SEMA News—October 2022

BUSINESS

Backcountry Business Tips

The Global Popularity of Overlanding Presents Numerous Opportunities for the Aftermarket.

By Douglas McColloch

First popularized in Australia and sub-Saharan Africa, overlanding is a growing part of a $112 billion adventure tourism market that is forecast to generate more than $1 trillion annually by the end of the decade, according to a recent study published by Allied Global Insights. The SEMA Show’s annual Overland Experience exhibit provides companies with an in-depth look at what parts, products and build priorities are moving the market.

Once the province of outback adventurers in Australia and southern Africa, overlanding has gone global since the birth of the 21st century. The term may mean many things to many people, but it’s generally a form of vehicular adventure travel where the journey, not the destination, is the ultimate goal. Regardless of definition, it’s a rapidly expanding component of a $112 billion adventure tourism industry that’s projected to surpass $1 trillion by the end of the decade, according to a recent study published by Allied Global Insights.

But capitalizing on the growth of overlanding requires a detailed knowledge of the sector’s consumer base, its lifestyle habits, its purchasing priorities and its preferred marketing channels. A recent SEMA Education webinar, “The Globalization of Overlanding: How Manufacturers and Retailers Can Capitalize on the Worldwide Overlanding Phenomenon,” explored the subject and included practical advice on how companies can leverage this expanding sector to build brand awareness and to drive future sales. Moderated by Lindsay Hubley, managing partner of Lodestone Events, the company that operates Overland Expo, the discussion featured observations and insights from Scott Brady, CEO of Overland International. He is also the co-founder of Overland Journal, publisher of Expedition Portal and a longtime overlander who has circumnavigated the globe by motorized vehicle on three different occasions.

In the aggregate, overlanders tend to skew slightly older, are college educated, reside in the suburbs and are high-income earners. Most have no dependent children living with them, giving them even greater percentages of disposable income to spend on their hobby.

Out of The Pandemic, an Explosion of Growth

“When the pandemic first broke out in 2020, it slowed down international travel,” Hubley opened. “With that slowdown, folks in the States fell in love with the American road trip again, so we’ve seen an explosion of growth—not only in overlanding but in all outdoor recreation. Today, consumers are seeking new adventures, and they seek activities that allow them to social distance—and overlanders love to social distance.”

The effects of the pandemic and its aftermath on consumer behavior have been profound and long-lasting. According to a recent consumer survey from conservation nonprofit LeaveNoTrace, nearly 40% of consumers said they expect COVID to alter their recreational choices for the continued future. Among the changes in behavior cited were an increase in outdoor recreation, including more frequent use of public lands.

The growth in outdoor tourism seems to be impacting nearly every related sector of the industry. According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, RV shipments grew by more than 20% in 2021 from the previous year, and one-third of leisure travelers who had never previously engaged in camping now express an interest in the activity. Related to that, campsite bookings soared in 2021, thanks to online booking sites such as Pitchup and HipCamp. In the overlanding sector, Overland Expo reported event audience growth of 20% year over year in 2021, and the Expo’s digital audience has grown 30% over the past three years. Expedition Portal has seen similar growth.

“We were lucky that a lot of people were at home during the pandemic and seeking out overland and vehicle-based travel,” Brady said. “We saw a total impression over the year 2020 of 40 million individuals. This is a big audience.”

How big? Overland Journal’s online research suggests an overall market of some 12 to 14 million overland enthusiasts in North America alone.

“We have great analytics tools that help us to understand the size of that audience, “Brady said. “These are people who think about the term and who make purchase decisions based on that.”

Major retailers are starting to tap into this increase in demand. In 2021, lifestyle retail giant REI launched REI Adventures, a website that allows users to plan and book all sorts of turnkey adventure trips ranging from easy family day trips to more strenuous, multi-day backcountry outings. The company also launched a division dedicated to car camping on its website “where you can purchase tents and other overland components,” Brady noted. Finally, would-be outfitters can find support at www.overlander.com, a new website specializing in selling overland-related products for the most popular vehicle platforms.

Among vehicle types, Toyotas are the leading choice of platform for overlanders, though Jeeps have gained popularity due to models such as the Gladiator pickup and the four-door Unlimited. Larger trucks and SUVs are gaining cachet as well due to their higher load-carrying capabilities.

Who Overlanders Are and What They Do

As adventure travelers, overlanders incorporate numerous lifestyle activities into their travels. According to a recent reader survey from Overland Journal, more than a quarter of overlanders participate in hiking (28%), followed by exploration of cultural/historic sites (17%), mountain biking (12%) and photography (11%). Fishing, hunting, paddle sports and rock climbing are also enjoyed, and companies that manufacture and/or sell products that supplement those lifestyle activities are well poised to grow their brands via overlanding.

Overlanders also use their vehicles to access some of the most remote locations on the planet.

“Remoteness is a key component,” Brady said. “We look for places that are farther away from the crowds, and we’re often looking for new cultures and new experiences. That often involves crossing borders, either between states or between countries, and camping is a big component of this.”

“Also, when we say ‘remote,’ we don’t mean ‘uncomfortable,’” Brady continued. “That’s why you’ll often see overlanders with fairly comprehensive camping kits—because they intend to be in the backcountry for days or weeks at a time.”

Again, companies that can serve the growing consumer demand for camping-
related products can leverage that demand for future growth.

In general, overlanders break down into two different types: “advanced” overlanders, who venture long distances into the outdoors on a regular basis and for extended periods of time, and “casual” overlanders, who tend to be weekend-warrior types who travel less frequently and over shorter distances.

Perhaps most importantly for companies in the specialty-equipment market, both types of overlanders are high-income earners relative to the U.S. population at large, according to research conducted in 2021 by Overland Expo. Both types of overlanders report annual incomes in excess of $100,000 (the median U.S. household income is slightly more than $60,000), and big majorities of both types have no dependent children living with them, giving them even more disposable income that they can spend on their hobby.

Both types are overwhelmingly male, married, and reside in suburbs. Advanced overlanders (average age 35 to 55) tend to be older than their casual (22 to 51) counterparts and are more likely to be college-educated. Advanced overlanders comprise roughly 60% of the segment, with casuals accounting for some 40%.

Overlanders first get involved in their hobby due to a variety of factors. Advanced overlanders are more likely to have been exposed to the practice as children and “grew up doing it” (40% of respondents). Casual overlanders tend to get involved after hearing about the activity from family and friends (25%) or from influencers on social media (12%).

No matter how people are first introduced to the activity, however, word of mouth can be a valuable tool for manufacturers and retailers to promote overlanding to new hobbyists, as Brady explained: “Peer influencing is really key, because overlanding leads to storytelling. When a friend is telling other friends about an adventure, that sparks their interest. As retailers and manufacturers, learning how to connect people to those stories is important because it increases the interest in wanting to go.”

By a wide margin, overlanders say they are willing to pay premium prices for their products, prioritizing quality over economy. Among advanced overlanders, off-road capability is the most immediate build priority, while more casual overlanders opt for camp gear as a first choice.

How They Think and What They Drive

As a rule, overlanders tend to be environmentally minded consumers who are interested in products that use sustainable components and manufacturing methods, that offer products which can be re-used and repurposed, and which avoid waste and single-use applications.

“When we talk about an ‘overlander mentality,’ we’re talking about what makes this consumer tick,” Brady said. “That’s important for manufacturers and retailers to take a look at. [Overlanders] are interested in minimizing their impact to the environment, and the customer who comes into your retail store or who you’re making components for is going to be sensitive to that, so making products that will reduce the impact when we’re out on the trail, such as locking differentials or a good-quality tire that’s appropriate to the terrain, these are good things to suggest to this consumer.”

For companies in the process of formulating branding and marketing strategies aimed at the overland consumer, a handy benchmark is Tread Lightly!, the nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching and promoting responsible vehicle travel over public lands.

“It’s an important organization within both the four-wheel-drive and overland industries,” Brady said. “We encourage aftermarket manufacturers and OEs to make sure their messaging reinforces Tread Lightly! principles, because there’s a consequence for not following them.”

When it comes to choosing a vehicle as a build platform, overlanders look for durability, reliability and global parts availability. For that reason, Toyota has been the prominent brand, Brady observed. But a shift has occurred as overlanding has gained followers in the United States, and Jeep is now a major player—the four-door Wrangler and Gladiator pickup, in particular, having strongly impacted the market.

“When we started Overland Journal, Jeeps were only around 2% of the market,” Brady said. “Now it’s one of the most popular brands in the space.”

The bigger shift for companies to know, though, is toward larger vehicles, he said.

“We’re seeing a lot more fullsize trucks, and that trend is accelerating, so we’ll be seeing more Tundras, F-250s and F-350s because they have the payload to support all the equipment you’re bringing along.”

A related area of growth, in Brady’s estimation, is in integrated camper/habitat systems such as adventure trailers and pop-up truck toppers, which require higher payloads and tow ratings.

Hubley additionally mentioned the growth of the adventure van sector, such as Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit conversions, as a promising segment for manufacturers and marketers.

“We saw a big influx of that at Overland Expo in 2021,” she said, “as well as more equipment for vans and an increase in turnkey van builders.”

Most overlanding products are owner-installed, with the notable exception of mechanical hard parts that enhance off-roadability, such as gears, lockers, suspension upgrades and tires. For shops specializing in those types of installations, the growth of overlanding represents a potential new revenue stream.

What They Buy and Where They Learn

While there’s a great deal of overlap between the advanced and casual overland demographics, each group has its own unique sets of build priorities. The advanced contingent, being more hardcore in its orientation, gravitates first toward hard parts that can increase ground clearance and off-road capability, such as oversize tires, suspension lifts, lockers, rock sliders, etc.

Casual overlanders, by contrast, prioritize camping gear such as furniture and tents in their shopping preferences.

“It makes sense, given all the new vans and crossovers we’re seeing, and this is important because it represents the growth of new people we’re seeing entering the segment,” Brady said.

When making purchasing decisions, overlanders tend to rely on fellow members of the overlanding community, such as enthusiast websites, word of mouth, and manufacturer websites. Roughly a quarter of overlanders rely on social media and online influencers for product information, while fewer than one in 10 rely on traditional digital advertising.

Still, both sets of overlanders agree that first aid and safety items are the most essential components they purchase for their vehicles, followed by off-roading parts and camp gear and kitchen items. They also both overwhelmingly favor build quality over price. More than 90% express a willingness to spend either “a little more” or “top dollar” for their builds, and they tend to be rather brand-loyal. More than 90% of overlanders said that specific brands exert an influence on their purchasing decisions.

“It’s something we’ve seen at Overland Journal from the very beginning, and it also reflects the kinds of vehicles that people are buying.” Brady said. “If overlanders are purchasing Land Cruisers and 4Runners and Tacomas, they have a ‘quality and durability’ mindset, and the components they buy for their vehicles reflect that mindset as well.”

Not surprisingly, advanced overlanders make more extensive modifications to their vehicles, but even among the casuals, roughly 85% have performed some kind of modification, so both groups represent a potentially lucrative revenue stream for manufacturers and retailers alike.

While online sales of overlanding products have gained in popularity, retailers still play a major role. Overlanders who are shopping for camp gear such as first-aid equipment, furniture and kitchen/cooking products prefer major brick-and-mortar retail stores such as REI as their go-to parts source.

“People want to see and feel those kinds of products,” Brady said.

On the other hand, online-only retailers are a preferred source for tools and recovery gear as well as air and power products.

Perhaps most importantly for companies in the specialty-equipment market, both types of overlanders are high-income earners relative to the U.S. population at large, according to research conducted in 2021 by Overland Expo.

For information regarding the latest tech, trends and product developments, overlanders are an extremely “wired” demographic, with more than 75% of advanced overlanders and 65% of casuals utilizing the internet (and overlanding websites in particular) as their preferred sources of information. Both also rely heavily on peer-to-peer influencing such as word of mouth as well as manufacturer websites.

Activity-specific websites (dedicated to dirt biking, four wheeling, etc.) are more likely to attract advanced consumers, while social media and in-store displays more strongly impact casuals. Neither group relies much on conventional advertising, with fewer than 10% saying that it influences their purchasing decisions.

SEMA News—October 2022

EVENTS

The 2022 SEMA Awards Gala

A So-Cal “Homecoming” and Focus on Hall of Fame Inductees Highlight the Annual Gathering

The mood was celebratory at the 2022 SEMA Awards Gala, held July 29, in Anaheim, California. Formerly known as the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala, the event was renamed this year to refocus on the SEMA Hall of Fame inductees and their industry achievements.

By Mike Imlay

Industry icons, SEMA leadership and volunteers gathered July 29 in Anaheim, California, to honor the association’s new Hall of Fame inductees at the 2022 SEMA Awards Gala. The celebration took place at the Westin Anaheim Resort, not far from the Anaheim Convention Center, a place of historical significance for the association.

“The SEMA Awards Gala is a great opportunity for the industry to come together at mid-year to connect in person and have meaningful conversations in an intimate setting,” said SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. “Our roots extend to the city of Anaheim, so it was exciting to return with friends and colleagues to honor industry leaders.”

SEMA Chairman of the Board James Lawrence underscored the need for SEMA members to stay engaged and promote the industry’s future. “It’s our responsibility to help give our next generation an opportunity to earn a Hall of Fame spot in the automotive industry,” he said.

Formerly known as the SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala, the SEMA Awards Gala is a long-established tradition where individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the specialty-equipment industry are recognized. For 46 years the reception and dinner have served as the formal event where new SEMA Hall of Fame inductees are introduced, the incoming Board of Directors is recognized, and outgoing Board members are thanked. SEMA council, network and industry leaders are also applauded during the course of the evening.

“We were excited to have our summer gala return to Southern California, and even more excited at the event’s rebranding as the SEMA Awards Gala to amplify our Hall of Fame celebration,” said SEMA Special Events Director Jamie Ericksen. “This year’s venue, the Westin Anaheim, was a brand-new hotel in the city that recalls the roots of past SEMA events, including early SEMA Shows. It was a homecoming that brought together the industry family.”

Well-known industry media host Kevin Oeste emcee’d the evening’s festivities which, along with the Hall of Fame awards, included the recognition of new and outgoing SEMA Board members, and accolades to council and network volunteers.

The gala also represented yet another milestone as the industry continues turn a new corner after the recent pandemic. In many ways, it served as a ramp-up for this November’s SEMA Show as industry businesses enter the final stretch for the blockbuster trade event in Las Vegas.

Popular automotive media personality Kevin Oeste served as emcee for the evening. After setting a celebratory tone, Oeste turned the stage over to SEMA Chairman of the Board James Lawrence, whose opening remarks touched on the themes of service, enthusiasm and achievement.

“Tonight, we honor our Hall of Fame Inductees, our new incoming Board of Directors, and thank our outgoing Board members for their service,” said Lawrence. “And to all of our volunteer leaders, our network and councils, chairs and chair elects—we appreciate your hard work and commitment for automotive enthusiasts everywhere.”

SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola outlined the bold initiatives SEMA is taking to meet today’s unprecedented challenges. “We will focus on ensuring the success and prosperity of our members, the automotive aftermarket industry, and the rich and historic automotive culture we all enjoy,” he promised.

Calling the past year a period of transformation requiring grit and effort, Lawrence also thanked the SEMA staff under the leadership of recently named SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola for their contributions to the industry.

Turning to the Hall of Fame inductees, Lawrence observed, “When you scroll through the names in the Hall of Fame, you’ll see trailblazers, renegades, leaders and innovators. The legend of tonight’s new inductees—Gene Winfield, Walker Evans and Jack Roush—glows bright for their lifetime achievements.”

“It’s our responsibility to help give our next generation an opportunity to earn a Hall of Fame spot in the automotive industry,” he continued. “It’s our responsibility to give every kid the opportunity to be a trailblazer like just like the Hall of Famers that are here today.”

Famed automotive designer Chip Foose congratulated Gene Winfield (left), the first of the evening’s three 2022 Hall of Fame inductees. Winfield’s custom car designs are now legendary, having appeared in popular Hollywood movies while inspiring legions of enthusiasts.

Following on Lawrence’s remarks, Spagnola presented an update on the association’s mission and initiatives to ensure the industry’s health and growth far into the future. Spagnola, who took the helm on an interim basis after the recent retirement of former SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting, has now been confirmed to the full CEO role by the Board of Directors.

“The last time I was on stage for a SEMA event, I was accepting an award—that was in 2010. Three years later I sold my business, concluded my second term on the Board of Directors and signed a three-year contract with SEMA to develop the first SEMA Garage. Now, nine years into my three-year contract, I’m still here,” he quipped.

Calling himself a “hands-dirty, industry guy,” Spagnola explained, “Those of you who know me know this industry holds a big place in my heart and the hearts of my family.” He went on to reaffirm the association’s goals to produce world-class events that promote meaningful connections, share knowledge and education, provide access to industry-leading product data, advocate for effective legal pathways to enjoy modified vehicles forever, and provide membership opportunities that deliver “real value for all of us who thrive in the automotive culture,” including through a new SEMA Individual Membership program.

“SEMA’s purpose and mission statement are also being held up to the light—we will focus on ensuring the success and prosperity of our members, the automotive aftermarket industry, and the rich and historic automotive culture we all enjoy,” he promised.

With those introductions made, the Gala turned to its main focus: SEMA’s 2022 Hall of Fame inductees. The Hall of Fame awards honor those who built the specialty-equipment market into the $51 billion powerhouse it is today. Since 1969, SEMA has inducted some 170 pioneers. For 2022, it added three more iconic names: Walker Evans, Jack Roush and Gene Winfield.

Hall of Fame inductee Walker Evans reflected on his career as a racer and successful performance parts maker. His contributions to off-road motorsports—not to mention the truck world in general—have made him a true industry trailblazer.

Walker Evans

If you love trucks, you owe a debt of gratitude to Walker Evans. Before he won the 1979 Baja 1000 in a ’78 Dodge pickup, trucks were largely relegated to towing the buggies and bikes that won the event every year prior. Starting as a driver for famed builder Bill Stroppe, Evans eventually set up his own shop building some of the most competitive trucks in off-road motorsports. At the turn of the millennium, he switched gears to develop and manufacture a line of performance products. Today Walker Evans Racing is a fixture across the off-road spectrum from Jeeps to snowmobiles.

With Jack Roush unable to attend the Gala dinner, his colleague Raymond Gallagher accepted the Hall of Fame induction on Roush’s behalf. Roush is renowned for his engineering entrepreneurship, which has spanned automobiles to aerospace.

Jack Roush

It’s impossible to describe Jack Roush with any single title. His parent company has three units. Roush Performance develops and sells performance vehicles and aftermarket performance parts. Roush CleanTech develops clean-fuel solutions for fleet vehicle applications. Roush Industries designs, engineers, prototypes, tests and even manufactures across industries the mobility, aerospace, defense and theme-park industries. But it all began with OEM engineering jobs that morphed into a brief stint as a multi-championship drag-racing enterprise. If Jack Roush hasn’t done it, it’s probably not worth doing.

Gene Winfield

Few people have inspired a more diverse array of automotive enthusiasts than Gene Winfield. A customizer of the first order, his career spans more than seven decades to include the golden age of the custom car. Scale-model manufacturers rendered his creations in miniature and, after recognizing his widely ranging talents, ultimately hired him to create full-scale examples. Soon the entertainment industry caught on to Winfield’s magic, giving him yet another career building for Hollywood—a professional arc that culminated in his shop building the automotive props for big-budget productions like Blade Runner and Back to the Future II.

Board Members Congratulated

During the Gala, SEMA Chairman of the Board James Lawrence and SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola together took the stage to thank outgoing SEMA Board members Chris Douglas (Edelbrock Group) and Less Rudd (Bob Cook Sales). Rudd now becomes the Board’s treasurer.

Incoming Board members Norris Marshall (BluePrint Engines) and Rich Butler (R&R Marketing Consultants) were congratulated along with re-elected Board members Kathryn Reinhardt (4 Wheel Parts) and Melanie White (Hellwig Products).

The following Board members were also recognized as they continue their current terms in office:

• SEMA Chairman-Elect Kyle Fickler (Driven Racing Oil)
• Immediate Past-Chair and Secretary Tim Martin (Aftermarket Advisors)
• Lindsay Hubley (Lodestone Events)
• Larry Montante (Keystone Automotive)
• Kim Pendergast (Magnuson Superchargers)
• Brian Reese (T-Sportline)
• Ted Wentz (Quadratec)
• Steve Whipple (Jegs High Performance)

Pinewood race cars get set for a run. The annual Pinewood Drags in support of SEMA Cares children’s charities have become a popular Gala tradition, with stakes running high for the ICC Challenge.

2022 Pinewood Drags Raise Funds for Charity

Each year, the SEMA Cares Pinewood Drags fundraiser takes place in conjunction with the SEMA Awards Gala. The charity event offers participants the chance to sponsor a Pinewood race car or challenge colleagues head-to-head during the pre-banquet reception.

Donations enable SEMA Cares to help significantly improve the lives of children in need through the work done by the Austin Hatcher Foundation for pediatric cancer; Childhelp for the prevention and treatment of child abuse; and the Victory Junction camp for children with serious medical conditions. The following were this year’s top winners.

Industry Cup Challenge (ICC)

• Keystone Automotive Operations

Manufacturer

• Hellwig Products

Rep Agency

• PSKB Inc.

Service Provider

• LGE-CTS

Warehouse Distributor

• Keystone Automotive Operations

Media

• Hemmings

Council Cup

• Future Leaders Network (FLN)

Build It for Me Class

1st Place

• Erika Marquez, WARN Industries

2nd Place

• Wes Mills, Mills Crafts

3rd Place

• Steve Wolcott, ProMedia LLC

SEMA Board member Kathryn Reinhardt, who serves as the chair of SEMA Cares, commended Gala attendees for their generous support of the races and SEMA Cares in general.

“You may not know this, but these charities have helped save and impact the lives of thousands of children every year,” she said. “Knowing the automotive aftermarket is banding together to be a driving force in making a difference warms my heart. Last year we raised a quarter of a million dollars—our largest fundraising year ever.”

Reinhardt also thanked her fellow SEMA Cares committee members for their tireless dedication to fundraising and serving children in need. Those committee members are:

• Melanie Barness
• Will Brown
• Jenna Jefferies
• Michelle McGaughy
• Sara Morosan
• Lori Ramsey
• Melanie White

SEMA News—October 2022

MARKET RESEARCH SNAPSHOT

Specialty-Equipment Retail Sales Reached Record $50.9 Billion in 2021

By SEMA Market Research

Specialty-Equipment Retail Sales ($ Billions)

Overall consumer spending on our industry’s parts and accessories jumped 6.3% in 2021, pushing U.S. retail sales to a record $50.9 billion—its highest level ever.

For the first time ever, specialty-equipment retail sales in the United States have topped $50 billion. Overall consumer spending on parts and accessories jumped 6.3% last year, pushing our industry’s market size to a record $50.9 billion in 2021. Consumers continue to show that they love their cars and accessorizing them. Although there are some economic headwinds on the horizon, our forecast remains optimistic. Sales may slow a bit in 2022, but a drop is not expected. As we get further past the pandemic and resolve supply-chain issues, we expect a return to the growth levels seen over the last decade.

2021 Specialty-Equipment part Sales Share by Vehicle Segment

The pickup continues to be a driving force for the industry. Pickup mods accounted for nearly one-third of parts and accessory sales. Pickups are great platforms for accessorization.

2021 Specialty-Equipment Retail Sales by Product category ($ Billions)

The industry saw growth across a wide range of products in 2021. Accessory and appearance products remain strong. Performance mods also saw robust sales.

To learn more, download the new “2022 SEMA Market Report” today at www.sema.org/research.

SEMA News—October 2022

SEMA DATA

By Gigi Ho

SEMA Data Product News

The products featured below are from SEMA Data member companies that have attained Gold- or Platinum-level data, which means that their product data is robust and complete—likely to drive customer purchase decisions. SEMA Data members meeting data scorecard requirements are invited to submit product releases for consideration to enews@semadatacoop.org.

Aldan American

Coilover Conversion Kit–’63 Chevrolet C10

For your ’63 Chevrolet C10, a Coil-Over Conversion Kit,
’63–’70 C10, front, single adjustable, small-block, lower arms only. Includes two Phantom Series–single adjustable coilover shocks, 650 lb. Aldan springs, POL lower, tubular control arms, lower ball joints, brackets and hardware. This kit is designed to work with factory truck crossmembers and will convert front suspensions to fully adjustable coilover shocks with lower tubular control arms. Upper control arms sold separately. Made in the U.S.A.

Information: aldanamerican.com

PN: 300152

INJEN

Front Mount Intercooler–FM9200I

The ’15–’18 Mustang 2.3L EcoBoost is a great platform for soaking up highway miles during the weekday and tearing it up at the track on the weekend. The FM9200i intercooler is a direct-fit unit and features a huge increase in core volume while requiring no modification to your Mustang. This cooler is constructed with cast end tanks and precision CNC-machined aluminum flanges for use with the factory intercooler piping or Injen’s aftermarket charge pipes (sold separately). With a one-hour installation time, great power and temperature benefits and a lifetime warranty, the Injen FM9200i intercooler is a must-do upgrade for any stock or modified Mustang 2.3L EcoBoost.

Information: www.injen.com

PN: FM9200i

ZROADZ

’18–’22 Toyota Tacoma OEM Grille LED Kit with 6-In. and 10-In. LED Straight Single Row Slim Light Bars

ZROADZ OEM Grille LED Mounts are an economical method to add forward-facing lighting to late-model pickups. The clean low-profile installation fits seamlessly into the original vehicle grille and gives the appearance of a factory-installed lighting system. The included standalone wiring harness gives complete control over the light operation and is plug and play for easy installation. Available in kit form only. Designed and made in the U.S.A.

Information: www.zroadz.com

PN: F143871939

SEMA News—October 2022

BUSINESS

Power to the People

EVs Are Charging Forward, But Will the Infrastructure Be There?

By Chris Shelton

The future of charging for many Americans without access to their own chargers may look a little like this. Thanks to services like EVmatch, the public market has access to private, non-networked chargers and outlets, including 110V outlets that exist in every building in the United States.

If we’re not already at it, we’re likely near the cusp of an electric vehicle (EV) tipping point. Two years ago, the state of California mandated 35% EV sales by 2025 and banned all new non-EV sales by 2035; Washington state’s mandate is even more ambitious: by 2030 it will refuse to license any vehicle made that year or later unless it’s electric, a push that resembles the one in several Western European countries.

Even the automakers are putting their eggs in the electric basket. Last year, GM announced it would ditch hydrocarbon power altogether by 2035. Ford hasn’t announced a similar mandate, but it’s pushing EU legislators to commit to all-electric new-car sales by 2035. Stellantis hasn’t set a mandate either, but says it hopes to go all electric by 2028. And perhaps most ambitiously, Volkswagen committed to 100% EV sales by 2026. As far as model-year introductions go, that’s only two years from now.

That’s music to the ears of EV advocates. But is widespread EV adoption possible within those timeframes? As strange as it seems, the answer is one that many EV advocates and adversaries agree on: Probably not. At least it’s not at the rate we’ve been implementing charging options in America, anyway.

Charge hosts can control the access to chargers. St. John’s Episcopal Church in Chicago opens its charger to anyone who books time. But hosts can specify who has access, effectively making a charger available to select users (i.e., residents of multi-unit dwellings). Photo courtesy: Brian Urbazewski

Charging Versus Fueling

The problem lies in the difference between the fueling and charging models. Whereas it takes only minutes to put a tiger in your tank, with current technology it can take hours to just partially charge a battery. That partly explains why more than 80% of EV charging happens overnight at home.

But that’s cold comfort for those living in multi-family dwellings (MFDs) like apartments and condominiums. Most existing MFDs can’t accommodate charging options required for mass EV adoption at the projected rate, at least not economically. And it’s no small problem, either; residents of MFDs make up nearly 30% of all households in America and nearly 50% in California, a state where only 18% of MFDs have access to EV charging. It gets even worse for lower-income drivers, most of whom live in communities dubbed charging deserts, a reference to an area’s lack of public charging options.

That’s changing of course. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law in November 2021 allocates $7.5 billion to “…accelerate the deployment of a national electric vehicle charging network.” Roughly $5 billion of that goes to build a nationwide network of 500,000 DC fast chargers along major transportation corridors that can charge some EVs to 80% in 20 to 30 min.

To give an idea of the scale of this project, consider that the United States had 177,433 gas stations as of May 2022. Should the program play out as planned, the number of commercial EV charging stations added to the grid by this bill would outnumber gas stations by nearly three to one. And that doesn’t include the 109,307 charging ports already in use.

Problem solved, right?

Well, it certainly helps. The network created by that part of the infrastructure bill facilitates long-distance travel by requiring at least four highway-accessible chargers within 50 mi. of each other. That presents at least two problems: for one, most people can’t or don’t want to stop alongside major transportation corridors for half an hour just to charge their car.

Whether accessed by a smart-device app or by a Web browser on a computer, EVmatch offers an experience like other Software as a Service (SaaS) such as dining, dating, and lodging apps. It compares users’ needs with host offerings to increase charging options in underserved areas.

Cost is another. “The shortcoming of fast charging is expense,” says Joel Levin, executive director of EV advocacy group Plug In America. “If you’re looking at people who live in an apartment that doesn’t have parking, they’re probably going to be somewhat lower income. And now you’re presenting them with the most expensive way to charge; the people who have the least money have the most expensive charging.” That part of the program may prove invaluable for driving long distances but not for daily use.

As Levin put it, the $2.5 billion remainder of the bill “focuses more on equity, underserved areas and charging deserts.” That funding will surely inspire countless solutions, like mounting chargers to existing structures as National Grid did in Melrose, Massachusetts. Seattle City Light made the system even more equitable by installing the pole-mounted chargers where residents request them.

Plug in America’s Executive Director Joel Levin maintains that widespread EV adoption depends on maximizing the potential in existing technology. “We have a survey that we do every year,” he says. “Among people who charge at home, about a quarter of them charge on 110.”

Installing chargers where potential users need them will certainly go a long way to encourage EV adoption. But it’s not likely to blanket the country with charging stations, at least not within the timeframes set by states and automakers. And if you’re even somewhat familiar with parking in major metropolitan areas, you know the frustration of trying to find any parking space. Now imagine trying to find one to charge your car. After a long day at work. And hungry.

It’s a situation that Vanessa Perkins knows well. She drives an EV. She lives in an apartment. And it’s in Chicago. “I noticed that there are a lot of neighborhoods that don’t have public charging,” she said, citing, among others, the one she lives in. “And if they do, it’s in a very expensive parking garage and you have to pay an entry fee.” So, she did some research and found a way to create more accessible and affordable charging. “It’s like a sharing economy,” she says.

What she found is EVmatch, a national peer-to-peer network where owners of private and commercial chargers can make their resources available for others to rent when they’re not using them. “Often we describe ourselves as the Airbnb of EV charging,” says EVmatch Founder and CEO Heather Hochrein.

“We provide a software platform for the web and mobile that allows individuals and businesses and commercial properties to rent out private charging stations to the public,” she continues. And Perkins’ nonprofit organization communitycharging.org, is one of EVmatch’s pilot programs. “It works anywhere a charger owner can open their charger to the public,” Perkins says. She calls the service transformative: Homeowners whose properties can accommodate guest vehicles let their neighbors use their vacant chargers via the service. Organizations like churches and businesses, whose lots go unused for big chunks of a day or overnight, are getting in on the program by building chargers for the communities they serve and offering them on the EVmatch network.

Charge-sharing pioneer Heather Hochrein has spent her career so far in the service of electricity technology. Her work in climate policy, extensive utility and management experience at Pacific Gas and Electric, and a senior leadership role at Rising Sun Energy Center, laid the foundation for EVmatch.

Levin says the challenge with charge sharing is to make the service consistently available. “To have an EV and not constantly be annoyed, you have to have a place where you can go once or twice a week. It’s there, it’s reliable, and it’s not going to be full. It needs to be consistent, not like you have to get on the internet and search for a place to charge every day.”

And that’s what distinguishes charge-sharing programs like EVmatch: potential users can book time on the charger. When the session ends, the user then drives off and opens the charger for the next user. More than giving users a place to charge, these bookable private charging stations give EV drivers a place to park. After a long day at work. When they’re hungry.

Access to affordable energy goes a great way to make electric vehicles viable for anyone who wants one. According to Homeguide.com, charging at a commercial station can cost upwards of 450% more than charging at home. Chart courtesy: www.homeguide.com

Elegance in Simplicity

Charge sharing differs from the typical commercial charging services offered by the likes of EVgo and Chargepoint. “Theirs is proprietary and top-down, infrastructure-heavy approach where you build and operate the charging stations,” Hochrein says. “You end up doing a lot of real-estate work like site selection, development and maintenance.”

And that translates to increased charging cost: due to the grid modifications and specialized hardware required to install one, DC fast chargers start at six figures. By contrast, a private Level-2 charger installation may cost only hundreds of dollars (a Level 2 can be as simple as a standard 220V receptacle). And almost every building has a Level 1 in the form of a conventional 110V wall receptacle.

“We have a survey that we do every year,” Levin says. “Among people who charge at home, about a quarter of them charge on 110.” It just takes longer.

Until now, the problem with using those non-networked chargers in a commercial application was the inability to meter and bill the user for the power consumed. Historically speaking, it took a smart charger to gauge how much current an EV consumes while charging and network connectivity to transfer that information for billing purposes. And EVmatch can in fact meter and bill that way. So far it has partnered with smart-charger manufacturers Enel X and Wallbox, and it’s working on other integrations using open-charge-point protocol communication.

But what distinguishes EVmatch is its ability to accurately estimate power consumption in the absence of a smart charger. “We have a tool where we estimate the cost of electricity,” Hochrein says. “It’s sophisticated in that it takes into account the vehicle, the charger power, the time of the day, and the utility-rate structure.” Users—either the general public or those the charger owner grants access—pay in advance for the duration of the charge. “So, they book, let’s say, a two-hour session and we know what car is charging,” she says. “We know the power output of the outlet or the charger. That calculator gets used to estimate the price and the driver pays for the session that they book. We’re using that software tool for the residential host, even if they don’t have a connected smart charger.”

EVmatch can also work with smart chargers to precisely measure current consumed and transmit information via the internet. So far, the company has integrated smart chargers from Wallbox and Enel X (Juice Box shown here). Photo courtesy: Brian Urbazewski

Overcoming the Challenges

The EVmatch model also has the potential to increase charging options in multi-family dwellings. The variables in installing chargers in those applications are numerous and sometimes daunting. Does the facility have spaces for every resident? Is the parking assigned or first-come? If the facility assigns parking, how does it allocate who gets a charger? How many residents drive EVs? Does every space need a charger? How do you bill the appropriate users for the power consumed? And can the structure bear multiple chargers without significant electrical improvements? “[If] every single parking stall has to have a dedicated charger, that massively overloads the infrastructure,” Hochrein says.

But charge sharing gives property managers the capacity to leverage their existing electrical infrastructure, including the load centers. “A lot of those panels can accommodate at least a few chargers as it is,” she says. “And so, with our software, we’re helping those property owners share those chargers more efficiently.”

It goes without saying that we need to build more chargers if we expect to adopt EVs on the massive scale anticipated by legislators and automakers. But no single answer will solve the charging issues that prevent mass EV adoption. As Joel Levin put it, “It’s more silver buckshot than silver bullet.” And as EV development begins to outpace internal-combustion engine development, new ideas and innovations like EVmatch’s charge-sharing program will likely prevail.

“We’ve done surveys among people who drive EVs—what their concerns are with charging, and they certainly have concerns,” Levin continues. But as Plug In America’s results show, those concerns are less about the number of chargers. “It’s the ability to access what’s already there rather than the lack of charging,” he says. “Sure, they’d like to have more charging. But they just want access.”

SOURCE

Community Charging
www.communitycharging.org

EVmatch
www.evmatch.com

Plug In America
www.pluginamerica.org

  SEMA News—October 2022

SEMA Member News

Council & Network Leadership

By Ellen McKoy

Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO)

ARMO Hot Products Showcase Shines at Spring Carlisle

Spring Carlisle showgoers browse dozens of ARMO-member products at the Hot Products Showcase.

Overcast skies and the chance of April showers did little to dampen the excitement at this year’s Spring Carlisle Collector Car Swap Meet, where hordes of enthusiasts gathered at the sprawling Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania to celebrate car culture.

For the Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO), Spring Carlisle signals the opportunity to present its popular Hot Products Showcase. An exclusive ARMO-member benefit, the Showcase provides a premier platform for members to spotlight their hottest products and vie for awards in five categories.

As in past years, the Showcase tent was situated between the grandstands and the event stage. The high-traffic spot ensured that enthusiasts would pass through during the four-day event to view the displays, vote for favorite products and learn how SEMA and ARMO help to preserve and perpetuate the restoration hobby and the industry.

In the run up to the event, ARMO Chair Ben Tucker said signups were running ahead of prior years, with a goal of securing about 50 companies and 100
products.

“Carlisle is always a huge success for ARMO, and I know it’s going to be a great event,” Tucker said.

On the Legislative Front

“It is absolutely good news,” Tucker said when queried about the recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ruling that allows for small-volume automakers to build and sell turnkey vehicles.

In finalizing the regulation, NHTSA greenlit the SEMA-led Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act. The act, which actually became law in 2015 as part of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, enables replicar businesses to build and market replicas of vehicles produced at least 25 years ago. Production is limited to 325 vehicles per year.

“SEMA applauds NHTSA’s final rule allowing companies to market classic-themed cars,” said SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs Daniel Ingber. “This is a hard-fought victory for enthusiasts, small-volume manufacturers and all who will be hired to fill new jobs.”

In recalling his experiences at SEMA’s rallies in Washington, D.C., Tucker noted that the replicar issue was a hot topic for ARMO.

“Even though the law had already been passed, it was in limbo so, of course, it was an important issue for our members,” he said. “SEMA did great work in getting it done. Many of the companies we do business with will now have a chance to sell parts to manufacturers that build replicars. It’s a real boon to the restoration industry.”

“The great thing about SEMA’s emissions-compliance program is that it makes it easy to achieve compliance.”

—John Lambert

Emerging Trends & Technology Network (ETTN)

ETTN Stages Career Fair, Revs Up Tech Symposium

Society of Automotive Engineers students at the SEMA Garage on April 3, in Diamond Bar, California, during a recent Networking Event and Career Fair.

The Emerging Trends & Technology Network (ETTN) recently co-hosted the SAE/SEMA Garage Career Fair on April 3. The event, a joint venture between SEMA, ETTN and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), was held in Diamond Bar, California.

The program was designed to connect SEMA members, SAE board members and other industry professionals with university students who are part of formula and Baja SAE competition teams. The competitions challenge students to design, fabricate and compete with formula-style race cars.

Besides networking and a close-up look at resources available through the SEMA Garage, the program included a career fair that allowed companies to recruit future graduates. The students also had a chance to gain feedback from industry professionals on their engineering and business presentations in advance of the forthcoming SAE competitions.

“The event was a collaborative effort between SEMA and SAE,” said ETTN Immediate Past Chair Ian Lehn, who spearheaded the project on behalf of the network. “It was refreshing to see the two organizations focus on the future of the next generation.

“To have an opportunity to interact with people in our industry at this level was invaluable. We want these students to see how cool we are and that we do a lot of cool stuff. Credit goes to Mike Spagnola (SEMA CEO) and Luis Morales (SEMA director of vehicle technology) for making us look as cool as we did at this event. To secure the future of our industry, we need to push the boundaries of technology. We have to cultivate the next generation and let them know that there’s an exciting future with our member companies.”

Tools, Technology and Knowledge to Advance Careers

Calling all automotive engineers, programmers and product developers! ETTN’s inaugural NERD Symposium debuts at the SEMA Garage in Detroit on Tuesday, August 16. The multi-day, multi-faceted event—whose acronym stands for Networking, Education, Resources and Development—consists of three core elements: an educational component, interfacing with service providers and subject-matter experts, and networking.

The event kicks off with a sneak peek at the newest SEMA Garage, followed by a get-acquainted cocktail hour. On Wednesday, education sessions presented will dive into the complexities of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), emissions, diagnostics and simulation.

A series of one-on-one meetings with service providers and subject-matter experts is also on tap, and ETTN members will choose from a list of participants who will share their expertise on the technology behind emissions testing, ADAS calibration, intellectual property, machinery manufacturing, 3-D printing and more.

Networking opportunities will abound throughout. From the opening night cocktail hour to daily breakfasts and lunches to the Garage grand opening on Thursday evening, ETTN attendees will have multiple occasions to share ideas, talk shop and build meaningful, long-lasting connections

“This is truly a high-value event loaded with content and resources to help our members and their companies succeed,” said ETTN Chair Rob Simons. “We are excited to provide our members with exceptional educational, networking and career-growth opportunities.”

Future Leaders Network (FLN)

FLN Leadership Program Sharpens Skills

The Future Leaders Network (FLN; formerly the Young Executives Network) is committed to cultivating industry talent through education and networking by providing value-added resources and learning opportunities—which brings to mind the 14th-century English proverb, “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.”

The saying still has significance in today’s world. How might it apply to FLN? Its members are aspiring young leaders intent on achieving a greater level of success. To help in their career-advancement journeys, the network recently partnered with the world-renowned Dale Carnegie training courses on a new program aimed at improving members’ individual and professional growth and development.

The two-day interactive professional development program was held at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California, on March 24 and 25. Following a kickoff networking mixer the evening before, the program itself focused on mastering essential skills to nurture and grow personal and business capabilities. Core topics included confidence building, sharpening communication skills, strengthening relationships and building rapport.

“It was one of the most valuable programs I’ve been part of,” said Ian Lehn, founder of BOOSTane and immediate past chair of the Emerging Trends & Technology Network. “It was two-pronged. It not only created camaraderie, which SEMA does well, but we also all walked away with some valuable tools. The course didn’t necessarily give me new tools, but it sharpened the tools I already have and showed me how to use them in different ways. That’s where the real value lies.”

“The program was very successful,” added FLN Chair Nick Caloroso. “We hope that it really catches on and can take place in other locations. We want people to see it as a value add and for SEMA-member businesses that value their employees to invest in their future by sending them to this program. It’s about planting the seeds to help our member achieve greater success.”

Council & Network Leadership–Council Highlights

FLN’s Professional Development Program recently involved a partnership with world-renowned Dale Carnegie, the first of which was recently held at a two-day interactive program on March 24–25 at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, California.

Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA)

HRIA Hails NHTSA Ruling, Champions Education Days

The announcement that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had finalized a regulation enabling replicar businesses to produce and market turnkey vehicles was met with enthusiasm by the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA).

“It’s definitely a legislative win,” said Marcy Yanus, SEMA council director on many legislative issues important to our industry is big. It reaffirms that these efforts in Washington are meaningful and pay off to the benefit of our industry and enthusiasts.”

The ruling was long overdue. The SEMA-led legislation, known as the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act, passed into law in 2015 as part of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. Under the law, small-volume automakers can market replicars that resemble vehicles produced at least 25 years ago. Annual production is limited to 325 replicars per manufacturer.

“SEMA applauds NHTSA’s final rule allowing companies to market classic-themed cars,” said SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs Daniel Ingber. “This is a hard-fought victory for enthusiasts, small-volume manufacturers and all who will be hired to fill new jobs.”

Engaging Members, Sharing Knowledge

HRIA kicked off an ambitious event schedule with a virtual membership meeting and a panel discussion moderated by Cool Hand Custom’s Amy Fitzgerald. The discussion, called “Preparing for the 2022 Car Show Season,” featured panelists Ben Tucker of Camaro Central; Kelle Oeste of V8 Speed & Resto Shop; and Jon Phillips of Advanced Clutch Technology.

A second virtual event moderated by Fitzgerald addressed the topic of “What’s a Hot Rod? The Answer May Surprise You.” Panelists included Jesse Henke of JH Restorations; Pete Filippo of Filippo Speed Shop; and Tim Strange of Strange Motion Rod & Custom. Another online session, “Hot Rod Trends: Looking Back & Looking Ahead,” is slated for September.

In June, HRIA will host an in-person membership meeting and mixer at Back to the Fifties in Minneapolis. Next stop: Louisville in August for HRIA’s flagship Education Days program at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals.

Launched in 2016, the program this year is a two-day event that is open to the public and includes 10 seminars. Five sessions will be presented daily. Topics run the gamut from wiring and gauges to brake and suspension systems to air conditioning, engines and power steering.

“Because thousands of enthusiasts attend the Nationals, it’s a great opportunity for members to share their expertise and build a rapport with end users,” Agosta said. “The sessions are so popular that we draw upward of 900 attendees. We’re extremely excited to present this year’s Education Days program. We’re expecting another record-breaking year.”

Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC)

MPMC Addresses Opportunities and Challenges

From the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference (MTC) to the RPM Act and the recent introduction of the SEMA Emissions Certification program, MPMC is focused on matters pertaining to its segment of the industry.

For the second consecutive year, the MTC was virtual rather than in-person. While the conference draws strong support from traditional print, video, TV and radio media, the online format has allowed for increased participation by lifestyle and social-media influencers.

In the lead-up to this year’s event, MPMC organized a webinar aimed at educating it members on the ins and outs of working with new media. The live session was presented by Driveshop.

“This may be new territory for our members,” said John Lambert, Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) chair-elect. “We wanted to give them an understanding of how influencers increase awareness, how to interface and set up relationships with influencers and the questions they should ask. It was very well received, a lot of interaction, and we’re excited to build on this going forward.”

Revving Up the RPM Act

To ensure that the performance industry can continue providing products used to modify street-certified vehicles into those used solely for racing, SEMA has been working with lawmakers to pass the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. The act has strong congressional support but has yet to become law.

“The U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has swung the pendulum too far,” Lambert said. “The overreach is so vast that it will have a negative impact on our industry. Last year, the SEMA PAC did a good job of setting up call times for SEMA members to talk to their Senate or House representatives. I had conversations with legislators and explained how the RPM Act will affect our industry and trickle down on local economies. It was eye-opening for them.”

MPMC members can help propel the RPM Act to the finish line. Ideas include posting info on social media, passing out flyers at motorsports events, or sending letters to lawmakers via www.saveourracecars.com.

“We are a passion-driven industry, and the EPA is trying to stop the expression of our passion for motorsports,” Lambert said. “We all need to support SEMA’s efforts to save our race cars.”

Certifying Emissions Compliance

SEMA recently introduced a new program that enables aftermarket parts manufacturers to meet the legal requirements for emissions compliance under the EPA Tampering Policy. SEMA Certified-Emissions (SC-E) gives manufacturers the ability to verify that a product meets the EPA’s “reasonable basis” criteria and is therefore legal in 49 states.

“The great thing about SEMA’s emissions-compliance program is that it makes it easy to achieve compliance,” Lambert said. “I have a lot of experience doing that for Hypertech and with the California Air Resources Board and SEMA, and it can be very challenging for a company that may not know where to start.

“SEMA stepping in with its own certification will take member companies through the process faster. If the EPA comes knocking, members will have everything they need to ensure that their products are in compliance. It’s a big deal and a great opportunity for SEMA members.”

Professional Restylers Organization (PRO)

PRO Rolls Out SEMA PRO Auto Show Tour

Heads up, members of the Professional Restylers Organization (PRO)! The SEMA PRO Auto Show Tour may be coming to a city near you.

Across America, in cities large and small, auto-show organizers have long sought to elevate the in-person experience and ramp up excitement at their events. After all, more than 11 million consumers flock to new-car shows annually, with two out of three attendees planning to purchase a new vehicle within a year.

So what better way to spark consumer enthusiasm than with a firsthand look at a show-stopping array of customized rides. Now, thanks to a proposal crafted by the PRO Select Committee and approved by the SEMA Board of Directors, the council’s innovative car-show initiative will play a key role in building consumer awareness of the benefits of vehicle accessorization.

Aligning Objectives

PRO leadership kicked off the groundwork last year with a presentation to 62 auto-show executives at the Auto Shows of North America (ASNA) Summit. The presentation focused on the benefits of restylers displaying customized vehicles in their respective markets and how these exhibits inspire consumer engagement. ASNA members responded favorably, agreeing to provide complimentary exhibit space along with exhibit-related services.

“PRO Chair Josh Poulson, Chair-Elect Colby McLaughlin and Immediate Past Chair Dino Perfetti did great work when they met with ASNA,” noted Ron Leslie, who chairs the council’s Auto Show Subcommittee. “The auto-show people said this would be an awesome way to promote their shows and bring in more excitement.”

Moving forward, PRO’s objectives aligned neatly with several SEMA Board priorities. At each event, for instance, industry-related consumer issues will be promoted, including awareness of legislative issues such as the RPM Act, youth engagement and career opportunities. The exhibit will also help to promote the automotive lifestyle, raise PRO’s profile and build brand awareness of SEMA and the SEMA Show.

“It’s a perfect marriage of the SEMA Board wanting to reach the consumer market and what we could do as PRO members,” Leslie said.

Hitting the Road

The SEMA PRO Auto Show Tour will kick off at the Denver Auto Show in September. Other likely destinations include Seattle, Charlotte, St. Louis, Austin or Tulsa, Dallas and Columbus, Ohio.

The exhibit will feature a specially designed, high-profile SEMA booth. The display will occupy at least 3,000 sq. ft., providing ample space to showcase vehicle builds and promote awareness of the restyling segment.

As PRO finalizes the show schedule, member restylers in target markets will be invited to feature vehicle builds to help educate consumers about the restyling market and how new vehicles can be transformed.

“We’ve had great success with the PRO Cup Challenge, so we’ve merged the ASNA opportunity with the idea of taking the Challenge concept to regional shows,” Leslie said. “We plan to work with restylers in each market to execute the display, to rebuild some of the award-winning Challenge vehicles and build some vehicles that are market-appropriate. It’s a great way to reach consumers nationally, to reach dealers in a more professional way and build real value for our members. SEMA made a huge investment to bring this about, and we are thrilled to bring the excitement of the SEMA Show and PRO to these shows.”

The SEMA PRO Auto Show Tour will kick off at the Denver Auto Show. Shown here is a sampling of the Automotive Concepts exhibit at last year’s show in Minneapolis, which was featured in PRO’s presentation to ASNA.

The auto-show people said this would be an awesome way to promote their shows and bring in more excitement.

—Ron Leslie

SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN)

SBN Forum Presents Pathways of Opportunity

Women bring a lot of pluses to a workplace environment—empathy for co-workers, a team-oriented mindset, and a variety of communication styles, to name a few—that can be beneficial in any industry, especially one that is traditionally male-dominated. To help women employed in the automotive specialty-equipment industry advance their careers, sharpen leadership skills and amplify their voices within their companies and the industry, the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network hosted its inaugural SBN Women’s Leadership Forum in March at the Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa, California.

Participants of the Women’s Leadership Forum in March at the Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa, California, joined together for education and networking.

The three-day, in-person event focused on providing industry women with opportunities to improve skill sets through education, mentorship, group discussions and networking. To this end, SBN’s Leadership Forum Task Force assembled an impressive roster of immersive and interactive sessions presented by sought-after independent and Dale Carnegie-affiliated speakers, all of whom were women.

The first day kicked off with a keynote titled “Creating Your Community and Finding Inspiration.” An interactive session, “Overcoming, Surviving and Thriving,” was followed by two breakout tracks presented by Dale Carnegie—one centered on personal development, the other on leadership. Other topics covered during the event included “Creating a Culture of Fun,” “The Art of Executive Presence: A Woman’s Guide to Amplifying Your Career,” and concluded with a keynote session, “Pulling it all Together in a Bow.”

“The whole event was inspiring and uplifting,” said SBN Chair Cathy Clark. “We wanted to create an intimate event where women would not only learn and be exposed to new ideas but also feel safe and comfortable to help build a sense of sisterhood. The intimate atmosphere at the hotel created a perfect environment for that through networking.

“Our mission is to help women in our industry develop relationships, develop their skills, advance their careers and to stay in the industry. We want them to build their careers working for SEMA-member companies and to remain part of the SEMA community. I look forward to doing whatever it takes to make that happen, because it was a really great event.”

SEMA Council Director Nicole Bradle, staff liaison to SBN, echoed Clark’s
comments.

“It was mind-blowing and very moving to be with women from different levels in the industry, to see their ability to break down their thoughts, look at what they’re doing and try to improve their skills and abilities,” Bradle said. “SEMA is still a male-dominated industry. For these women to find other women they could talk to, work with, learn from and build each other up will help get more women into the field and help the industry
overall.”

Participants of the Women’s Leadership Forum in March at the Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa, California, joined together for education and networking.

“We wanted to create an intimate event where women would not only learn and be exposed to new ideas but also feel safe and comfortable to help build a sense of sisterhood.”

—Cathy Clark, SBN Chair

Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA)

TORA Mingles With Members, Promotes Feature Vehicle Participation

The Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA) recently co-hosted successful cross-council/network mixers. At the Keystone Big Show, TORA teamed with the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN), the Professional Restylers Organization and the Wheel & Tire Council. During the Easter Jeep Safari, TORA hosted a day of off-roading with a “Behind the Rocks Tip-Toe Trail” run, followed by a mixer in conjunction with SBN.

“We always get a good turnout,” said Chair Troy Wirtz. “It’s a great opportunity to bring our community together.”

Builder Growth Opportunities

Imagine the thrill of seeing your accessorized truck or off-road vehicle at the 2022 SEMA Show. If your company is a TORA member, the council is seeking builder participants for its Feature Vehicle Program.

The program has long been a council mainstay. The exhibit features six vehicles—five positioned outside the West Hall and one in the TORA booth. Eligibility centers on specific categories, including diesel, off-road, Jeep, lowered, lifted, overland or UTV. Candidates must apply and pay a feature vehicle fee of $1,500, of which $500 is donated to SEMA Cares.

According to Wirtz, TORA aims to raise awareness of the program and highlight the value of participation while securing a mix of vehicles emblematic of the truck and off-road segment.

“We need to bring more attention to the program, and we encourage more people to submit applications,” he said. “It’s more than just four days at the SEMA Show. For builders, the recognition, having their vehicles displayed and the networking creates enormous opportunities.”

Seth Ravndal concurred. His company, Blacklake Research and Development, displayed a Silverado 1500 in the lifted/off-road category last year.

“Being chosen as a feature vehicle was a great compliment and endorsement of our company and its capabilities, and it was a great opportunity to showcase this segment of the market,” he said. “The increased exposure helped us engage and build relationships with many peer companies, potential suppliers and customers. If it fits your company’s marketing strategy, it’s a no-brainer.”

“It’s a thrill and an honor to have a vehicle at the SEMA Show,” added Seth Gortenburg, co-owner of Defco, which built two lifted Ford trucks (an F-250 and an F-450) made for street and towing. “Besides the invaluable exposure, we received many leads from potential customers. We met current and potential vendors and established new
relationships.

“The aftermarket is all about networking. When you have a feature vehicle at the SEMA Show, you have the opportunity to showcase your talents. It’s not just bragging rights. It’s a truly unique opportunity to grow your business.”

Wheel & Tire Council (WTC)

WTC Webinars Deliver Value

Since the start of the pandemic, online learning has taken on a more important role. As many organizations adapt to an evolving workforce environment, virtual education is an effective way to deliver information and knowledge to a wide audience and keep colleagues connected, no matter where they may be.

This is true for the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC), which has made virtual education a top priority and last year experienced success with its webinar tracks for tire and wheel professionals. Beginning in February of this year, WTC launched a new webinar series. The sessions are live and run monthly through September.

The new series, “Wheel and Tire Insights, Powered by WTC,” is targeted specifically to wheel and tire manufacturers, equipment suppliers, dealers, retailers and service providers. Each session targets a specific topic and is presented by industry experts sharing insights into issues relevant to the wheel and tire segment.

The first webinar, for instance, centered around the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act and the impact on the wheel and tire segment if street-certified vehicles cannot be modified for racing. Presenters included Tire Rack’s John Rastetter; Garry Ruede of Discount Tire; Eric Snyder, SEMA director of congressional affairs; and Ryan Fuller of Standards Testing Lab. During the webinar, they shared their knowledge of the issue and how the Environmental Protection Agency ruling would jeopardize future sales of race wheels and tires.

The March webinar, “PAC Membership From a WTC Membership Perspective,” was presented by SEMA Director of Government Affairs Christian Robinson and John Hotchkis of Hotchkis Performance, chair of the SEMA Political Action Committee (PAC). During the session, they explained how the SEMA PAC helps to ensure that elected officials support the aftermarket industry. They also talked about the importance of the new SEMA Individual Membership and how WTC members can work with elected officials.

Future webinars will tackle other topics. Among them: “Building Your Business Through Profit Sharing,” “Future of Wheels and Tires in Five, 10, 20 Years,” and “Staffing, Training, Retainment of Tire Shop Employees.”

From WTC’s perspective, the sessions are a valuable member benefit.

“We want to help our members become stronger in their end of the business in our industry,” said Chair Todd Steen. “We’re not here to tell them how to modify autonomous vehicles. We want our members to understand what’s coming down the pike and to see the challenges and opportunities and be their education resource. I can think of no better way to bring value to our members than by helping them with their businesses through education.”

Easter Jeep Safari cross-council networking event with the Truck & Off-Road Alliance and SEMA Businesswomen’s Network.

  

 SEMA News—October 2022 

EDUCATION

2022 SEMA Memorial Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Award Winners Announced

By Chris Standifer

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded $297,000 to 119 individuals this year. The financial awards include scholarships for current students and loan-forgiveness awards to employees of SEMA-member companies.

There is nothing more important than investing in the future of students when we look to invest in the future of the automotive aftermarket. At SEMA, our goal is to empower these students to move forward into the industry with the most current knowledge, skills and passion as possible. Winning a SEMA Scholarship and having the ability to come to the Show as part of the SEMA Student Program and meet with fellow students and industry professionals can change the career trajectory of these students and create a step for success as they begin those careers.

More than $3 million has been awarded to more than 1,600 deserving students since the program’s establishment in 1984. The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund and SEMA Loan Forgiveness Program are dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators by helping them get off to a successful start in their education and automotive aftermarket careers.

Online applications for next year’s awards will be accepted January of 2023, through March 1, 2023, at www.sema.org/scholarships.

For any questions or additional information, contact Project Manager of Recognitions Programs Chris Standifer at 909-978-6692 or chriss@sema.org

The complete listing of SEMA Loan Forgiveness and Scholarship recipients follow below.

 

SEMA Scholarship Award Winners
Recipient (Employer, Institution Name, Major)

 

• Aaron Bodenham (Iowa State University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Adam Valentine (Ohio State University-Main Campus, Mechanical Engineering)
• Allyssa Bryant (The University of Alabama, Engineering)
• Anthony Carrao (College of Southern Nevada, Autobody Collision)
• Benjamin Tai (Clark College, Automotive)
• Boni Yraguen (Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus, Mechanical Engineering)
• Brad Nelson (Brigham Young University-Provo, Mechanical Engineering)
• Brandan Marhefka (Pennsylvania College of Technology, Welding)
• Brayden Grimm (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
• Brendan Stejskal (Pittsburg State University, Automotive Technology)
• Brian Gonzalez (The University of Texas at El Paso, Electrical Engineering)
• Brock Dunkelberger (Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg, Mechanical Engineering)
• Caleb Rogers (Washtenaw Community College, Engineering)
• Cameron Cocalis (University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus, Business)
• Carter Cygan (Kansas State University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Chandler Pagnotta (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Chloe Holman (University of Northwestern Ohio, Motorsports Marketing)
• Christopher Mark (Rio Hondo College, Automotive Technology)
• Christopher Schell (Iowa State University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Colby Price (University of Northwestern Ohio, Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician)
• Daniel Szurek (The University of Alabama, Computer & Information Sciences)  
• Darril Baty (McPherson College, Automotive Technology)
• David Dixon (Wesleyan University, Economics)
• David Ramos (Arizona State University Campus Immersion, Mechanical Engineering)
• Davis Dorries (Dallas College, Automotive Technology)
• Elizabeth Rohrer (University of Notre Dame, Mechanical Engineering)
• Emily Mitchell (Idaho State University, Autobody Collision)
• Emma Ricketts (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
• Erika Burton (WyoTech, Automotive Aftermarket)
• Ethan Francis (Harding University, Engineering)
• Ethan Hubbard (Utah Valley University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Grayson Kief (University of Wisconsin-Stout, Industrial Design)
• Hunter Ormond (McPherson College, Automation Technology)
• Jack Reusch (University of Northwestern Ohio, Marketing)
• Jacob Beshara (Bethel University, Marketing)
• Jacob Lesa (Brigham Young University-Provo, Mechanical Engineering)
• Jacob Matties (California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, Mechanical Engineering)
• Jaden King (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Industrial Engineering & Design)
• Jaedyn Imhoff (California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, Mechanical Engineering)
• Jamie Sullivan (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Aftermarket)
• Jennifer Stamboulian (Villanova University, Business)
• John Clark (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology Supervision)
• John Motter (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
• Jonathon Damzyn (Michigan State University, Electrical Engineering)
• Josiah Hildebrandt (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering)
• Julian Mathews (Texas Christian University, Business)
• Kaden Elisaldez (University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Marketing)
• Kaitlyn Zubia (The University of Texas at El Paso, Mechanical Engineering)
• Keeley Whitmer (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
• Kenton Kyger (Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Kinzie Wilson (Belmont Abbey College, Motorsport Management)
• Kyle Groe (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
• Kyle Janssen (Ferris State University, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
• Kylie Tulley (California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, Mechanical Engineering)
• Lars Luther (Cuesta College, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
• Liam Dunsmore (California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, Mechanical Engineering)
• Liam Goldthwait (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technology)
• Liam Richardson (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
• Luke Vilagi (The University of Alabama, Mechanical Engineering)
• Madyan Khidir (M State, Moorhead Campus, Automotive)
• Manuel Aldana (San Diego State University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Marcus Walker (Florida Atlantic University, Marketing)
• Matthew Bleier (NASCAR Technical Institute, Automation Technology)
• Matthew McDonnell (Lincoln Technical Institute-Mahwah, Automation Technology)
• Matthew Traum (Missouri University of Science and Technology, Mechanical Engineering)
• Matthew Trees (Texas A & M University-College Station, Mechanical Engineering)
• Maximilian Redfearn (University of St Thomas, Mechanical Engineering)
• Mehrod Khalili (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
• Michael Langdon (Michigan Technological University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Michael Shinedling (Brigham Young University-Provo, Mechanical Engineering)
• Michael Ustes (University of Michigan-Dearborn, Materials, Engineering)
• Molly Poer (Cypress College, Automotive Technology)
• Nathan Ragsdale (Montana State University, Mechanical Engineering Technology)
• Nathanael Pierce (Hibbing Community College, Automotive Technician)
• Nathaniel Martens (University of Washington-Seattle Campus, Mechanical Engineering)
• Niko Rosell (Cochise County Community College District, Automotive Technician)
• Noah Dunsmore (California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, Mechanical Engineering)
• Owen Yim (University of Southern California, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
• Payton Lee (Kansas State University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Philip Moore (School of Automotive Machinists & Technology, Engine & Machine Assembler)
• Preston Duller (University of Detroit Mercy, Cyber Security)
• Rachel Garrett (University of Northwestern Ohio, Robotics and Automation Technology)
• Robert Sandusky (Washtenaw Community College, Autobody Collision)
• Robert Schonberner (McPherson College, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
• Ryan Duffy (Ohio State University-Main Campus, Mechanical Engineering)
• Ryder Lestrud (North Iowa Area Community College, Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician)
• Samuel Kohls (The University of Alabama, Mechanical Engineering)
• Santino Loretta (West Virginia University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Sebastian Milka (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
• Sebastian Pereira (Harvard University, Computer Mathematics)
• Shay Saarie (Dakota Wesleyan University, Business Management)
• Shelly Pineda Franco (Triton College, Automotive Technology)
• Sloane Miller (North Carolina A&T State University, Computer & Information Sciences)
• Songa Rugangazi (Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Business Administration/General Office Worker)
• Sophie Owen (Clemson University, Packaging Science)
• Tess Roberts (Concordia University-Saint Paul, Computer & Information Sciences)
• Tyler Udy (Utah Valley University, Automotive Engineering & Technology)
• Vance Weber (Kansas State University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Victoria Bruno (McPherson College, Automotive Technology)
• Wyatt Smith (Brigham Young University-Idaho, Automotive)
• Xavier Ruano (University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Aftermarket)
• Zachary Dosey (Wayne State University, Electrical Engineering Technician)
• Zachary Mosier (Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, Mechanical Engineering)

SEMA Loan Forgiveness Award Winners
Recipient (Employer, Institution Name, Major)

• Brian Fair (MAHLE Motorsports, Tennessee Technological University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Cameron Bigelow (Roush, University of Northwestern Ohio, Automotive Technician)
• Collin Mikottis (Atturo Tire Corp., Northwood University, Automotive Aftermarket)
• Dante Brown (Trade Union International, University of La Verne, Information Technology)
• Elizabeth Niemi (MagnaFlow, Northwood University, Automotive Aftermarket)
• Emily Glass (K&N Engineering Inc., Riverside City College, Humanities)
• Gahre Scudder (Keystone Automotive Operations Inc., Western Governors University, Business Administration/General Office Worker)
• Hubert Celinski (4 Wheel Parts, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Automotive Technology)
• James Stray (Hennessey Performance Engineering, School of Automotive Machinists & Technology, Automotive Technology)
• Janelle McDermott (Decal Applicators, Northwest University, Communications)
• Kirstin Backes (Derive Systems, University of Redlands, Business Administration/General Office Worker)
• Mark Mollica (Thyssenkrupp Bilstein of America, University of San Diego, Mechanical Engineering)
• Shauni Greene (Kontio's Automotive Service and Sales, Eastern Maine Community College, Automotive Technology)
• Sophia Dancel (Ford Motor Co., Kettering University, Mechanical Engineering)
• Timothy King (Baer Inc., California State University-San Bernardino, Marketing)
• Troy Lemuel Magpantay (General Motors, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Mechanical Engineering)

SEMA News—October 2022

BUSINESS

Your Message Here

Podcasts Sit at the Intersection of Technology and a Familiar Format. Can They Help Get Your Message Out?

By Chris Shelton

An interview format where hosts pitch ads feels a touch anachronistic in this digital-everything age. Podcasts seem more like the kind of medium our grandparents’ generation would’ve invented, had the internet spontaneously appeared in their youth. You just know Milton Berle would’ve slayed.

But it’s a format suited uncannily well to a world stretched thin by obligation and distraction. Largely audio, podcasts are a multitasker’s dream come true; they’re something you can do while you’re doing, well…other things. You can cook dinner, mow the lawn, work out, drive or do any number of things that don’t consume full mental bandwidth—all while listening to a podcast.

That helps explain the medium’s staggering growth. According to Podcast Index, 4,058,591 podcasts titles exist as of July 2022, a figure that increased by 579,519 since November 2021. For context, only 547,969 podcast titles existed in November 2016. And content creators enjoy a booming listener base. Data aggregator Statista estimates that more than 100 million Americans will consume podcasts by 2024, a figure up by 15 million since 2020.

But are podcasts the next big way to get your message out? Are they something you should consider as part of your business’ marketing strategy? We pitched the question to a few colleagues operating in the podcast space.

“Four or five months ago I would have said I had no idea,” says Josh Henning, director of operations and business development at chassis manufacturer Roadster Shop and cohost of the company’s “Oil & Whiskey” podcast. “But after hearing the stories that I’ve heard from shops that we talked about or had on as guests, of how it’s moved their needle, it’s a different story. Which is humbling because I would’ve never even thought that could come from something like this.”

Matt Avery, executive producer and cohost of Mecum Auction’s “On the Move,” relates. “Podcasts are a valuable tool in getting the word out for a variety of reasons,” he says. “It’s a very solid and established platform to communicate to your audience about whatever message you’re trying to get out, whether that be the release of a new product or a service or appearance at a show.”

As they and others explain, podcasting offers businesses the ability to build
awareness and stronger relationships with clients. What follows is a loose list of things that make the podcast stand out in a sea of media options.

According to data analyst Statista, roughly 162 million Americans 12 and older (more than half of the total population) consumed podcasts by 2021. Of those, 116 million consumed one in the month prior to the survey. And it’s not a kids’ medium, either; according to estimates from Edison Research’s long-term Infinite Dial survey, 21% of people 55 and older consume podcasts monthly. Even major media organizations are embracing podcasting to deliver long-form content.

Connecting With Listeners in Your Market

Perhaps you’ve heard the axiom, People do business with people they know, like, and trust. We usually exercise it by asking a friend for contacts in a business. “[Listeners] have a perceived relationship with hosts and guests,” says car builder and “Car Guy Confessionals” co-host Steve Strope. It’s a matter of “I like the way this guy thinks,
I like his persona. I think I would like to do business with him,” he observes.

Podcasts also offer a somewhat special connection with their audiences. As they do in any other format, podcast hosts tend to specialize in a subject or at least a limited range of similarly themed subjects. The hosts of “Oil & Whiskey,” for example, tend to focus on things related to Roadster Shop’s core business: bespoke chassis for older modified American cars and trucks. So, they represent a direct channel of communication to a very specific demographic of engaged consumers. Followers of “Oil & Whiskey,” for example, are probably more inclined to spend their money on a product or service geared towards older modified American cars and trucks. That’s the obvious part.

…And Finding New Ones in Others

But that focus has soft edges. The “Oil & Whiskey” hosts also talk a lot about, well…whiskey. And knives. And firearms. And whatever else overlaps the Venn diagram of those topics. “So, we’re getting followers from those niche audiences [who] are learning about cars,” Henning says. “And now they’re like, ‘oh crap! I want, like, a four-wheel-drive truck!’ We have guys that are into car stuff. They’re like, ‘man, these knives are cool. I’m buying one!’” He says they’re getting feedback from brands discussed on their show. “‘Hey, these guys just called up and ordered these guns or these knives or this whiskey, you know, and they’re getting into it from your podcast.’”

More than wide, podcasting also tends to run deeper than many other media formats. “It lets you communicate at a different level than those other channels, for example, video or written,” Avery notes. “If you’re dealing with a print piece or a news article, often you’re dealing with a word count. Typically, with a podcast, you can expand on ideas or chat about different things in great detail.”

“It gives us a way to talk about what you have going on right now,” Henning adds. “With social media, everything’s live. It’s like breaking news. But with podcasts you can go a little bit deeper and explain something, and sometimes explaining something in an entertaining way [is] different than, you know, ‘here’s a cool picture of it. Call us.’”

Podcast listeners enjoy a staggering number of podcast titles: 4.1 million as of 2022 according to Resound.fm. That’s up a full million from 2021 and up more than 300% since the start of the pandemic. And the range is diversifying—a great number of the titles in the automotive niche appeared during the past two years.

Developing Communication Skills

While the audio format has incredible power in the communication world, its narrower bandwidth and reduced production costs (compared to, say, video) give it a more informal feel. That informality offers latitude to develop communication skills. “If you’re developing your sales or editorial team, it can be beneficial to get them out of their comfort zone, i.e., hiding behind a press release,” Avery says. “When you’re having to respond to questions in real time, it sharpens your team to address things that maybe wouldn’t have come up in a closed-door brainstorming session.

“It’s also good for all of us to learn to be succinct and to communicate our ideas. It forces you to go over the main points about the message you’re trying to communicate. That’s why podcasts should be one of the major avenues that teams look at when it comes to getting the word out about something new.”

Podcasts offer an opportunity to spotlight commonly overlooked team members. “I’ve encountered that many times over the years,” Avery says. “It allows you to connect with people that necessarily aren’t on the front lines but are key to subject-matter experts and can truly provide valuable insight. I’m thinking of conversations we’ve had with OEMs, where we’ve been able to connect with engineers, developers and more that can provide another in-depth viewpoint to that first line of marketing personnel. These are great individuals to connect with, as in the case of an auto manufacturer, these are the actual people directly connected to the vehicles that we’re test driving.”

“It gives you as a team member or a leader in your organization the opportunity to bring to light the people who have their sleeves rolled up that are working on the parts that you’re selling, or the technology you’re developing or whatever. While not necessarily the driving force for a decision to push into the podcast arena, it can be a peripheral benefit.”

Appearing in podcasts, especially with key players on your organization’s team, also fosters a sense of expertise. “That, to me, has value,” Strope says. “If you’re on somebody’s website or podcast or interview, that’s strengthening your brand; it’s showing that you have value because they’re asking you to be a guest.”

The market responded to creators’ demands for high-quality microphones with a diverse array of affordable options. Logitech offers a range in its Blue series, including the Yeti X condenser microphone. It features four modes: cardioid for single-person presentations, omni for conference calls, bidirectional for one-on-one interviews, and stereo for detailed recordings. USB microphones like these pair just as well with smartphones and tablets as they do with computers. And they retail for not much more than $100.

Targeting Your Audience

The threshold to entry may be lower and its bandwidth may be narrower, but podcasting still requires a strong level of homework, even for guests. “As with any successful marketing campaign, a lot of it comes down to the preparation,” Avery says. And it begins by targeting your audience by choosing the right host.

“When a skilled team is looking out over the launch and deployment of any kind of news content, target the podcast[s] that you want to be on. Look over who’s out there. A simple online search will provide options, or connecting with someone on the SEMA team can be a great step. Anyone who is part of and active with SEMA probably already has resources available in terms of showing who the personalities are in that space.”

From there, he says it’s no different than appealing to other forms of media. Often a press release is enough to open a door.

“Craft a targeted appeal to the host or the producer. And just as when you’re sending out a press release, be prepared to provide additional assets,” Avery maintains. “That can be a big draw. A lot of the successful podcasts are not restricted to audio formats alone. A lot of them have a video presence—a show page, for example.

“Because a lot of these shows are hosted on what we would think of as traditional blog posts, they can embed additional media assets. So don’t overlook that. That can really help to put your show above and beyond, and further connect you with your audience.

“The nice thing about podcasts is that they tend to be on the smaller scale of production, as opposed to some of the growing TV or YouTube channels where you have multiple levels of production teams and even various producers. It can be difficult to approach and pitch to these on-air personalities. However, connecting with a podcast show or on-air host can be more attainable.”

For an idea of how the process sometimes looks from the other side, Josh Henning explained how he and his co-hosts Phil and Jeremy Gerber choose guests. “If it’s somebody that we want to talk to and we think it’s going to be an interesting conversation, I don’t care what industry they are from, what product they have, or where they’re coming from,” he says. “If they’ve got 50 followers or 5 million followers, it doesn’t matter. If we think it’s going be an interesting and fun conversation that we would enjoy, we’ll do it.”

“Just do your homework,” Avery instructs. “Then be clear about what you’re trying to communicate about your desire to come on their show. Discuss what would be relevant to their listeners.”

Then develop a rapport in terms of what the host or hosts want to cover. “Present how a potential segment spotlighting your brand or news fits into the overall show,” Avery said. “If it’s a new technology or service or product, that’s clear. But on the other hand, it’s always nice to present or pitch other potential topics of conversation to the host. That can help them with show development, and you never know how that might open the door to more. Maybe you start with your bit of news but by offering some other topics that are relevant, you fit into a larger theme.”

Honing Your Message

Avery has a few pointers to prepare for the podcast recording. “I typically put together a couple of talking points just to get into that habit of looking at what I want to cover when I’m on-air.” He says he usually covers only about a third of what he intends, but the headroom is priceless. “That way, if you do have more time, you’re always thankful that you’ve got something more to discuss. It also shows respect to your listeners by providing meaningful content as opposed to rambling. Be prepared and be professional.”

At the same time, expect curveballs. “I’ve been on many podcasts where the hosts or producers say in advance, ‘…we want to talk about this, this and this.’ And leading up to the show recording I’ve been preparing for those exact talking points,” Avery says. “Then, suddenly, on air the host wants to take a curve, take a sharp turn and asks something off the wall. That’s not always the case but that goes back to being prepared and learning to deal with the unexpected.”

Stripping away the visual side of the presentation may simplify the process. But it also intensifies the perception of what remains, specifically the audio part. “I’ve held many interviews with high-level team members at well-known companies and organizations and it sounds tinny because of the lack of decent equipment,” he says.

“If you’re looking to move into podcasting—even just to be featured on one—take steps for your production to be successful. You don’t need a full-blown studio but get a good-quality microphone, even a USB microphone and find a quiet place in the office to record. It really doesn’t take that much from a dollar standpoint to come across clear and have a nice warm tone. In addition to the actual message of what you’re communicating, that’ll help make the conversation more engaging and enjoyable to listeners.”

The Big Payback

The give-and-take model of podcasting has one last appeal and a kind of obligation. “Podcasts give guests material that they can use and showcase on their own marketing channels,” Avery says. More than make the most of your company’s message, promoting the podcast you appear on benefits your host, making the experience fully reciprocal. Remember, podcasters are businesses too.

Podcasting imposes a relatively low bar, at least production-wise. For example, Matt Avery and John Kraman host Mecum’s “On the Move” podcast from pretty much anywhere they can plug in. The pandemic also inspired entirely remote formats, where guests and hosts connect online. It’s not uncommon to participate in podcasts hosted in entirely different states if not countries, but you’d never know it judging by the finished product. Photo courtesy: Andrew MacKey

Just Do It

Emerging technology makes a darling of every new medium that it inspires, and at the pace that technology develops it seems almost impossible to keep up. But podcasts, with their low barriers and increasingly larger audiences, have great potential. When asked if businesses should make podcast appearances a part of their marketing strategy, every expert we talked to responded positively.

“It’s the adage about marketing: 10% of it works—you just don’t know which 10% is working,” Josh Henning says. “It’s the same thing with going to the shows, doing SEMA, doing print ads and doing our social media. With everything that’s going on—YouTube, social media and our podcast stuff—it’d be great to be able to know which one that’s giving us ROI. But it’s all brand building out there.”

“I would say there’s built-in potential [and] inherent value,” Steve Strope adds. “The potential’s there, one set of eyes or ears could make a great difference and you will never reach them if you don’t at least go out there and give it a try. You know, what’s it gonna hurt?” he asks. “What could possibly go wrong?”

 SEMA News—October 2022

SEMA IN THE MEDIA

Required Reading

An Empowering Decade

By Juan Torres

The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) embarked on an all-female Ford Bronco build this year to highlight successful women in the automotive industry while also attracting and supporting more females to pursue careers in the field.

The project came 10 years after the SBN led an award-winning all-female Ford Mustang build to raise awareness of women working in the automotive industry. “We know that automobiles are exciting and that there are countless job opportunities for women in the industry,” said Sara Morosan, SBN Chair Elect. “The 2022 SBN All-Female Vehicle Build will again shine the light on this important initiative and help women see what’s possible.” This year’s build took place at both SEMA Garages in Diamond Bar, Calif., and in Detroit before the completed vehicle traveled to Las Vegas to be displayed at the 2022 SEMA Show. These are some of the publications that have followed the project.

CarBuzz

“We couldn’t be more stoked,” proclaimed Chase Bierenkoven when announcing the special project to CarBuzz readers. The editor was also eager to see if the build team would take either the overlanding route or if they would aim for “all-out performance in an attempt to out-Raptor the new Bronco Raptor.”

---

Automotive Business Review

News of the SBN all-female build reached automotive aftermarket professionals in South Africa thanks to the editors of Automotive Business Review magazine. Readers were also informed that in an effort to give female designers an opportunity to showcase their work, the build team was accepting renderings from female professionals and students.

---

Car Guy Confessions

SBN Chair Elect Sara Morosan joined the “Car Guy Confessions” podcast crew to discuss many topics, including the SBN build. “We’re using this build as a tool to highlight all the job opportunities that are out there,” she said. “We’re working with a lot of women-owned companies.”

HEARD ON SOCIAL MEDIA

“The vehicle will depart for the SEMA Garage in Detroit on August 8, where final accessories will be installed, including enhanced electrical, lighting, exhaust, intake and wrap.”—Aftermarket Intel, via Facebook

“If you’re covering the #SEMA2022 show, don’t miss your chance to interview and see the All-Female Vehicle Build, in progress!”—PC Bennett, via Twitter

“Excited to see these women kick butt. Even more excited to photograph this baby on display at SEMA in November!”—Annette Bauer Creative, via Facebook

“The tricked-out Ford Bronco is set to debut just before the SEMA Show by the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network.”—Motor Age Magazine, via Facebook

SEMA News—October 2022

BUSINESS

ADAS and Accessorization

Designing and Installing Products to Ensure ADAS Compatibility

By Douglas McColloch

Front end exterior modifications such as aftermarket bumpers and valences can degrade the ability of ADAS’s forward-facing sensors to work as intended if the parts are improperly engineered or installed. Even a simple vinyl wrap can impact ADAS’s ability to “see” through it, so sensor location needs to be taken into account before the installation takes place.

In a recent issue of SEMA News, we reviewed a SEMA Education seminar that discussed the challenges and opportunities posed to the specialty-equipment market by the proliferation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on OE vehicles (“ADAS and The Art of Vehicle Customization,” May 2022). In the article, we discussed the proper procedures to follow when lifting or lowering a vehicle. This month, we take a look at a recent follow-up session, “Modding Vehicles With ADAS,” which aimed to provide insight for designers and manufacturers of exterior dress-up and bolt-on components who want to make sure their products are ADAS-compatible.

Hosted by Nick Dominato, senior vice president of product for Repairify, the session reviewed some basic ADAS features and what companies need to keep in mind when designing their products to work with ADAS, what restylers should know when installing them, and to ensure proper recalibration of those systems once installation is complete.

Why ADAS Matters

For those who are still new to ADAS calibration, Dominato offered a helpful reminder. “We’ve been doing things like this for a long time,” he said, comparing ADAS calibration to speedometer recalibration that takes place after a larger-than-stock tire has been installed; headlight adjustments that are made after a change in vehicle ride height; and wheel alignment and steering-angle sensor (SAS) resets following a modification to a vehicle’s suspension.

“We know that when we modify vehicles, it’s going to change the systems on board,” Dominato continued, “and ADAS is just one more of these things, so this concept is not completely new to us.”

Before diving into the details, Dominato stressed the importance of keeping ADAS systems in compliance with OE specifications since these systems have become such an integral part of the modern-day driving experience, not to mention OE marketing and advertising strategies. “You can’t watch a car commercial now that doesn’t highlight some function of ADAS, whether it’s self driving or autonomous emergency braking,” he noted, “so the customer is hyper-aware of these systems, and they’re going to notice it if these systems aren’t working properly.”

Most important of all, ensuring ADAS systems work as intended are key to driver safety “since they govern the vehicle’s ability to accelerate, brake and steer the vehicle without input from the driver—and often, because there is no input from the driver when there should be.”

Working With Body Kits & Accessories

For this seminar, Dominato chose to focus on ADAS’ park sensors and front and rear (blind spot) radar sensors—“areas where we typically add a front fascia, a grille guard or a front or rear bumper,” he explains. This type of modification “typically doesn’t affect the camera, but it does affect the park sensors and the radar sensors that are located behind the bumper.”

Start with park sensors. According to Dominato, they are very susceptible to blockages. “Park sensors are typically not located behind the bumper, so if you don’t put anything directly in front of them, they’ll generally be fine.” (Later-model Toyotas with Intelligent Parking Assist may need recalibration even if the park sensors are not directly blocked.)

The key components for accessorizers, then, are the radar sensors. These are typically located either behind the bumpers, behind the grille or embedded in the taillight housings. As engineered, the sensors do have the ability to “see through” the factory plastic bumpers, but the bumper covers do affect the operation of the radar systems. Specifically, the sensors are designed to work with the OE bumper’s outer fascia.

“When the automakers design bumper covers, they’re put through a fairly rigorous test process where the radar beam and any interference is actually mapped out in a model,” Dominato said, “so the automakers can make sure that when they install a bumper, grille or trim on a vehicle, the radar is going to work properly.”

How Modifications Affect ADAS

In short, placing something in front of the radar will affect the sensor in three ways:

Power Loss: “Automakers generally accept about a 10% reduction in range when they put a bumper cover in front of that radar sensor,” Dominato said, and sensors are designed with that level of imperfection in mind.

Sensitivity Loss: Installing a body panel in front of the radar is going to create “noise” and interference that will reduce the sensitivity of the sensor on the margin. In terms of its ability to detect road objects, “that giant dump truck in front of you that weighs 15,000 lbs. won’t matter,” Dominato said, “We have to think on the margins—that marginal object with a smaller radar cross-section, that’s going to be what’s affected.”

Wave Distortions: This can be affected by the shape of the bumper cover. A concave or other angular-shaped fascia, for instance, can distort the radar wave. “When the radar passes through plastic or metal, it will actually change the wave of the radar sensor if the bumper cover is angled because it changes the shape of the radar wave,” Dominato explained. This can cause radar to “read” an object in front of it as being slightly to the left or right of its actual location. Again, OE manufacturers take these factors into consideration when engineering and testing their ADAS systems, so the challenge to the aftermarket manufacturer or installer is to make modifications in such a way that they do not degrade the performance of what are already imperfect (though very capable) systems.

Another key element to keep in mind: Radar performance can be degraded without launching an error code or engaging a dash light. “Just because adaptive cruise control works because it can ‘see’ that dump truck a hundred meters ahead, it doesn’t mean it’s going to work on the that marginal object.” This could be a pedestrian exiting the curb or a cyclist in a bike lane, both of which possess a much smaller cross-section for the radar system to identify. Radar “typically won’t throw a light,” Dominato said, adding that “Dash lights are basically there to remind the consumer that they need to take their vehicle to a dealership for service. They’re not designed to say ‘The system is working 15%–20% less effectively than it should.’”

The “Magic Area” and How to Work With It

When integrating aftermarket fascias, bumpers and exterior bolt-ons with ADAS systems, an important thing to take into consideration is the so-called “magic area” known as the radar projection area, i.e., the origin point of the radar signal. Manufacturers typically design their ADAS radar systems with an initial projection area of approximately 12x12 in. with the realization that the projection area increases as the radar signal emanates outward from the vehicle.

“So if we’re talking about a bull bar or brush guard that projects a foot or more away from the front bumper,” Dominato cautioned, “we have a wider projection area we need to accommodate.”

How to integrate aftermarket exterior components with the radar projection area? Starting with plastic components such as front fascias or bumpers, the key for aftermarket manufacturers is to design their products as close to identical to OE spec for material composition, thickness and curvature within the radar projection area. “You want to mimic the OEM bumper cover as best you can within that 12x12 projection area,” Dominato recommended.

Metal components such as grille guards and winch bumpers pose a different challenge, and Dominato suggested the following steps:

“The first thing to do is find out where the radar sensor is,” which sounds easy enough until you realize there’s no industry standardization for this, and that sensor location will vary by manufacturer. “Sometimes it will be behind the emblem, or slightly offset from the emblem, and sometimes it’s on the lower portion of the grille, and sometimes, as is the case with the Ford F-150, it’s offset much lower to one side or the other,” Dominato observed.

Next, apply the same “12x12” principle to the winch bumper as you would with a plastic fascia, with the aim of being as precise as possible in your measurements. “The OE manufacturers do not allow any sanding, filling, primer, welding or repair work at all within that radar projection area,” Dominato emphasized. “So if plastic welding and Bondo aren’t allowed within that radar area, imagine what happens when you place a piece of metal in front of it. It’s going to cause a ton of interference.”

Metal objects that protrude a distance from the vehicle, such as a brush guard or winch bumper, present their own set of challenges, and designers and installers need to take the sensors’ operating angles into consideration when R&D’ing exterior bolt-ons so as to minimize sensor interference.

Calibration Resources

Once the part has been manufactured and installed, the ADAS needs to be retested and, if necessary, recalibrated. For most aftermarket companies and many smaller shops, the first key to adopting in-house calibration protocols is to identify how many vehicles you are working with at any given time. “If you’re not working with that many vehicles, from a business perspective it makes more sense to sublet the work,” Dominato advised. “That way, you don’t need to make the investments in time, money and training to learn these new systems.” And even if you intend to work extensively on a broad variety of ADAS-equipped vehicles, Dominato suggests farming out at least some of the work at the beginning in order to take “baby steps before we start running.”

Equipment considerations are also important. For nearly all domestic makes, Dominato explained, camera and radar recalibration can be achieved simply by the use of a professional-grade scan tool. No other tools or equipment are generally needed, and in many cases, a simple plumb bob or bubble level will suffice as supplemental resources. Asian makes require more specialized equipment, though in most cases it is not prohibitively expensive. Nissan, for example, offers its camera calibration equipment for free and its radar equipment for roughly $5,000; Toyota’s special service tools are slightly less expensive.

“But whatever equipment you have,” Dominato concluded, “the most important piece to have is a subscription to OEM service information, whether that’s the actual OE tech info sites or a third-party source such as Alldata or SUN Collision.”