SEMA News—September 2012

EVENTS
By Steve Campbell

Helpful Hints, Tips and Guidelines for First-Time Exhibitors and Old Hands Alike

Show Exhibiting Strategies and Tactics

	Yikes! There’s so much to do, so much to see, so much to set up for exhibitors at the SEMA Show—especially if it’s your first time! Fortunately, SEMA and ConvExx have an abundance of tools to help you get the most out of your investment.

Exhibiting for the first time at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas may seem daunting, but the association and ConvExx, the Show’s organizers, provide a wealth of information about how to prepare, get set up and ensure the best return on investment. From learning the lingo to keeping track of sales leads, there are plenty of resources that will help first-timers—and seasoned veterans—connect with the right buyers for the best partnerships. It all begins with a visit to the official Show website and the Exhibitor Manual.

The Exhibitor Manual is the encyclopedia of SEMA Show advice. It has been developed and refined over the years to answer virtually every imaginable question an exhibitor might have, regardless of whether the 2012 event will be a first foray or the 20th time.

Every exhibitor’s first step should be to read the Exhibitor Manual. Read it all, and refer to it often. It almost certainly contains the information you’re looking for. The best places to start might be with the “Glossary of Terms” and “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).”

From “Advance Orders” to “Waste Removal” the glossary will get first-timers up-to-speed on the who and what of Show jargon. And the FAQ section includes information on questions that the Show organizers have been answering for literally decades, ranging from freight tips to signage rules.

If you still have questions after reading the complete Exhibitor Manual, go to the “Contact Information” link to find telephone and e-mail listings for the folks who know.

Preparations

	The first stop should be the online Exhibitor Services Manual. It contains listings, advice and sources that provide solutions for virtually any problem or question a first-timer or even a 20-year veteran might have.

The online Exhibitor Manual also contains a number of handy checklists that may prove invaluable as you prep for the Show. A “Budget Checklist” helps you determine where to best allocate your funds and can spark ideas about necessary design, service and promotional sources. The “Deadline Checklist” ensures that you’ve picked the best time to take advantage of every opportunity to draw buyers and present your products efficiently and effectively.

Another useful checklist is “Frequently Rented Items,” which is also called the “First-Timer Cheat Sheet.” It includes not only a priced menu of items that many exhibitors choose to include in their booths (such as tables, chairs and lead-retrieval systems), but also freight-handling information. This list details the deadline dates for obtaining the best pricing for each item or service.

Registration and badges for your company’s booth personnel are obviously critical items. You’ll find information about them under the “Badges, Registration & Special Events” heading. A PDF titled “Exhibit Booth Personnel” provides details about how to register for the SEMA Show as well as how many badges are allotted for given booth sizes. (For instance, a 100- to 150-sq.-ft. booth includes four badges; a 900- to 1,150-sq.-ft. booth receives an allotment of 25 badges.) Additional badges above the booth-size allotment are $25 each. The deadline to receive badges in the mail for international exhibitors is September 21, and the deadline for U.S. exhibitors is October 12. After those dates, badges must be picked up in the registration area at the Show.

Hotel reservations and parking arrangements should also be made well in advance of the SEMA Show. With more than 100,000 people in attendance, including exhibitor personnel, buyers and the media, rooms will become difficult to find within Las Vegas proper as the October 30 Show opening approaches. The “Hotels” link under the “Hotels, Parking & Travel” tab provides the lowest rates available, including discounted resort fees and no booking or service fees. The “Parking at the Show” link provides information about car, truck, trailer and rig parking, including low-cost rig and trailer parking in the KOA Las Vegas at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino.

Be sure to also read through the “Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts” under the “Guidelines & Policies” tab. It is a list of the most common issues that can lead to problems at the Show, and it can save you major headaches, which is the last thing you need when you’re trying to promote your products.

Your Booth

A booth space at the SEMA Show is not just a section of floor. In “What Comes With a Booth” under the “About the Show” tab on www.SEMAShow.com/esm, you’ll find that a booth also includes drapes, identification signage, one SEMA Industry Awards Banquet ticket for every 100 sq. ft. of space, company listings in the official SEMA Show Directory as well as the SEMA Show Pocket Guide, access to the Education Days seminars and one free product placement in the Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase or the Featured Product Showcase.

Also be sure to check out the free programs under the “Freight/Material Handling” tab. For instance, if the freight your company is shipping to the SEMA Show weighs less than 1,000 lbs. and arrives in a private vehicle driven by a company employee, the SEMA Show’s services contractor, Freeman, will unload and deliver the freight to your booth from the Convention Center door nearest your booth at no charge. A company employee may also hand carry or use a small, two-wheel dolly to transfer freight without charge, so long as the item(s) can be managed by one person and an additional person can stay with the vehicle while it is being unloaded.

If your company would like to display a vehicle, either within the booth or elsewhere, check out the “Booth Vehicle” and “Feature Vehicle” links under the “Vehicles/Car Display” tab. The information provided in those two documents includes not only restrictions, but also instructions for preparing the vehicle, where it may be displayed and the process for placing the vehicle in the appropriate location.

One highly recommended piece of booth gear is a Lead-Retrieval Scanner, which may be rented from CompuSystems, the SEMA Show’s official registration provider. You can scan the badge of each buyer who visits your booth with this system, creating a digital list of leads. Then you may use the BuyerConnect service when the Show ends to view and download your leads, allowing you to print mailing labels or send a broadcast e-mail to your list. More information and an order form are available through the “Lead Retrieval” link under the “Booth Services” tab.

You might also wish to give consideration to the other amenities available under “Booth Services.” For instance, professional photography, audio/visual equipment, floral displays, signs and graphics are all available from SEMA Show contractors.

Promotions

	Participation in the Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase is an absolute must for all exhibitors. They receive lists of everyone who inquired about their new-product entries after the Show, adding to their lead retrievals.

With more than 60,000 buyers expected at the 2012 SEMA Show, it is imperative that exhibitors—particularly first-timers—do all they can to ensure that they get plenty of traffic into their booths. SEMA offers a number of promotional programs that can help with that task. For additional information regarding any of the programs listed below, e-mail SEMAShow@
SEMA.org.

• Mailing labels of buyers are available to use in contacting buyers for pre-Show promotions. You might also want to consider extending your company’s on-site visibility with banners and/or kiosks, and be sure to update your free SEMA Show Directory listing.
• Attendees will be using the SEMA Show Directory to find your booth at the Show, so make sure your company information is correct by visiting www.SEMAShow.com/floorplan.
• Exhibitors are encouraged to provide press kits for display in the Media Center at no charge.
• Members of the press from every type of outlet and from all over the world converge every year in Las Vegas to cover the SEMA Show, and that equates to terrific opportunities to promote your products. The association itself produces multiple publications that are distributed to industry professionals, including SEMA News magazine, the SEMA eNews electronic newsletter and the SEMA Show Daily, which is produced on-site in Las Vegas throughout the Show. Each of these outlets is designed to help you distribute information about your company’s 2012 SEMA Show activities, so be sure to send information about new-product launches, project-vehicle premieres and special events to Carr Winn at carrw@sema.org.
• Send submissions related to feature vehicles—including press releases and photos—to Steve Campbell. Feature vehicle photos received before September 10 may be included in the November issue of SEMA News.
• Consider the first-time exhibitor sponsorship program. This package of promotional items provides an effective, affordable way to enhance a company’s prominence at the Show. Each first-time sponsorship includes an aisle sign, a single-sided billboard kiosk panel, a half-page black-and-white ad in the SEMA Show Directory, a half-page black-and-white ad in the SEMA Show Pocket Guide and inclusion in a sponsor-acknowledgement ad in the SEMA Show Directory. Take advantage of this program by contacting Joe Sebergandio at Motor Media Inc. (818-248-4900; joe@motormediainc.com) by September 28.
• Participation in the Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase is an absolute must for all exhibitors. Nearly every attendee at the 2012 SEMA Show will spend time viewing the product displays within the showcase, including buyers and media. And the electronic scanning feature makes it quick and easy for them to collect product and contact information and high-resolution images of the selected products. New Products Showcase exhibitors receive lists of everyone who inquired about their new-product entries after the Show, adding to their lead retrievals.

Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase provides exhibitors with an easy and affordable way to gain added product exposure, and with the addition of the featured products option for items that have been previously introduced, every exhibitor is eligible to participate. All products in the displays are also professionally photographed and featured in SEMA’s publications, and they are used throughout the year via the www.SEMAdigital.com website, where media and buyers can access information and high-resolution images for display and publication.

To feature your product in the showcase, click on the “New Products Showcase Application” link under the “Marketing, Advertising & Sponsorships” tab.

The SEMA Show is the world’s premier trade event for automotive specialty-equipment companies as well as the broader automotive aftermarket. Exhibiting there is one of the most effective ways for manufacturers to get their products into the hands of the retailers who service automotive customers. It only makes sense to seek the greatest return possible on your investment.

SEMA News—September 2012

EVENTS
By Steve Campbell

Helpful Hints, Tips and Guidelines for First-Time Exhibitors and Old Hands Alike

Show Exhibiting Strategies and Tactics

	Yikes! There’s so much to do, so much to see, so much to set up for exhibitors at the SEMA Show—especially if it’s your first time! Fortunately, SEMA and ConvExx have an abundance of tools to help you get the most out of your investment.

Exhibiting for the first time at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas may seem daunting, but the association and ConvExx, the Show’s organizers, provide a wealth of information about how to prepare, get set up and ensure the best return on investment. From learning the lingo to keeping track of sales leads, there are plenty of resources that will help first-timers—and seasoned veterans—connect with the right buyers for the best partnerships. It all begins with a visit to the official Show website and the Exhibitor Manual.

The Exhibitor Manual is the encyclopedia of SEMA Show advice. It has been developed and refined over the years to answer virtually every imaginable question an exhibitor might have, regardless of whether the 2012 event will be a first foray or the 20th time.

Every exhibitor’s first step should be to read the Exhibitor Manual. Read it all, and refer to it often. It almost certainly contains the information you’re looking for. The best places to start might be with the “Glossary of Terms” and “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).”

From “Advance Orders” to “Waste Removal” the glossary will get first-timers up-to-speed on the who and what of Show jargon. And the FAQ section includes information on questions that the Show organizers have been answering for literally decades, ranging from freight tips to signage rules.

If you still have questions after reading the complete Exhibitor Manual, go to the “Contact Information” link to find telephone and e-mail listings for the folks who know.

Preparations

	The first stop should be the online Exhibitor Services Manual. It contains listings, advice and sources that provide solutions for virtually any problem or question a first-timer or even a 20-year veteran might have.

The online Exhibitor Manual also contains a number of handy checklists that may prove invaluable as you prep for the Show. A “Budget Checklist” helps you determine where to best allocate your funds and can spark ideas about necessary design, service and promotional sources. The “Deadline Checklist” ensures that you’ve picked the best time to take advantage of every opportunity to draw buyers and present your products efficiently and effectively.

Another useful checklist is “Frequently Rented Items,” which is also called the “First-Timer Cheat Sheet.” It includes not only a priced menu of items that many exhibitors choose to include in their booths (such as tables, chairs and lead-retrieval systems), but also freight-handling information. This list details the deadline dates for obtaining the best pricing for each item or service.

Registration and badges for your company’s booth personnel are obviously critical items. You’ll find information about them under the “Badges, Registration & Special Events” heading. A PDF titled “Exhibit Booth Personnel” provides details about how to register for the SEMA Show as well as how many badges are allotted for given booth sizes. (For instance, a 100- to 150-sq.-ft. booth includes four badges; a 900- to 1,150-sq.-ft. booth receives an allotment of 25 badges.) Additional badges above the booth-size allotment are $25 each. The deadline to receive badges in the mail for international exhibitors is September 21, and the deadline for U.S. exhibitors is October 12. After those dates, badges must be picked up in the registration area at the Show.

Hotel reservations and parking arrangements should also be made well in advance of the SEMA Show. With more than 100,000 people in attendance, including exhibitor personnel, buyers and the media, rooms will become difficult to find within Las Vegas proper as the October 30 Show opening approaches. The “Hotels” link under the “Hotels, Parking & Travel” tab provides the lowest rates available, including discounted resort fees and no booking or service fees. The “Parking at the Show” link provides information about car, truck, trailer and rig parking, including low-cost rig and trailer parking in the KOA Las Vegas at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino.

Be sure to also read through the “Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts” under the “Guidelines & Policies” tab. It is a list of the most common issues that can lead to problems at the Show, and it can save you major headaches, which is the last thing you need when you’re trying to promote your products.

Your Booth

A booth space at the SEMA Show is not just a section of floor. In “What Comes With a Booth” under the “About the Show” tab on www.SEMAShow.com/esm, you’ll find that a booth also includes drapes, identification signage, one SEMA Industry Awards Banquet ticket for every 100 sq. ft. of space, company listings in the official SEMA Show Directory as well as the SEMA Show Pocket Guide, access to the Education Days seminars and one free product placement in the Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase or the Featured Product Showcase.

Also be sure to check out the free programs under the “Freight/Material Handling” tab. For instance, if the freight your company is shipping to the SEMA Show weighs less than 1,000 lbs. and arrives in a private vehicle driven by a company employee, the SEMA Show’s services contractor, Freeman, will unload and deliver the freight to your booth from the Convention Center door nearest your booth at no charge. A company employee may also hand carry or use a small, two-wheel dolly to transfer freight without charge, so long as the item(s) can be managed by one person and an additional person can stay with the vehicle while it is being unloaded.

If your company would like to display a vehicle, either within the booth or elsewhere, check out the “Booth Vehicle” and “Feature Vehicle” links under the “Vehicles/Car Display” tab. The information provided in those two documents includes not only restrictions, but also instructions for preparing the vehicle, where it may be displayed and the process for placing the vehicle in the appropriate location.

One highly recommended piece of booth gear is a Lead-Retrieval Scanner, which may be rented from CompuSystems, the SEMA Show’s official registration provider. You can scan the badge of each buyer who visits your booth with this system, creating a digital list of leads. Then you may use the BuyerConnect service when the Show ends to view and download your leads, allowing you to print mailing labels or send a broadcast e-mail to your list. More information and an order form are available through the “Lead Retrieval” link under the “Booth Services” tab.

You might also wish to give consideration to the other amenities available under “Booth Services.” For instance, professional photography, audio/visual equipment, floral displays, signs and graphics are all available from SEMA Show contractors.

Promotions

	Participation in the Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase is an absolute must for all exhibitors. They receive lists of everyone who inquired about their new-product entries after the Show, adding to their lead retrievals.

With more than 60,000 buyers expected at the 2012 SEMA Show, it is imperative that exhibitors—particularly first-timers—do all they can to ensure that they get plenty of traffic into their booths. SEMA offers a number of promotional programs that can help with that task. For additional information regarding any of the programs listed below, e-mail SEMAShow@
SEMA.org.

• Mailing labels of buyers are available to use in contacting buyers for pre-Show promotions. You might also want to consider extending your company’s on-site visibility with banners and/or kiosks, and be sure to update your free SEMA Show Directory listing.
• Attendees will be using the SEMA Show Directory to find your booth at the Show, so make sure your company information is correct by visiting www.SEMAShow.com/floorplan.
• Exhibitors are encouraged to provide press kits for display in the Media Center at no charge.
• Members of the press from every type of outlet and from all over the world converge every year in Las Vegas to cover the SEMA Show, and that equates to terrific opportunities to promote your products. The association itself produces multiple publications that are distributed to industry professionals, including SEMA News magazine, the SEMA eNews electronic newsletter and the SEMA Show Daily, which is produced on-site in Las Vegas throughout the Show. Each of these outlets is designed to help you distribute information about your company’s 2012 SEMA Show activities, so be sure to send information about new-product launches, project-vehicle premieres and special events to Carr Winn at carrw@sema.org.
• Send submissions related to feature vehicles—including press releases and photos—to Steve Campbell. Feature vehicle photos received before September 10 may be included in the November issue of SEMA News.
• Consider the first-time exhibitor sponsorship program. This package of promotional items provides an effective, affordable way to enhance a company’s prominence at the Show. Each first-time sponsorship includes an aisle sign, a single-sided billboard kiosk panel, a half-page black-and-white ad in the SEMA Show Directory, a half-page black-and-white ad in the SEMA Show Pocket Guide and inclusion in a sponsor-acknowledgement ad in the SEMA Show Directory. Take advantage of this program by contacting Joe Sebergandio at Motor Media Inc. (818-248-4900; joe@motormediainc.com) by September 28.
• Participation in the Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase is an absolute must for all exhibitors. Nearly every attendee at the 2012 SEMA Show will spend time viewing the product displays within the showcase, including buyers and media. And the electronic scanning feature makes it quick and easy for them to collect product and contact information and high-resolution images of the selected products. New Products Showcase exhibitors receive lists of everyone who inquired about their new-product entries after the Show, adding to their lead retrievals.

Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase provides exhibitors with an easy and affordable way to gain added product exposure, and with the addition of the featured products option for items that have been previously introduced, every exhibitor is eligible to participate. All products in the displays are also professionally photographed and featured in SEMA’s publications, and they are used throughout the year via the www.SEMAdigital.com website, where media and buyers can access information and high-resolution images for display and publication.

To feature your product in the showcase, click on the “New Products Showcase Application” link under the “Marketing, Advertising & Sponsorships” tab.

The SEMA Show is the world’s premier trade event for automotive specialty-equipment companies as well as the broader automotive aftermarket. Exhibiting there is one of the most effective ways for manufacturers to get their products into the hands of the retailers who service automotive customers. It only makes sense to seek the greatest return possible on your investment.

SEMA News—September 2012

EVENTS
By Steve Campbell

Helpful Hints, Tips and Guidelines for First-Time Exhibitors and Old Hands Alike

Show Exhibiting Strategies and Tactics

	Yikes! There’s so much to do, so much to see, so much to set up for exhibitors at the SEMA Show—especially if it’s your first time! Fortunately, SEMA and ConvExx have an abundance of tools to help you get the most out of your investment.

Exhibiting for the first time at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas may seem daunting, but the association and ConvExx, the Show’s organizers, provide a wealth of information about how to prepare, get set up and ensure the best return on investment. From learning the lingo to keeping track of sales leads, there are plenty of resources that will help first-timers—and seasoned veterans—connect with the right buyers for the best partnerships. It all begins with a visit to the official Show website and the Exhibitor Manual.

The Exhibitor Manual is the encyclopedia of SEMA Show advice. It has been developed and refined over the years to answer virtually every imaginable question an exhibitor might have, regardless of whether the 2012 event will be a first foray or the 20th time.

Every exhibitor’s first step should be to read the Exhibitor Manual. Read it all, and refer to it often. It almost certainly contains the information you’re looking for. The best places to start might be with the “Glossary of Terms” and “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).”

From “Advance Orders” to “Waste Removal” the glossary will get first-timers up-to-speed on the who and what of Show jargon. And the FAQ section includes information on questions that the Show organizers have been answering for literally decades, ranging from freight tips to signage rules.

If you still have questions after reading the complete Exhibitor Manual, go to the “Contact Information” link to find telephone and e-mail listings for the folks who know.

Preparations

	The first stop should be the online Exhibitor Services Manual. It contains listings, advice and sources that provide solutions for virtually any problem or question a first-timer or even a 20-year veteran might have.

The online Exhibitor Manual also contains a number of handy checklists that may prove invaluable as you prep for the Show. A “Budget Checklist” helps you determine where to best allocate your funds and can spark ideas about necessary design, service and promotional sources. The “Deadline Checklist” ensures that you’ve picked the best time to take advantage of every opportunity to draw buyers and present your products efficiently and effectively.

Another useful checklist is “Frequently Rented Items,” which is also called the “First-Timer Cheat Sheet.” It includes not only a priced menu of items that many exhibitors choose to include in their booths (such as tables, chairs and lead-retrieval systems), but also freight-handling information. This list details the deadline dates for obtaining the best pricing for each item or service.

Registration and badges for your company’s booth personnel are obviously critical items. You’ll find information about them under the “Badges, Registration & Special Events” heading. A PDF titled “Exhibit Booth Personnel” provides details about how to register for the SEMA Show as well as how many badges are allotted for given booth sizes. (For instance, a 100- to 150-sq.-ft. booth includes four badges; a 900- to 1,150-sq.-ft. booth receives an allotment of 25 badges.) Additional badges above the booth-size allotment are $25 each. The deadline to receive badges in the mail for international exhibitors is September 21, and the deadline for U.S. exhibitors is October 12. After those dates, badges must be picked up in the registration area at the Show.

Hotel reservations and parking arrangements should also be made well in advance of the SEMA Show. With more than 100,000 people in attendance, including exhibitor personnel, buyers and the media, rooms will become difficult to find within Las Vegas proper as the October 30 Show opening approaches. The “Hotels” link under the “Hotels, Parking & Travel” tab provides the lowest rates available, including discounted resort fees and no booking or service fees. The “Parking at the Show” link provides information about car, truck, trailer and rig parking, including low-cost rig and trailer parking in the KOA Las Vegas at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino.

Be sure to also read through the “Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts” under the “Guidelines & Policies” tab. It is a list of the most common issues that can lead to problems at the Show, and it can save you major headaches, which is the last thing you need when you’re trying to promote your products.

Your Booth

A booth space at the SEMA Show is not just a section of floor. In “What Comes With a Booth” under the “About the Show” tab on www.SEMAShow.com/esm, you’ll find that a booth also includes drapes, identification signage, one SEMA Industry Awards Banquet ticket for every 100 sq. ft. of space, company listings in the official SEMA Show Directory as well as the SEMA Show Pocket Guide, access to the Education Days seminars and one free product placement in the Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase or the Featured Product Showcase.

Also be sure to check out the free programs under the “Freight/Material Handling” tab. For instance, if the freight your company is shipping to the SEMA Show weighs less than 1,000 lbs. and arrives in a private vehicle driven by a company employee, the SEMA Show’s services contractor, Freeman, will unload and deliver the freight to your booth from the Convention Center door nearest your booth at no charge. A company employee may also hand carry or use a small, two-wheel dolly to transfer freight without charge, so long as the item(s) can be managed by one person and an additional person can stay with the vehicle while it is being unloaded.

If your company would like to display a vehicle, either within the booth or elsewhere, check out the “Booth Vehicle” and “Feature Vehicle” links under the “Vehicles/Car Display” tab. The information provided in those two documents includes not only restrictions, but also instructions for preparing the vehicle, where it may be displayed and the process for placing the vehicle in the appropriate location.

One highly recommended piece of booth gear is a Lead-Retrieval Scanner, which may be rented from CompuSystems, the SEMA Show’s official registration provider. You can scan the badge of each buyer who visits your booth with this system, creating a digital list of leads. Then you may use the BuyerConnect service when the Show ends to view and download your leads, allowing you to print mailing labels or send a broadcast e-mail to your list. More information and an order form are available through the “Lead Retrieval” link under the “Booth Services” tab.

You might also wish to give consideration to the other amenities available under “Booth Services.” For instance, professional photography, audio/visual equipment, floral displays, signs and graphics are all available from SEMA Show contractors.

Promotions

	Participation in the Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase is an absolute must for all exhibitors. They receive lists of everyone who inquired about their new-product entries after the Show, adding to their lead retrievals.

With more than 60,000 buyers expected at the 2012 SEMA Show, it is imperative that exhibitors—particularly first-timers—do all they can to ensure that they get plenty of traffic into their booths. SEMA offers a number of promotional programs that can help with that task. For additional information regarding any of the programs listed below, e-mail SEMAShow@
SEMA.org.

• Mailing labels of buyers are available to use in contacting buyers for pre-Show promotions. You might also want to consider extending your company’s on-site visibility with banners and/or kiosks, and be sure to update your free SEMA Show Directory listing.
• Attendees will be using the SEMA Show Directory to find your booth at the Show, so make sure your company information is correct by visiting www.SEMAShow.com/floorplan.
• Exhibitors are encouraged to provide press kits for display in the Media Center at no charge.
• Members of the press from every type of outlet and from all over the world converge every year in Las Vegas to cover the SEMA Show, and that equates to terrific opportunities to promote your products. The association itself produces multiple publications that are distributed to industry professionals, including SEMA News magazine, the SEMA eNews electronic newsletter and the SEMA Show Daily, which is produced on-site in Las Vegas throughout the Show. Each of these outlets is designed to help you distribute information about your company’s 2012 SEMA Show activities, so be sure to send information about new-product launches, project-vehicle premieres and special events to Carr Winn at carrw@sema.org.
• Send submissions related to feature vehicles—including press releases and photos—to Steve Campbell. Feature vehicle photos received before September 10 may be included in the November issue of SEMA News.
• Consider the first-time exhibitor sponsorship program. This package of promotional items provides an effective, affordable way to enhance a company’s prominence at the Show. Each first-time sponsorship includes an aisle sign, a single-sided billboard kiosk panel, a half-page black-and-white ad in the SEMA Show Directory, a half-page black-and-white ad in the SEMA Show Pocket Guide and inclusion in a sponsor-acknowledgement ad in the SEMA Show Directory. Take advantage of this program by contacting Joe Sebergandio at Motor Media Inc. (818-248-4900; joe@motormediainc.com) by September 28.
• Participation in the Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase is an absolute must for all exhibitors. Nearly every attendee at the 2012 SEMA Show will spend time viewing the product displays within the showcase, including buyers and media. And the electronic scanning feature makes it quick and easy for them to collect product and contact information and high-resolution images of the selected products. New Products Showcase exhibitors receive lists of everyone who inquired about their new-product entries after the Show, adding to their lead retrievals.

Ideas Alive: Featuring the New Products Showcase provides exhibitors with an easy and affordable way to gain added product exposure, and with the addition of the featured products option for items that have been previously introduced, every exhibitor is eligible to participate. All products in the displays are also professionally photographed and featured in SEMA’s publications, and they are used throughout the year via the www.SEMAdigital.com website, where media and buyers can access information and high-resolution images for display and publication.

To feature your product in the showcase, click on the “New Products Showcase Application” link under the “Marketing, Advertising & Sponsorships” tab.

The SEMA Show is the world’s premier trade event for automotive specialty-equipment companies as well as the broader automotive aftermarket. Exhibiting there is one of the most effective ways for manufacturers to get their products into the hands of the retailers who service automotive customers. It only makes sense to seek the greatest return possible on your investment.

David Newton-Ross	Rex Crowther

For collision repairers concerned about the impact of insurance-mandated parts procurement models and looking to gain more knowledge on the impact they have had in other global markets, the 2012 SEMA Show is a perfect venue to gather information.

As part of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists' (SCRS) Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, registrants will be able to participate in an interactive presentation with Rex Crowther, editor of Panel Talk magazine in New Zealand, and David Newton-Ross, editor of The National Collision Repairer in Australia and The New Zealand Collision Repairer. The two-hour session entitled, "Bidding Wars: A Global View on the Possible Economic Impact of Insurer Involvement in Parts Procurement" will begin Thursday, November 1, at 12:30 p.m., and is being held in the Upper North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. To register for this RDE seminar or to find other seminars being offered, visit www.semashow.com/scrs.

While online bidding requirements for parts procurement have only recently entered the U.S. market, other countries, such as New Zealand, have dealt with parts tendering mandates by carriers for many years. This session will provide attendees with a global perspective on the economic impact of New Zealand-based bidding programs, procedural impacts the program has had on cycle times and estimating practices and changes the program has had on repairer/supplier relationships. It will also include a historical overview of the national rollout, changes made to the program along the way and market impact from inception to present day, including an oration of market response at various points throughout the past eight-plus years.

"Having seen firsthand the impact PartsTrader has had on the industry here in New Zealand and hearing how different both PartsTrader and State Farm are saying it is going to be in the United States, I struggle to see any advantage for repairers, or much real advantage for State Farm," shared Crowther who has been involved in the New Zealand collision-repair industry since 1967. "This makes me suspicious of the end game, as all repairers' margins are vulnerable through this program, and surely any insurer is out to maximize their profits for their stakeholders."

Crowther is no stranger to repairer reaction to the launch of programs such as these, as former owner of two Auckland, New Zealand-based repair facilities for 28 years. Crowther additionally served as the executive chairman of the New Zealand Collision Repair Association from 1999 to 2004, representing a membership base that performed more that 80% of the insurance-paid collision-repair work in the country. He has also served on the board of I-CAR New Zealand for the last 10 years and was chairman for two years prior to stepping down in April of this year. Since 2004, Crowther has been on the board of the Motor Industry Training Organisation (MITO), which is responsible for all motor industry apprentice and advanced training.

Crowther is passionate about the collision-repair industry and keen to help people on their journey, from collision repairer to successful business owner. "The real winners of this program are the shoddy suppliers and the disorganized repairers in New Zealand because, from our experience, PartsTrader does not discriminate between the good and the average," he concluded. "While the program in itself can be a good tool for difficult-to-find parts, especially here in New Zealand with our huge recycled parts market, it certainly has a huge detrimental effect on relationships between suppliers and repairers when its use and parts margins are mandated. It is not unusual for a parts supply that previously would have taken 24 hours to receive, to now take three to four days, despite reports from the U.S. proponents who say it will improve the parts-supply process and efficiency."

A complete listing of the RDE sessions can be found at www.SEMAShow.com/scrs. The 2012 Repairer Driven Education program is sponsored by supportive industry organizations, such as SEMA, PPG, GM Genuine Parts, BASF, Ford, LKQ, Sherwin Williams, AASP, PBES and CollisionHub.

David Newton-Ross	Rex Crowther

For collision repairers concerned about the impact of insurance-mandated parts procurement models and looking to gain more knowledge on the impact they have had in other global markets, the 2012 SEMA Show is a perfect venue to gather information.

As part of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists' (SCRS) Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, registrants will be able to participate in an interactive presentation with Rex Crowther, editor of Panel Talk magazine in New Zealand, and David Newton-Ross, editor of The National Collision Repairer in Australia and The New Zealand Collision Repairer. The two-hour session entitled, "Bidding Wars: A Global View on the Possible Economic Impact of Insurer Involvement in Parts Procurement" will begin Thursday, November 1, at 12:30 p.m., and is being held in the Upper North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. To register for this RDE seminar or to find other seminars being offered, visit www.semashow.com/scrs.

While online bidding requirements for parts procurement have only recently entered the U.S. market, other countries, such as New Zealand, have dealt with parts tendering mandates by carriers for many years. This session will provide attendees with a global perspective on the economic impact of New Zealand-based bidding programs, procedural impacts the program has had on cycle times and estimating practices and changes the program has had on repairer/supplier relationships. It will also include a historical overview of the national rollout, changes made to the program along the way and market impact from inception to present day, including an oration of market response at various points throughout the past eight-plus years.

"Having seen firsthand the impact PartsTrader has had on the industry here in New Zealand and hearing how different both PartsTrader and State Farm are saying it is going to be in the United States, I struggle to see any advantage for repairers, or much real advantage for State Farm," shared Crowther who has been involved in the New Zealand collision-repair industry since 1967. "This makes me suspicious of the end game, as all repairers' margins are vulnerable through this program, and surely any insurer is out to maximize their profits for their stakeholders."

Crowther is no stranger to repairer reaction to the launch of programs such as these, as former owner of two Auckland, New Zealand-based repair facilities for 28 years. Crowther additionally served as the executive chairman of the New Zealand Collision Repair Association from 1999 to 2004, representing a membership base that performed more that 80% of the insurance-paid collision-repair work in the country. He has also served on the board of I-CAR New Zealand for the last 10 years and was chairman for two years prior to stepping down in April of this year. Since 2004, Crowther has been on the board of the Motor Industry Training Organisation (MITO), which is responsible for all motor industry apprentice and advanced training.

Crowther is passionate about the collision-repair industry and keen to help people on their journey, from collision repairer to successful business owner. "The real winners of this program are the shoddy suppliers and the disorganized repairers in New Zealand because, from our experience, PartsTrader does not discriminate between the good and the average," he concluded. "While the program in itself can be a good tool for difficult-to-find parts, especially here in New Zealand with our huge recycled parts market, it certainly has a huge detrimental effect on relationships between suppliers and repairers when its use and parts margins are mandated. It is not unusual for a parts supply that previously would have taken 24 hours to receive, to now take three to four days, despite reports from the U.S. proponents who say it will improve the parts-supply process and efficiency."

A complete listing of the RDE sessions can be found at www.SEMAShow.com/scrs. The 2012 Repairer Driven Education program is sponsored by supportive industry organizations, such as SEMA, PPG, GM Genuine Parts, BASF, Ford, LKQ, Sherwin Williams, AASP, PBES and CollisionHub.

David Newton-Ross	Rex Crowther

For collision repairers concerned about the impact of insurance-mandated parts procurement models and looking to gain more knowledge on the impact they have had in other global markets, the 2012 SEMA Show is a perfect venue to gather information.

As part of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists' (SCRS) Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, registrants will be able to participate in an interactive presentation with Rex Crowther, editor of Panel Talk magazine in New Zealand, and David Newton-Ross, editor of The National Collision Repairer in Australia and The New Zealand Collision Repairer. The two-hour session entitled, "Bidding Wars: A Global View on the Possible Economic Impact of Insurer Involvement in Parts Procurement" will begin Thursday, November 1, at 12:30 p.m., and is being held in the Upper North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. To register for this RDE seminar or to find other seminars being offered, visit www.semashow.com/scrs.

While online bidding requirements for parts procurement have only recently entered the U.S. market, other countries, such as New Zealand, have dealt with parts tendering mandates by carriers for many years. This session will provide attendees with a global perspective on the economic impact of New Zealand-based bidding programs, procedural impacts the program has had on cycle times and estimating practices and changes the program has had on repairer/supplier relationships. It will also include a historical overview of the national rollout, changes made to the program along the way and market impact from inception to present day, including an oration of market response at various points throughout the past eight-plus years.

"Having seen firsthand the impact PartsTrader has had on the industry here in New Zealand and hearing how different both PartsTrader and State Farm are saying it is going to be in the United States, I struggle to see any advantage for repairers, or much real advantage for State Farm," shared Crowther who has been involved in the New Zealand collision-repair industry since 1967. "This makes me suspicious of the end game, as all repairers' margins are vulnerable through this program, and surely any insurer is out to maximize their profits for their stakeholders."

Crowther is no stranger to repairer reaction to the launch of programs such as these, as former owner of two Auckland, New Zealand-based repair facilities for 28 years. Crowther additionally served as the executive chairman of the New Zealand Collision Repair Association from 1999 to 2004, representing a membership base that performed more that 80% of the insurance-paid collision-repair work in the country. He has also served on the board of I-CAR New Zealand for the last 10 years and was chairman for two years prior to stepping down in April of this year. Since 2004, Crowther has been on the board of the Motor Industry Training Organisation (MITO), which is responsible for all motor industry apprentice and advanced training.

Crowther is passionate about the collision-repair industry and keen to help people on their journey, from collision repairer to successful business owner. "The real winners of this program are the shoddy suppliers and the disorganized repairers in New Zealand because, from our experience, PartsTrader does not discriminate between the good and the average," he concluded. "While the program in itself can be a good tool for difficult-to-find parts, especially here in New Zealand with our huge recycled parts market, it certainly has a huge detrimental effect on relationships between suppliers and repairers when its use and parts margins are mandated. It is not unusual for a parts supply that previously would have taken 24 hours to receive, to now take three to four days, despite reports from the U.S. proponents who say it will improve the parts-supply process and efficiency."

A complete listing of the RDE sessions can be found at www.SEMAShow.com/scrs. The 2012 Repairer Driven Education program is sponsored by supportive industry organizations, such as SEMA, PPG, GM Genuine Parts, BASF, Ford, LKQ, Sherwin Williams, AASP, PBES and CollisionHub.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has updated the performance test standards for motorcycle brakes, first adopted in 1972. The requirements are part of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 122, Motorcycle Brake Systems, which applies to both two-wheeled and three-wheeled motorcycles. The revised rule includes a more-stringent dry-brake measure and new high-speed, wet-brake and heat-fade tests. The rule specifies minimum performance requirements for antilock brake systems when they are voluntarily installed on a motorcycle. The revised rule also harmonizes the U.S. standard with a global technical regulation developed in 1998. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has updated the performance test standards for motorcycle brakes, first adopted in 1972. The requirements are part of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 122, Motorcycle Brake Systems, which applies to both two-wheeled and three-wheeled motorcycles. The revised rule includes a more-stringent dry-brake measure and new high-speed, wet-brake and heat-fade tests. The rule specifies minimum performance requirements for antilock brake systems when they are voluntarily installed on a motorcycle. The revised rule also harmonizes the U.S. standard with a global technical regulation developed in 1998. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

	The University of California Irvine (UCI) is preparing to kick off its fall 2012 Engineering Design in Industry (EDI) course, September 27, 2012.

Does your company have a design project that you would like a team of engineering students to tackle?

The University of California Irvine (UCI) is preparing to kick off its fall 2012 Engineering Design in Industry (EDI) course, which begins September 27, 2012. This class organizes teams of four senior engineering students, two faculty advisors and your industrial liaison who will spend 10 weeks on a design project that you specify.

The EDI program has been in place at UCI for more than 15 years—successfully completing more than 60 projects from local industries and inventors. Details about the course can be found on the Engineering Design in Industry website.

The Engineering Design in Industry class offers UCI seniors the opportunity to apply the skills they have developed to projects that you need. It is popular with industry colleagues because the result is a feasibility study that provides practical benefits and allows an inside look at the capabilities of UCI’s students.

The class is an elective, so there is not always a match between the numbers of projects and students. Therefore, the class is offered each fall, winter and spring quarter.

If you have a project ready, UCI can include it in the fall 2012 offerings. If you think there is a project on the way in the later part of the year, let UCI know and they can finalize it later.

If you have any questions or want to discuss a potential project, please contact John Garman, UCI's director, Engineering Design in Industry program, 949-433-1078, jgarman@uci.edu; or Michael McCarthy, Henry Samueli chair and director, Center for Engineering Science in Design, 949-824-3722, jmmccart@uci.edu.

SEMA recommended that the U.S. Marines Corps secure special-use permits from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) when conducting troop maneuvers within Johnson Valley, California, rather than take ownership of the land as part of an expanded Twentynine Palms base. The land is a designated off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation area and site of “King of the Hammers” and other OHV events throughout the year. The Marines only need access to Johnson Valley for less than two months per year, but are seeking ownership rights from the BLM for 56% of the land (147,000 acres). The Marines would permit limited access to less than 40,000 acres of that land for OHV activities during 10 months of the year. Any land transfer requires congressional approval.  

SEMA submitted comments to the Marine Corps in favor of a shared-use compromise in which the BLM retains land ownership. Among other benefits, the Marines would be relieved of the burden of managing the land for the 10 months per year they don’t need it. Congress is in the process of enacting legislation that will require the Marines to study alternative ways to share the land with the OHV community, such as with special permits. The Johnson Valley off-road area draws at least 200,000 visitors annually and may generate as much as $191 million annually into the economy.

Read SEMA’s comments on the SEMA Action Network homepage.

For more information on Johnson Valley, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.