your company is a SEMA member, just ask your company’s SEMA contact to add you to your company’s profile. The person(s) listed under “Company Contact” on the bottom right of your company’s online directory listing has the ability to add employees to your company’s record.

It’s important to register through your Company Contact to ensure that you are tied to your company’s record and will have free access to benefits such as research reports and webinar downloads. You will use your company e-mail address to access your MySEMA account.

If your company is not a SEMA member, you can still register for a MySEMA account by logging into my.SEMA.org/login and clicking on “Register Now.” While you won’t have access to free SEMA membership benefits, you will be able to access resources such as research reports and webinar downloads for a fee.

SEMA.org – Gateway to Information

Information and resources are at your fingertips at www.SEMA.org. For instance:

• Did you know that SEMA was called the “Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association” when it was formed in 1963?
• Do you want to know who is currently serving on the SEMA Board of Directors or how to reach them?
• Do you want to locate a back issue of SEMA News magazine or SEMA eNews, the association’s weekly electronic newsletter?
• Do you want to know which current legislative initiatives that could affect SEMA-member companies are on SEMA’s government affairs department’s radar?
• Do you have the financial benchmarks to learn how your company compares to industry averages?
• Are you familiar with the SEMA Education Institute (SEI) and its free content available to SEMA members?
• Do you know that SEMA has a classifieds section that lists positions available at SEMA-member companies and lists people who are looking for positions?
• Do you know which SEMA staff person to contact by department?
• Do you know that SEMA has benefit partners who provide business resources and solutions such as business insurance, shipping, credit-card payment processing, a consumer credit-card program and an online pay-per-buyer program for SEMA members?
• Do you know which councils and committees are right for you and your company?
• Do you want to know how to volunteer or get more involved in the industry?

If you visit SEMA.org, you can find answers to all these questions and much, much more.

SEMA’s Mission…

...is to help our members’ businesses succeed and prosper. Our members are the producers and marketers of specialty-equipment products and services for the automotive aftermarket.

We Will Do This By:

• Proactive leadership in our industry to help it expand domestically and worldwide.
• Delivering programs, activities and information in response to the ongoing and emerging needs of our members.
• Emphasizing education to help members focus on and achieve acceptable world-class quality standards.
• Legislative and regulatory advocacy.
• Producing the industry’s leading trade show.

SEMA has programs and services whose sole purpose is to help its member companies succeed. SEMA’s goal is to be the go-to resource for its member companies and would like more of its members to take advantage of the resources available. For a complete listing of SEMA member benefits, visit www.SEMA.org/benefits. If you want to know how SEMA can help you and your company, call the SEMA customer service team at 909-610-2030, or e-mail member@sema.org.