By Linda Spencer

“Chinese enthusiasts crave American-made parts,” said Robert Scheid (second left), director of business development for McLeod Racing LLC. “Knowing what they are looking for and finding credible distribution takes participating in this huge market in person.”

This is the last chance to register for the 2018 SEMA China Business Development Program. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet with pre-vetted resellers (distributors, retailers and installers), August 15–19, in Shanghai.

Program fees include a list of pre-vetted buyers, a turnkey booth at the China Auto Salon, a car and driver to visit specialty-equipment shops, an interpreter, four nights at the five-star Intercontinental Hotel and meals. In addition to $800 in federal funds available to defray the costs, a number of states also provide funds. For example, qualified California companies are eligible for an additional $1,500 in state funds to participate in the 2018 SEMA China program. North Carolina, Ohio and Connecticut are making funds available to qualified businesses.  

Register now! For more information, visit www.sema.org/china, or to schedule a conference call to discuss the SEMA China Business Development Program, contact Linda Spencer.

By SEMA Editors

AutoCon New York Host RJ de Vera (left) and SEMA Chairman of the Board Wade Kawasaki (right) congratulated Jesus Lopez, whose ’85 Mazda RX-7 will now travel to Las Vegas to compete in SEMA Battle of the Builders at the exclusive 2018 SEMA Show.

In an effort to recognize young talent and foster the future growth of the automotive aftermarket industry, the 2018 SEMA Young Guns Regional Program will provide car builders age 27 or younger throughout the country an opportunity to showcase their vehicles at the 2018 SEMA Show, held October 30–November 2, in Las Vegas.

Since its inception in 2016, more than 130 Young Guns builders have taken part in the vehicle-build competition. Many of these young builders have gotten a boost toward becoming professional car builders by participating in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition.

“Young Guns is a strategic initiative to build excitement and involvement among younger builders in our industry,” said SEMA Chairman of the Board Wade Kawasaki. “We’ve been very pleased with the reception to the program so far, and we’re thrilled to build upon its success.”

This past weekend, thousands of enthusiasts gathered in New York City for AutoCon New York, where Jesus Lopez joined a group of young builders who have already earned an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the 2018 SEMA Show. As part of the prize package, Lopez’s ’85 Mazda RX-7 will be transported to Las Vegas to enter the Battle of the Builders competition and will receive a designated feature spot at the Show—a unique benefit reserved exclusively for exhibitors.

“We have partnered with AutoCon, Bonnier and Goodguys to help us discover and foster even more up-and-coming builders this year,” said Ira Gabriel, SEMA vice president of marketing, PR and communications. “We are excited to expand the SEMA Young Guns program and give younger enthusiasts who may not already have a vehicle at the 2018 SEMA Show an opportunity to network with industry leaders at the trade-only event.”

Regional Young Guns winners will compete alongside industry icons during the 2018 SEMA Battle of the Builders contest, which is the basis for a nationwide television special that will premiere on the Velocity Channel. New for 2018 is the recognition of an overall Young Guns winner from the Top 10 finalists chosen by industry judges.

To qualify for the Young Guns designation at each of the regional shows, a builder must be 27 or younger by the final night of the SEMA Show, November 2, and be registered at the participating regional show.

For more information, including a list of participating regional events, visit www.semashow.com/botb.  

By SEMA Editors

AutoCon New York Host RJ de Vera (left) and SEMA Chairman of the Board Wade Kawasaki (right) congratulated Jesus Lopez, whose ’85 Mazda RX-7 will now travel to Las Vegas to compete in SEMA Battle of the Builders at the exclusive 2018 SEMA Show.

In an effort to recognize young talent and foster the future growth of the automotive aftermarket industry, the 2018 SEMA Young Guns Regional Program will provide car builders age 27 or younger throughout the country an opportunity to showcase their vehicles at the 2018 SEMA Show, held October 30–November 2, in Las Vegas.

Since its inception in 2016, more than 130 Young Guns builders have taken part in the vehicle-build competition. Many of these young builders have gotten a boost toward becoming professional car builders by participating in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition.

“Young Guns is a strategic initiative to build excitement and involvement among younger builders in our industry,” said SEMA Chairman of the Board Wade Kawasaki. “We’ve been very pleased with the reception to the program so far, and we’re thrilled to build upon its success.”

This past weekend, thousands of enthusiasts gathered in New York City for AutoCon New York, where Jesus Lopez joined a group of young builders who have already earned an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the 2018 SEMA Show. As part of the prize package, Lopez’s ’85 Mazda RX-7 will be transported to Las Vegas to enter the Battle of the Builders competition and will receive a designated feature spot at the Show—a unique benefit reserved exclusively for exhibitors.

“We have partnered with AutoCon, Bonnier and Goodguys to help us discover and foster even more up-and-coming builders this year,” said Ira Gabriel, SEMA vice president of marketing, PR and communications. “We are excited to expand the SEMA Young Guns program and give younger enthusiasts who may not already have a vehicle at the 2018 SEMA Show an opportunity to network with industry leaders at the trade-only event.”

Regional Young Guns winners will compete alongside industry icons during the 2018 SEMA Battle of the Builders contest, which is the basis for a nationwide television special that will premiere on the Velocity Channel. New for 2018 is the recognition of an overall Young Guns winner from the Top 10 finalists chosen by industry judges.

To qualify for the Young Guns designation at each of the regional shows, a builder must be 27 or younger by the final night of the SEMA Show, November 2, and be registered at the participating regional show.

For more information, including a list of participating regional events, visit www.semashow.com/botb.  

By SEMA Editors

AutoCon New York Host RJ de Vera (left) and SEMA Chairman of the Board Wade Kawasaki (right) congratulated Jesus Lopez, whose ’85 Mazda RX-7 will now travel to Las Vegas to compete in SEMA Battle of the Builders at the exclusive 2018 SEMA Show.

In an effort to recognize young talent and foster the future growth of the automotive aftermarket industry, the 2018 SEMA Young Guns Regional Program will provide car builders age 27 or younger throughout the country an opportunity to showcase their vehicles at the 2018 SEMA Show, held October 30–November 2, in Las Vegas.

Since its inception in 2016, more than 130 Young Guns builders have taken part in the vehicle-build competition. Many of these young builders have gotten a boost toward becoming professional car builders by participating in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition.

“Young Guns is a strategic initiative to build excitement and involvement among younger builders in our industry,” said SEMA Chairman of the Board Wade Kawasaki. “We’ve been very pleased with the reception to the program so far, and we’re thrilled to build upon its success.”

This past weekend, thousands of enthusiasts gathered in New York City for AutoCon New York, where Jesus Lopez joined a group of young builders who have already earned an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the 2018 SEMA Show. As part of the prize package, Lopez’s ’85 Mazda RX-7 will be transported to Las Vegas to enter the Battle of the Builders competition and will receive a designated feature spot at the Show—a unique benefit reserved exclusively for exhibitors.

“We have partnered with AutoCon, Bonnier and Goodguys to help us discover and foster even more up-and-coming builders this year,” said Ira Gabriel, SEMA vice president of marketing, PR and communications. “We are excited to expand the SEMA Young Guns program and give younger enthusiasts who may not already have a vehicle at the 2018 SEMA Show an opportunity to network with industry leaders at the trade-only event.”

Regional Young Guns winners will compete alongside industry icons during the 2018 SEMA Battle of the Builders contest, which is the basis for a nationwide television special that will premiere on the Velocity Channel. New for 2018 is the recognition of an overall Young Guns winner from the Top 10 finalists chosen by industry judges.

To qualify for the Young Guns designation at each of the regional shows, a builder must be 27 or younger by the final night of the SEMA Show, November 2, and be registered at the participating regional show.

For more information, including a list of participating regional events, visit www.semashow.com/botb.  

By SEMA Editors

AutoCon New York Host RJ de Vera (left) and SEMA Chairman of the Board Wade Kawasaki (right) congratulated Jesus Lopez, whose ’85 Mazda RX-7 will now travel to Las Vegas to compete in SEMA Battle of the Builders at the exclusive 2018 SEMA Show.

In an effort to recognize young talent and foster the future growth of the automotive aftermarket industry, the 2018 SEMA Young Guns Regional Program will provide car builders age 27 or younger throughout the country an opportunity to showcase their vehicles at the 2018 SEMA Show, held October 30–November 2, in Las Vegas.

Since its inception in 2016, more than 130 Young Guns builders have taken part in the vehicle-build competition. Many of these young builders have gotten a boost toward becoming professional car builders by participating in the SEMA Battle of the Builders competition.

“Young Guns is a strategic initiative to build excitement and involvement among younger builders in our industry,” said SEMA Chairman of the Board Wade Kawasaki. “We’ve been very pleased with the reception to the program so far, and we’re thrilled to build upon its success.”

This past weekend, thousands of enthusiasts gathered in New York City for AutoCon New York, where Jesus Lopez joined a group of young builders who have already earned an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the 2018 SEMA Show. As part of the prize package, Lopez’s ’85 Mazda RX-7 will be transported to Las Vegas to enter the Battle of the Builders competition and will receive a designated feature spot at the Show—a unique benefit reserved exclusively for exhibitors.

“We have partnered with AutoCon, Bonnier and Goodguys to help us discover and foster even more up-and-coming builders this year,” said Ira Gabriel, SEMA vice president of marketing, PR and communications. “We are excited to expand the SEMA Young Guns program and give younger enthusiasts who may not already have a vehicle at the 2018 SEMA Show an opportunity to network with industry leaders at the trade-only event.”

Regional Young Guns winners will compete alongside industry icons during the 2018 SEMA Battle of the Builders contest, which is the basis for a nationwide television special that will premiere on the Velocity Channel. New for 2018 is the recognition of an overall Young Guns winner from the Top 10 finalists chosen by industry judges.

To qualify for the Young Guns designation at each of the regional shows, a builder must be 27 or younger by the final night of the SEMA Show, November 2, and be registered at the participating regional show.

For more information, including a list of participating regional events, visit www.semashow.com/botb.  

By Linda Spencer

SEMA’s Export Workshop—designed for both experienced exporters and those new to selling outside the United States—includes everything from China market developments by senior U.S. government officials to intellectual property rights protections online and at the SEMA Show.

Come network and gain some useful takeaways at the half-day Export Workshop, to be held July 17, at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California. Snag one of the remaining $50 scholarships and attend for free. Lunch will be served.

Among the topics covered:

• Export opportunities for specialty products in China from a U.S. senior government official.
• How to check for counterfeit products on Alibaba, and the procedure to have the offending products removed.
• The process for SEMA Show exhibitors to follow if they suspect a fellow exhibitor is displaying a counterfeit or knock-off of their product.
• Best practices from a legal expert for SEMA-member companies doing business in the European Union, which must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR is a new privacy and security regulation that requires businesses (including those based in the United States) to adopt procedures for processing personal data of European Union citizens.
• Hear from European experts (based in the Netherlands) on the regulations, opportunities and challenges of selling specialty-equipment products in Europe.

Register now! For more information, contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org.

By Linda Spencer

SEMA’s Export Workshop—designed for both experienced exporters and those new to selling outside the United States—includes everything from China market developments by senior U.S. government officials to intellectual property rights protections online and at the SEMA Show.

Come network and gain some useful takeaways at the half-day Export Workshop, to be held July 17, at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California. Snag one of the remaining $50 scholarships and attend for free. Lunch will be served.

Among the topics covered:

• Export opportunities for specialty products in China from a U.S. senior government official.
• How to check for counterfeit products on Alibaba, and the procedure to have the offending products removed.
• The process for SEMA Show exhibitors to follow if they suspect a fellow exhibitor is displaying a counterfeit or knock-off of their product.
• Best practices from a legal expert for SEMA-member companies doing business in the European Union, which must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR is a new privacy and security regulation that requires businesses (including those based in the United States) to adopt procedures for processing personal data of European Union citizens.
• Hear from European experts (based in the Netherlands) on the regulations, opportunities and challenges of selling specialty-equipment products in Europe.

Register now! For more information, contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org.

By Linda Spencer

SEMA’s Export Workshop—designed for both experienced exporters and those new to selling outside the United States—includes everything from China market developments by senior U.S. government officials to intellectual property rights protections online and at the SEMA Show.

Come network and gain some useful takeaways at the half-day Export Workshop, to be held July 17, at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California. Snag one of the remaining $50 scholarships and attend for free. Lunch will be served.

Among the topics covered:

• Export opportunities for specialty products in China from a U.S. senior government official.
• How to check for counterfeit products on Alibaba, and the procedure to have the offending products removed.
• The process for SEMA Show exhibitors to follow if they suspect a fellow exhibitor is displaying a counterfeit or knock-off of their product.
• Best practices from a legal expert for SEMA-member companies doing business in the European Union, which must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR is a new privacy and security regulation that requires businesses (including those based in the United States) to adopt procedures for processing personal data of European Union citizens.
• Hear from European experts (based in the Netherlands) on the regulations, opportunities and challenges of selling specialty-equipment products in Europe.

Register now! For more information, contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Rhode Island legislature approved a bill allowing the issuance of courtesy registration plates to vehicles more than 25 years old.

The Rhode Island legislature approved a bill allowing the issuance of courtesy registration plates to vehicles more than 25 years old. Under the current law, “antique” plates are available for vehicles that are at least 25 years old and used only for exhibitions, parades and car club activities. Vehicles currently registered as “antique” may purchase and display replica year-of-manufacture plates with Division of Motor Vehicle approval. 

The bill will allow the DMV to issue rules covering the types of plates that can be issued using a combination of letters and numbers. The bill now heads to Governor Raimondo for approval.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Rhode Island legislature approved a bill allowing the issuance of courtesy registration plates to vehicles more than 25 years old.

The Rhode Island legislature approved a bill allowing the issuance of courtesy registration plates to vehicles more than 25 years old. Under the current law, “antique” plates are available for vehicles that are at least 25 years old and used only for exhibitions, parades and car club activities. Vehicles currently registered as “antique” may purchase and display replica year-of-manufacture plates with Division of Motor Vehicle approval. 

The bill will allow the DMV to issue rules covering the types of plates that can be issued using a combination of letters and numbers. The bill now heads to Governor Raimondo for approval.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. For details, contact Christian Robinson at stateleg@sema.org.