The SEMA Show is loaded with innovative resources, merchandising tools, marketing strategies and networking opportunities to help auto dealers create new profit centers with fast-selling accessories in every department: new car, used car, parts, service and F&I. Gain the knowledge and expertise you need to capture your share of the $36.7 billion accessory market at these dealer-exclusive special events.

Automotive News Dealer Forum: Creating New Profit Centers through Accessorization
Co-sponsored by NADA and SEMA
Wednesday, October 31
2:45 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (doors open at 2:15 p.m.)
Las Vegas Convention Center, Room N258–260

The first in a series of SEMA vehicle technology seminars drew over 50 members of the specialty-equipment industry and several key SEMA staff who came to learn and discuss electronic stability control systems.

The Technology Briefing Seminar (TBS), held September 6, next door to SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California, featured representatives from Toyota, Bosch and Mechanical Simulation Corporation presenting the fundamentals, evolution and future of ESC systems. They also covered potential approaches for developing parts and accessories compatible with increasingly complex vehicle dynamics and active safety control systems.

Toyota also brought its latest high-performance Lexus IS F sport sedan to showcase its vision of future chassis stability and control technologies and a special-edition "Sport Version" of Toyota's Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM).

Attendees had the opportunity to ask the automaker, supplier and analyst experts questions and learn more about product interaction with ESC systems. They also requested that SEMA initiate collaborations to help obtain ESC information from OEMs, suppliers and other organizations and make this information available to member companies.

“Leaving the ESC technology seminar, it was evident that the suspension/alignment tech will have to be more educated and focus more on accuracy,” said Dean Pellegrino, Tru Align CEO and Wheel & Tire Council Select Committee member. “These are just the first three—ABS, TPMS, ESC—systems of a larger list coming at us. You must understand the foundation before you can build on it.”

"This is only the first step in identifying and prioritizing industry needs and determining the best actions to help our members understand the technology associated with ESC systems,” said SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology John Waraniak. “We are moving forward with several initiatives with the OEMs and leading ESC suppliers and technology providers to help our members analyze new technology and develop product that accommodates current and future vehicle systems.”

Four Vehicle Technology Briefing Seminars covering ESC, Mobile Electronics, Connected Vehicle and Performance Diesel applications are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, October 30–31, during the 2007 SEMA Show. Click here for more information.

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If you missed today's webinar, "Get Paid: Avoiding Slow/Non-Paying Customers and Collecting Debt," stay tuned for the download next week. Learn how to avoid the hassle of collecting money that's past due with Doug Frymer, as he discusses how to avoid slow or non-paying customers through careful screening, as well as documenting the necessary sales and ordering information needed in court.

Also on the agenda are the different types of claims courts, collection agencies, arbitration and mediation. Also, be sure to mark you calendar for our October 19 webinar, “Lean Thinking—The Toyota Way of Doing Business."

The Toyota Production System has been translated for non-production “knowledge work,” known as Lean Thinking. Presented by Russ Mundo, Field Support Manager, University of Toyota, this webinar will provide the core principles of Lean Thinking and an overview of the Lean Thinking Team Process—the Plan. Learn tool phases to organize and implement your project work and how to direct your team’s efforts away from wasteful activities. Learn the benefits of Lean Thinking and how to increase productivity on Friday, October 19, 10:00 a.m. (PST).

For more information on the webinars listed above, upcoming sessions, or past sessions available for download, visit www.sema.org/webinar.

With only five weeks until the SEMA Show, now is the time to register for the 2007 SEMA Show Internship Program. The Internship Program is an excellent opportunity for the participating exhibitors to observe, influence and potentially hire new talent pursuing a career in the specialty-equipment industry. SEMA Show interns are students enrolled in schools or universities that specialize in automotive-related fields of study and seeking a technical or business/management position after graduation. 

The intern assigned to your SEMA Show exhibitor booth will gain an enormous amount of exposure and valuable insight to the numerous career opportunities available to them. Interns will be designated to exhibitor companies based on their area of interest and industry segment in which they'd like to work after graduation.

Don’t miss out on this excellent opportunity to work with future innovators and leaders in the specialty-equipment industry. If you are interested in hosting an intern during the SEMA Show or want more information about the SEMA Show Internship Program, visit www.sema.org/images/pdf/07_SS_Internship_Flyer.pdf and download the registration form.

For the first time ever, the spy shooters at Brenda Priddy & Co. spotted a Camaro test mule in the United States. Most of the testing and development is taking place in Australia, Priddy says, and previously they’ve only been able to grab grainy cell phone shots of a Holden-badged mule.

“Perhaps it’s to throw us off, but this chopped-up engineering mule is a Holden sibling, Chevrolet’s Middle Eastern market Lumina SS. But this is no Lumina. Underneath this hacked four-door shell is the long-awaited 2009 Camaro—at least the chassis and drivetrain, anyway.”

Contrary to its appearance, this Lumina SS has only two working doors, and comparing this mule with the donor body, this mule has a well-modified (and shorter) wheelbase, as well as a lower roofline.

“It’s no secret that this soon-to-be-Canadian-built ‘Heartbeat of America’ will start production in February of 2009, with an annual production run in the 65–75K-unit range,” Priddy notes. “There will be several powerplants offered, including a 3.6L direct-injection V6, as well as a regular V8 and likely a Z28-type V8 (LS8). Power-wise, the top-of-the-line should put out close to 500 horsepower and a convertible will follow for the 2010 model year."

A bill to ban the sale or installation of "an exhaust system which has been modified in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the exhaust” will be considered by the Massachusetts Joint Transportation Committee on October 2. The bill excludes limited-use “antique motor cars” from its scope, a clear attempt by the bill’s sponsors to divide the automobile hobby in an effort to gain clearer sailing for this restrictive and damaging piece of legislation. 

SEMA opposes the bill primarily because it does not supply law enforcement with a clear standard to enforce, allowing them to make subjective judgments on whether or not a modified exhaust system is in violation. The measure was defeated in the past five legislative sessions. For more information, go to www.semasan.com/main/main.aspx?id=62241.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

The California Air Resources Board is proposing to revise its current requirements for the sale and use of aftermarket and re-manufactured catalytic converters. The proposed requirements would extend the period for meeting emissions reductions from 25,000 to 50,000 miles or a period of five years, applicable to all new converters sold, advertised or installed after January 1, 2009.

Under the proposal, catalytic converter warranties would be required to include these new limits. The proposal would also require that the sale of used catalytic converters cease beginning July 1, 2008. A public hearing on these proposals will be held October 25, 2007 in Sacramento, California.

For more information, contact Jim McFarland at jmcfar1@aol.com.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to regulate paint-stripping operations that use methylene chloride and surface coating and autobody refinishing operations that use paints containing hazardous metal compounds. The rule targets hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), which the agency believes may cause cancer or other health disorders. The rule would apply to most coating activities that emit HAPs. 
 
The EPA intends to establish “best practices” (spray booth, spray gun cleaning, etc.) for minimizing HAP emissions during surface-coating operations. All shops would be required to have a filtered spray booth or prep station and use high-volume low-pressure (HVLP) or equivalent spray equipment. Spray guns would be required to be cleaned manually or with an enclosed spray gun washer. The EPA believes many shops have already implemented these best practices. According to the EPA, those facilities that have not yet done so could recover the cost of new equipment and training through a more efficient use of labor and materials. The EPA notes that OSHA already requires spray finishing operations to be performed in a booth or similar enclosure (although the new EPA rule could necessitate the use of more efficient filters than are currently used).
 
Owners and operators would be required to provide training for their painters on how to properly spray surface coatings and clean the spray equipment. The EPA would prefer that training be comparable to existing programs offered by I-CAR (The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair), STAR (the Spray Technique Analysis and Research program) or other certification organizations. The EPA also anticipates that training and certification programs would be available through state and community colleges or industry initiatives. Painters would be required to complete refresher training and be re-certified every five years.

In addition, owners or operators of a paint-stripping/surface-coating operation would be required to provide the EPA with contact information, a brief description of the operation, the number of spray booths and average number of employed painters and other basic information. Reports would be filed on a yearly basis certifying that the operation is in compliance or identifying activities which do not comply. Owners and operators would also have to maintain records for at least five years that verify painter training/certification, filter replacement, spray gun information, etc.

The rule would not require individuals to produce a training certificate in order to buy paints and coatings. The rule would not apply to painting done with an airbrush or hand-held non-refillable aerosol cans. The EPA did not specifically address “miniature spray guns” that are being used in open areas. It may seek to require spray booths for these operations when it issues a final rule, which is expected in 2008. 

The proposal also did not exempt facilities that conduct limited coating operations. Once issued, the EPA will likely provide two years for most businesses to comply with the rule. SEMA intends to submit comments on the proposed rule, which are due on October 17, 2007. SEMA requests industry feedback as soon as possible so that it can be reflected in the comments. Comments may be directed to Jason Tolleson at jasont@sema.org or 202/783-6007, ext. 39.

Link to three-page overview of the proposed rule: www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3/fact_sheets/paintstrpng_fs090607.pdf

Link to EPA proposed rule: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-17973.pdf

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