High-School Engine Builders Go Head-to-Head for $10,000 Automotive Scholarship
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 10:02

SEMA News—December 2011

EVENTS
By Chad Simon

Up for the Challenge

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow: Helping to Bring New Blood into the Aftermarket


Sponsored teams compete for a chance to win the ultimate prize—a $10,000 scholarship, awarded to the winners of the “Showdown at SEMA.”
Providing young automotive enthusiasts with an opportunity to develop and showcase their talents while being exposed to the automotive aftermarket industry, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow launched in 2008 at the Race & Performance Expo in St. Charles, Illinois, and has been invited to compete at the SEMA Show every year since its inception. The organization’s goal is to reach out to high-school students before they graduate in order to provide much-needed future talent for the automotive specialty-equipment market.
“My primary concern is that the people at the racetrack and in this industry as a whole are getting older,” said 40-year industry veteran Jim Bingham, chairman of Hot Rodders of Tomorrow and also president and CEO of Winner’s Circle Speed & Custom and a SEMA Board of Directors member. “You don’t see much young blood, and I wanted to create an avenue for bringing youth into the automotive aftermarket.”

The purpose of the competition, the finals of which are held annually at the SEMA Show, is to offer opportunities for students to build and develop teamwork, demonstrate their enthusiasm and ingenuity and build their confidence and commitment to excellence. Teams of five auto technology students and an instructor from invited high schools across the country compete to properly disassemble and reassemble a small-block Chevrolet engine with aftermarket components in the least amount of time. The team with the quickest total time, including added penalties, wins. The competition engines have been built to replicate the real-world, high-performance engines found in today’s musclecars and hot rods.


Qualifying teams typically finish the challenge in the 35-minute range. All teams are encouraged to finish the engine build, regardless of time.
The idea for the organization came to life during the first year of a local consumer show called the Race & Performance Expo. Tim Freeman, an area businessman, asked Bingham to help him put together an engine challenge for the show. So, after Freeman successfully recruited five local high schools for the engine challenge, Vic Edelbrock, with Bingham’s help, decided that he wanted to expand the concept across the country, starting with the first Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge held at the Race & Performance Expo in 2008.

A total of five teams competed during the 2008 season. The series has since grown to 70 teams in 2011, with six divisional winners and four wildcards that were invited to compete at the third annual “Showdown at SEMA” national championship in Las Vegas.

Edelbrock was initially responsible for getting the organization invited to the SEMA Show in 2009. Four teams were invited the first year. That grew to six in the second year, and Hot Rodders of Tomorrow came to the SEMA Show with 10 teams this year, the most ever.

Qualifying teams typically finish the challenge in the 35-minute time frame. All teams are encouraged to finish the engine build, regardless of time; however, once a team hits the 60-minute range, the instructor may help.

Time-added penalties are assessed when participants commit errors, which include dropping components, improper disassembly and poor sportsmanship. There are five judges, each following an individual student, and they score everything from the use of torque wrenches to proper assembly.


During the competition, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow judges score everything from the use of torque wrenching to proper assembly.
The ultimate prize for each member of the winning team is $10,000 in scholarship money provided by Ohio Technical College (OTC), the School of Automotive Machinists and the University of Northwest Ohio. A total of $975,000 has been posted for the 2011 SEMA Show, with the smallest amount being $5,000 per student for the sixth- through 10th-place finishers.

This was the first year that Hot Rodders of Tomorrow received funding. The sponsorship program was changed to provide for a $1,500 annual fee for all 23 manufacturing sponsors to become a part of the program. Prior to that, the money came from Bingham’s company and his own pocket. The funds are used to fly the judges to the competitions and to transport the equipment.

“Joliet Central High School, which won the competition the first year they went to the SEMA Show, only had one instructor at the time,” Bingham said. “Now they have two instructors and a waiting list of kids to get into the class. We’re changing attitudes; young kids want to get enrolled and have a chance to participate in this program.”

 

According to Bingham, there is still a shortage of young talent in the automotive aftermarket field. This program creates excitement and promotes competition. When events are held across the country, parents, siblings and friends show up to cheer the students on. In the future, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow will allow its sponsors and other SEMA-
member manufacturers to post jobs wanted on the organization’s website so they can funnel talented students into some of the openings.

To date, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has fostered a total of 152 teams in eight divisions consisting of 1,064 students from across the country and has raised more than $3.5 million in scholarship money.

Belvidere North High School’s Success at the SEMA Show

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Sponsoring Companies

  • Accel
  • Aeroquip Performance Products
  • Airaid
  • A Plus Distributing
  • ARP Automotive Racing Products
  • Auto Meter
  • Be Cool
  • Begler’s Performance
  • Carlisle All-GM Nationals
  • COMP Cams
  • Dart
  • Dee Zee
  • Edelbrock
  • Edge
  • Energy Suspension
  • Fel-Pro Performance Gaskets
  • Hawk Performance
  • Hedman Hedders,
  • K&N
  • Moroso
  • Motive Gear
  • Motor State Distributing
  • Mr. Gasket Co.
  • MSD Ignition
  • Painless Performance Products
  • Parts Pro Performance Centers
  • Proform
  • PRW
  • Race & Performance Expo
  • Royal Purple
  • Russell
  • Speed Pro
  • Tennessee Speed Sport
  • Trans Dapt Performance Products
  • Winner’s Circle Speed & Custom

The Motive Gear-sponsored Belvidere North High School engine team, located in Belvidere, Illinois, put in more than 130 hours of dedication and made many sacrifices to participate in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge. Support at the school level was tremendous, and the principal himself attended after-school practices and traveled to regional competitions just to watch in amazement what five high-school students could do with an engine.

This year’s team consisted of five talented students who made it through demanding practices and pushed their way to the championship at the SEMA Show. Xander Welsh, now a graduate of Belvidere North High School, tore his rotator cuff last year. After a month of healing, he jumped back onto the team, fighting through the pain and postponing surgery to compete and help the group take first place.

“Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has given me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete against other schools across the nation at the SEMA Show and meet some of the most influential people in our industry,” Welsh said.

Jaysen Wagner, now a senior, made an enormous sacrifice as he withdrew from his enrollment in the National Guard to pursue his place on the engine team and help push the team to first place.

“Without Hot Rodders of Tomorrow, college would not have been possible for me,” Wagner said.

Dalton Annabel, also now a graduate, is currently pursuing his automotive passion by working in a local shop while earning his associate’s degree in automotive before transferring to Southern Illinois University for his bachelor’s degree.

“The experience of working with a team on a project like this, where everyone is focused on a common goal, has been a fun experience and one I will not forget,” Annabel said.

David Santoyo, currently a senior, joined the team halfway through four months of practice to fill in for Welsh while he was injured. Santoyo became a full-time team member upon Welsh’s return.

“Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has opened my eyes to the vast need and importance of everyday people coming together and achieving more than they ever thought they could,” Santoyo said.

Caitlyn Drake, also now a graduate, broke through the typical stereotype that women could not handle a field dominated by males and proved that she deserved her spot on the team. She has earned the Golden Apple scholarship and is currently studying to be a math teacher at Quincy College. Yet, she still helped her team push into the SEMA Show by traveling five hours home just to practice with them.

“Being on the team has not only taught me good skills so I can rely on myself, but also it has taught me a lot about teamwork and how well different people can work together on a common interest,” Drake said.

High-School Engine Builders Go Head-to-Head for $10,000 Automotive Scholarship
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 10:02

SEMA News—December 2011

EVENTS
By Chad Simon

Up for the Challenge

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow: Helping to Bring New Blood into the Aftermarket


Sponsored teams compete for a chance to win the ultimate prize—a $10,000 scholarship, awarded to the winners of the “Showdown at SEMA.”
Providing young automotive enthusiasts with an opportunity to develop and showcase their talents while being exposed to the automotive aftermarket industry, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow launched in 2008 at the Race & Performance Expo in St. Charles, Illinois, and has been invited to compete at the SEMA Show every year since its inception. The organization’s goal is to reach out to high-school students before they graduate in order to provide much-needed future talent for the automotive specialty-equipment market.
“My primary concern is that the people at the racetrack and in this industry as a whole are getting older,” said 40-year industry veteran Jim Bingham, chairman of Hot Rodders of Tomorrow and also president and CEO of Winner’s Circle Speed & Custom and a SEMA Board of Directors member. “You don’t see much young blood, and I wanted to create an avenue for bringing youth into the automotive aftermarket.”

The purpose of the competition, the finals of which are held annually at the SEMA Show, is to offer opportunities for students to build and develop teamwork, demonstrate their enthusiasm and ingenuity and build their confidence and commitment to excellence. Teams of five auto technology students and an instructor from invited high schools across the country compete to properly disassemble and reassemble a small-block Chevrolet engine with aftermarket components in the least amount of time. The team with the quickest total time, including added penalties, wins. The competition engines have been built to replicate the real-world, high-performance engines found in today’s musclecars and hot rods.


Qualifying teams typically finish the challenge in the 35-minute range. All teams are encouraged to finish the engine build, regardless of time.
The idea for the organization came to life during the first year of a local consumer show called the Race & Performance Expo. Tim Freeman, an area businessman, asked Bingham to help him put together an engine challenge for the show. So, after Freeman successfully recruited five local high schools for the engine challenge, Vic Edelbrock, with Bingham’s help, decided that he wanted to expand the concept across the country, starting with the first Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge held at the Race & Performance Expo in 2008.

A total of five teams competed during the 2008 season. The series has since grown to 70 teams in 2011, with six divisional winners and four wildcards that were invited to compete at the third annual “Showdown at SEMA” national championship in Las Vegas.

Edelbrock was initially responsible for getting the organization invited to the SEMA Show in 2009. Four teams were invited the first year. That grew to six in the second year, and Hot Rodders of Tomorrow came to the SEMA Show with 10 teams this year, the most ever.

Qualifying teams typically finish the challenge in the 35-minute time frame. All teams are encouraged to finish the engine build, regardless of time; however, once a team hits the 60-minute range, the instructor may help.

Time-added penalties are assessed when participants commit errors, which include dropping components, improper disassembly and poor sportsmanship. There are five judges, each following an individual student, and they score everything from the use of torque wrenches to proper assembly.


During the competition, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow judges score everything from the use of torque wrenching to proper assembly.
The ultimate prize for each member of the winning team is $10,000 in scholarship money provided by Ohio Technical College (OTC), the School of Automotive Machinists and the University of Northwest Ohio. A total of $975,000 has been posted for the 2011 SEMA Show, with the smallest amount being $5,000 per student for the sixth- through 10th-place finishers.

This was the first year that Hot Rodders of Tomorrow received funding. The sponsorship program was changed to provide for a $1,500 annual fee for all 23 manufacturing sponsors to become a part of the program. Prior to that, the money came from Bingham’s company and his own pocket. The funds are used to fly the judges to the competitions and to transport the equipment.

“Joliet Central High School, which won the competition the first year they went to the SEMA Show, only had one instructor at the time,” Bingham said. “Now they have two instructors and a waiting list of kids to get into the class. We’re changing attitudes; young kids want to get enrolled and have a chance to participate in this program.”

 

According to Bingham, there is still a shortage of young talent in the automotive aftermarket field. This program creates excitement and promotes competition. When events are held across the country, parents, siblings and friends show up to cheer the students on. In the future, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow will allow its sponsors and other SEMA-
member manufacturers to post jobs wanted on the organization’s website so they can funnel talented students into some of the openings.

To date, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has fostered a total of 152 teams in eight divisions consisting of 1,064 students from across the country and has raised more than $3.5 million in scholarship money.

Belvidere North High School’s Success at the SEMA Show

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Sponsoring Companies

  • Accel
  • Aeroquip Performance Products
  • Airaid
  • A Plus Distributing
  • ARP Automotive Racing Products
  • Auto Meter
  • Be Cool
  • Begler’s Performance
  • Carlisle All-GM Nationals
  • COMP Cams
  • Dart
  • Dee Zee
  • Edelbrock
  • Edge
  • Energy Suspension
  • Fel-Pro Performance Gaskets
  • Hawk Performance
  • Hedman Hedders,
  • K&N
  • Moroso
  • Motive Gear
  • Motor State Distributing
  • Mr. Gasket Co.
  • MSD Ignition
  • Painless Performance Products
  • Parts Pro Performance Centers
  • Proform
  • PRW
  • Race & Performance Expo
  • Royal Purple
  • Russell
  • Speed Pro
  • Tennessee Speed Sport
  • Trans Dapt Performance Products
  • Winner’s Circle Speed & Custom

The Motive Gear-sponsored Belvidere North High School engine team, located in Belvidere, Illinois, put in more than 130 hours of dedication and made many sacrifices to participate in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge. Support at the school level was tremendous, and the principal himself attended after-school practices and traveled to regional competitions just to watch in amazement what five high-school students could do with an engine.

This year’s team consisted of five talented students who made it through demanding practices and pushed their way to the championship at the SEMA Show. Xander Welsh, now a graduate of Belvidere North High School, tore his rotator cuff last year. After a month of healing, he jumped back onto the team, fighting through the pain and postponing surgery to compete and help the group take first place.

“Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has given me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete against other schools across the nation at the SEMA Show and meet some of the most influential people in our industry,” Welsh said.

Jaysen Wagner, now a senior, made an enormous sacrifice as he withdrew from his enrollment in the National Guard to pursue his place on the engine team and help push the team to first place.

“Without Hot Rodders of Tomorrow, college would not have been possible for me,” Wagner said.

Dalton Annabel, also now a graduate, is currently pursuing his automotive passion by working in a local shop while earning his associate’s degree in automotive before transferring to Southern Illinois University for his bachelor’s degree.

“The experience of working with a team on a project like this, where everyone is focused on a common goal, has been a fun experience and one I will not forget,” Annabel said.

David Santoyo, currently a senior, joined the team halfway through four months of practice to fill in for Welsh while he was injured. Santoyo became a full-time team member upon Welsh’s return.

“Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has opened my eyes to the vast need and importance of everyday people coming together and achieving more than they ever thought they could,” Santoyo said.

Caitlyn Drake, also now a graduate, broke through the typical stereotype that women could not handle a field dominated by males and proved that she deserved her spot on the team. She has earned the Golden Apple scholarship and is currently studying to be a math teacher at Quincy College. Yet, she still helped her team push into the SEMA Show by traveling five hours home just to practice with them.

“Being on the team has not only taught me good skills so I can rely on myself, but also it has taught me a lot about teamwork and how well different people can work together on a common interest,” Drake said.

SEMA Members Meet With Potential Customers in China, Witness Growing Demand First-Hand
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 09:58

SEMA News—December 2011

Chinese Consumers Seek Specialty Products

U.S. Manufacturers Travel to China to Meet Growing Demand

By Linda Spencer


The SEMA delegation was invited to take part in the opening ceremonies of the China International Auto Parts Expo (CIAPE). Posing with the group were Daniel Green, director of market access and compliance office, U.S. Embassy, Beijing (front row, second from right) and William Brekke, principal commercial officer, American Consulate General, Shanghai (front row, third from right). This is the fifth edition of this trade-only show, which was sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).
A group of SEMA-member manufacturers recently descended on the Chinese capitol of Beijing, for the second annual SEMA China International Auto Parts Expo (CIAPE) China Business Development Program—an intensive three days of networking and one-on-one meetings with Chinese buyers from 24 cities throughout China. The 2011 delegation of U.S. companies represented a broad range of products, including engine performance, interior and exterior appearance products, suspension and handling upgrades and mobile electronics. The goals of the participants included meeting potential customers, getting a better understanding of consumer brand awareness, evaluating distribution channels for their products and identifying vehicles on Chinese roads for which they should develop new product applications.

In addition to the daylong networking and one-on-one meetings, the 30 members of the SEMA delegation had the opportunity to meet with top U.S. Embassy officials, meet for an informal breakfast with Chinese enthusiast press and tour the Chinese Ministry of Commerce-sponsored CIAPE. This year was the fifth for this trade-only event, which featured primarily repair and replacement products but included a new specialty-equipment hall, with the largest exhibitors being distributors of overseas specialty products.

SEMA places a high priority on assisting SEMA-member companies in diversifying their customer bases and facilitating access to the 95% of the world’s customers located outside the United States. For SEMA members, new geographic markets offer opportunities to create new revenue streams and reach new customers. SEMA Vice President of Communications and Events Peter MacGillivray noted that the association actively searches for additional markets where passion, market conditions and vehicle mix indicate good potential for members’ products and increasingly point to emerging markets.

“One of the most promising of these markets is China,” said MacGillivray. “There is no doubt for those who travel to China that the demand is growing among Chinese consumers to customize their vehicles. The SEMA Global Business Development Conference helps to meet the demands of these buyers in emerging markets, such as China’s. Our program facilitates one-on-one meetings between SEMA manufacturers and pre-vetted Chinese distributors and retailers in a hotel-based setting.”

The program allows for quality meetings between serious buyers and member manufactures in a low-cost, turnkey situation. The program is based on the premise that, until a market has a more fully developed distribution system and has achieved a certain level of development, U.S. companies are advised to avoid the typical high costs of exhibiting in a traditional trade show, including but not limited to shipping material, booth costs and the need for significant staff resources.

China offers a population of more than 1.3 billion and growing market sophistication, and participants in the 2011 program were impressed with the speed at which the Chinese market is expanding.

“The market in China is developing at a much quicker rate than we experienced in the United States,” said SEMA Chairman Scooter Brothers, who also serves as the chief operating officer of Tennessee-based COMP Performance Group. “Chinese consumers crave Western style and trends, which are increasingly being reflected in their cars.”

“Trips, such as the SEMA China Business Development Program, are a critical component in our company’s activities to develop a growing range of products to fit vehicles found on Chinese roads,” said Brothers. “This task will soon become easier as the world platform for the OEs is becoming standard. With that, U.S. and Chinese vehicles will become quite similar, making the development of parts much easier, quicker and less expensive.”

SEMA Member Companies Who Exhibited at the 2011 SEMA China Business Development Conference

  • American Expedition Vehicles
  • Anzo U.S.A.
  • BDS Suspension
  • BrynDana International
  • Bushwacker Inc.
  • COMP Performance Group
  • eBay Motors
  • Evosport
  • Girard Systems and Girard
    Products LLC
  • Injen Technology
  • K&N Engineering Inc.
    and AEM Induction Systems
  • Keystone Automotive Operations
  • SCT Performance
  • Sheen Coatings Co./
    Paasch Products Inc.
  • Stillwater Designs and
    Audio Inc. (Kicker)
  • StopTech/Power Slot
  • T-Rex Grilles
Other companies are finding immediate sales.

“I would attribute our success to the fact that China is experiencing an economic boom in its middle- to upper-class markets,” said Ed Rossi, vice president of sales for Injen Technology. “The average young man aspires to own his own car as a means for making his life easy and as a status symbol. As they travel abroad or experience global news, they start to crave Western ways of life and means.”

“I am convinced that the market for Western products will grow exponentially over the next few years,” Brothers said. “The plans are for the Chinese to manufacture 35 million vehicles by 2025. That’s twice what the U.S. built in its best year. Only a very few of the owners of all those cars need to be ‘car guys’ for us to have a tremendous market.”

Brothers noted that COMP Cams finds the SEMA trip a good way to keep an eye on the market so that it can be well positioned to move quickly when the market explodes.

“I believe it is going to happen all at once,” he said, “and those of us who have done our homework will do well. Those who follow might not be successful.”

The participating companies and SEMA executives had the opportunity to discuss with Chinese and U.S. government officials based in China a variety of issues and problems that must be addressed in order for the market to achieve its full development, including cracking down with strict enforcement over counterfeiting and other intellectual-property infringements and the need for greater clarity and progress regarding the legalization of specialty-equipment products. There was consensus that only when issues such as these are addressed will distributors and retailers in China be willing to invest in the development of a distribution system supported by firms of sufficient size to grow the market and provide consumers with needed access to leading global brands.

SEMA Vice President of Marketing and Member Services Tom Myroniak traveled to China with the group and noted that there is a large and growing need for education and training among Chinese trade businesses and consumers to assist in the development of the market and increase familiarity with leading U.S. brands and their correct installation.

“It’s clear that the marketplace for specialty products in China is building momentum and that the passion for automobiles is alive and well with a growing base of enthusiasts there,” Myroniak said. “Car owners are hungry for information to help them customize or tune their vehicles, and a surprising number of them are very familiar with SEMA-member brands.”

Florida-based SCT Performance, a manufacturer of electronic control units, concurred that the market can be an important one for high-performance products.

“We believe the market in China is untapped and growing each year,” said an SCT Performance’s Rick Trudo. “It offers a great opportunity for us as we work with the Chinese to develop the performance market.”

Buyers and SEMA exhibitors pose on the steps of the Great Hall of the People prior to the dinner.

Located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square, The Great Hall of the People functions as the People’s Republic of China’s parliament building and is the venue of ceremonial activities.

In addition to the one-on-one meetings, the dinner provided a networking opportunity with buyers. Many SEMA members scheduled additional private meetings with potential customers throughout the week.

William Brekke (fourth from right) and Daniel Green (fourth from left) spent the morning with the SEMA delegation. Following a private briefing in which the group discussed the growing Chinese market as well as the challenges hampering its obtaining its full potential—including a less-than-optimal system of enforcement for counterfeiting and other intellectual-property concerns and the need for additional progress in the creation of pro-industry laws concerning customization—the government officials accompanied the SEMA delegation to the opening of the CIAPE Show and visited the SEMA booth.

Malcolm Johnson (center), CEO of Byrn Dana, heard some pointers from Ray Gross (left), CEO of Powersheen, and Andy Barbieri, vice president of business development at BDS Suspension.

About two-thirds of the participants were also here last year and, as Johnson gratefully noted, freely gave of their time and advice to help those participating on the SEMA China Business Development program for the first time, such as Byrn Dana.

Ben Mizban (left), president and CEO of Southern California-based T-Rex Grilles, spoke with a buyer interested in U.S.- manufactured billet grilles and grille assemblies. Mizban participated in the trip to expand to other markets where his company could increase sales and use SEMA’s muscles to connect and generate leads. He noted that he would be busy with follow up. “The ball is in my court now to follow up and turn some of the contacts I made into actual sales and future distributors,” he said. He is optimistic and believes that his products have great growth potential in the Chinese market.

Marcia Girard (far left), CEO of Girard Systems, and Gerald Pogue (second from left), the firm’s vice president and general manager, talked with buyers about the growing market for RV parks. Girard and Pogue’s research reveals a number of RV parks in the Beijing area, with another 17 under construction in just the surrounding area, providing some short-term opportunities for the firm as demand grows for the enjoyment of the popular American pastime. During a recent interview with SEMA, Wang Jidong, the RV association’s secretary-general noted, “There is a great potential for the growth of the RV market in China.” Jidong noted that change is coming fast in China as local governments and businesses build hundreds of RV camps nationwide.

Ivan Martinez (right), Exeter, Pennsylvania -based Keystone Automotive Operations’ global business development director, provides a light-truck distributor with information on Keystone’s high performance, accessories, wheels, automotive parts, truck accessories and import performance product lines. Martinez, in China with SEMA for the first time, noted that he participated in the China Business Development Program to “learn about the market and explore opportunities” and that, in his view, he sees real growth in the next five years. Martinez noted, “As China develops the taste for American vehicles and has more disposable income, the market should experience a level of expansion.”

David Thawley (second from right), senior manager of eBay Motors, a part of eBay Inc., talked with buyers at the SEMA CIAPE China Business Development Program about the online services the firm can offer to Chinese companies, given eBay’s position as the Internet’s largest marketplace for buying and selling automotive-related products. “We [eBay Motors] had a great and very productive time at the SEMA/CIAPE event,” said Thawley. “Recently, we’ve seen tremendous global growth in online automotive parts and accessories sales, and we are confident that Asia will continue to be a major driver of future growth. With more vehicles sold in China vs. the United States over the past year, the current nascent automotive aftermarket in China has an amazing amount of runway ahead! As a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers globally, and as the largest online retailer of automotive parts and accessories in the world, an event such as SEMA/CIAPE provides a tremendous opportunity for eBay Motors to connect with leaders in the automotive aftermarket. We’ll definitely be back next year!”

Simon Atik (far right), president of Evosport, based in Huntington Beach, California, participated in the SEMA China Business Development program to assess the market for the firm’s aftermarket accessories for BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari. “While the emergence of the aftermarket industry is still in its infancy stages, the obvious potentials are astonishing,” said Atik. “The biggest challenges will be educating the consumers and distributors of our brand, as the skillsets necessary to install and support performance specific products is extremely limited. Having established distribution in China almost a year ago, my primary goals were to meet with our current distribution network of dealers and gain greater clarity on the demands and needs of this growing market. Those goals were very much realized during this trip to a much greater extent with the participation in the SEMA event. There is an overwhelming current demand for our products, the future of which will be determined greatly by how well the Chinese government and legislation embraces this industry and the regulations that surround it.”

As part of the program, each SEMA exhibitor was provided with a turnkey booth and an interpreter for the day. The companies, which represented a broad range of products that included engine performance, interior and exterior appearance products, suspension and handling upgrades and mobile electronics, were kept busy meeting with pre-vetted buyers from throughout China.

The program was designed to minimize costs, with no need to ship large quantities of products. In fact, many companies hand-carried their brochures and samples.

Malcolm Johnson (left), CEO of BrynDana International, participated in this year’s SEMA China Business Development program to explore the market for his company’s spray-on coating products. Johnson obtained a number of solid leads during his time in China. “The notion that U.S. manufacturers cannot export to China has been debunked,” he said. “The Chinese buyers with whom I met in Beijing are young entrepreneurs, and they are asking for high-quality U.S.-manufactured automotive products. SEMA organized a well-planned and highly professional trade show that allowed me to reach these buyers. I will attend this show again next year, along with the upcoming Dubai delegation.”

As consumers seek more powerful engines, the demand for high-performance brakes also grows. This increasing demand brought Jeremy Barras (right), export sales manager for StopTech/Power Slot, back to China to participate for a second year in the SEMA China Business Development Program. Compton, California-based StopTech manufacturers high-performance brake systems and components for the racing and street-performance markets. Its sister company, Power Slot, manufactures high-performance slotted brake rotors.

Zhang Ji (left), director general of the MOFCOM office of mechanical, electrical and high technology, presented SEMA Chairman Paul “Scooter” Brothers (second from left), SEMA Director of International Affairs Linda Spencer and SEMA Vice President of Communications and Events Peter MacGillivray (right) with an award recognizing the longtime partnership between SEMA and the MOFCOM trade show CIAPE. SEMA leadership has been working closely with the ministry to make additional progress in legalizing the use of all specialty-equipment products in China.

Ray Gross (second from right) was excited that the trip has yielded some potentially significant business and that his comfort in doing business in China is growing. He has noticed that his potential Chinese customers are not all that dissimilar from those in the United States. He is optimistic about the prospects for his company in China, noting that the market presented “great possibilities.”

Kenneth Merritt (left), vice president of OEM sales for Oregon-based Bushwacker, provided an overview of the company’s bestselling fender flares and other products for Jeeps and other light trucks to a buyer as the daylong one-on-one meetings got underway. Kim Ziebell, the firm’s executive vice president and CMO, is pictured on the far right.

Christopher Wood (third from right), director of sales, and Mike Messink (third from left), CFO of American Expedition Vehicles, discussed with potential buyers the range of products the company produces for the Jeep Wrangler. Jeeps are very popular in China, with a growing number of off-roading events throughout the rugged Chinese countryside, as well as ventures to more distant locations, such as Nepal and Mongolia. Wood noted, “The combination of increased Jeep Wrangler exports to China and a growing demographic of well-funded Chinese buyers has created steady sales growth for our high-end Jeep accessories. The challenge has just been protecting our brand from copying. There is no question that there is a market in China for our products and those of other 4WD accessory manufacturers. The trick is just protecting one’s IPR in China.”

Steve Outhier (center), director of product planning at Stillwater Designs and Audio Inc. (Kicker), enjoyed speaking with buyers interested in the firm’s mobile electronic products.
“We already sell into China,” said Outhier, “and we see great potential for expansion in this market. The conference helped me better understand the opportunities and challenges we face as we expand our presence. That was my goal for the conference, and I feel it was well met.”

 

Anzo U.S.A.’s General Manager George Lee (third from right) chatted with buyers, many of whom sought out the first-time participant that manufacturers lighting products for cars, trucks and SUVs.

Buyers crowded into the Injen booth during the daylong meetings. Ed Rossi (third from left), Injen’s vice president of sales, spoke with a buyer while Ron Delgado (second from right) spoke to another group. “Once again, we met many Chinese companies,” said Rossi, “and we have very firm plans to open accounts with two or three of them. The program has been fantastic for us.”

Pictured here are Brothers (left) and Green (second left) along with SEMA’s MacGillivray and U.S. government official Brekke (right) who has more than 30 years of experience in Asia. In the background is a project vehicle built by Beijing-based distributor BATT and featuring products from Bushwacker and BDS.

 

Kevin Floody (left), the international business manager for K&N Engineering Inc. and AEM Induction Systems, explained the company’s wide array of high-performance air filter and air intake systems designed for a range of sport-compacts, trucks and SUVs applications to one of the many visitors to K&N’s booth. “China continues to amaze me every time I return,” said Floody. “This market is maturing at such a rapid rate that it is like watching your children grow up. K&N is definitely glad China is part of its global markets.”

Rick Trudo (right), president and CEO of SCT Performance, spoke to an increasing number of buyers seeking SCT’s Ford and GM ECU tuning products and other under-hood products to improve engine performance. Trudo was so positive about the market that SCT has just set up an office in China to service its growing customer base. “SCT participated in the SEMA trip to China because of the success we had in 2010,” said Trudo. “We have added dealers and helped develop a tuner market while working with dealers and customers there. The Chinese continue to learn more and more about the performance industry, and we see a great opportunity for us to work with them and help this market continue to grow.”

Andy Barbieri, vice president of business development at BDS Suspension, met with buyers from Chengdu, China, who were interested in learning about the firm’s lifted suspension systems. “We decided to attend for a second year because of the success of our first trip last year,” Barbieri said. “Our goal was to build on the progress that was made last year. I was very encouraged by the number of new contacts that we met at the 2011 SEMA CIAPE conference and the growth of our existing Chinese customer base.” He is also optimistic about continued growth. “The number of new American vehicles being sold and the ever-increasing interest in customizing those vehicles will fuel the growth of the automotive aftermarket in China over the next five years and beyond,” he said.
SEMA Members Meet With Potential Customers in China, Witness Growing Demand First-Hand
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 09:58

SEMA News—December 2011

Chinese Consumers Seek Specialty Products

U.S. Manufacturers Travel to China to Meet Growing Demand

By Linda Spencer


The SEMA delegation was invited to take part in the opening ceremonies of the China International Auto Parts Expo (CIAPE). Posing with the group were Daniel Green, director of market access and compliance office, U.S. Embassy, Beijing (front row, second from right) and William Brekke, principal commercial officer, American Consulate General, Shanghai (front row, third from right). This is the fifth edition of this trade-only show, which was sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).
A group of SEMA-member manufacturers recently descended on the Chinese capitol of Beijing, for the second annual SEMA China International Auto Parts Expo (CIAPE) China Business Development Program—an intensive three days of networking and one-on-one meetings with Chinese buyers from 24 cities throughout China. The 2011 delegation of U.S. companies represented a broad range of products, including engine performance, interior and exterior appearance products, suspension and handling upgrades and mobile electronics. The goals of the participants included meeting potential customers, getting a better understanding of consumer brand awareness, evaluating distribution channels for their products and identifying vehicles on Chinese roads for which they should develop new product applications.

In addition to the daylong networking and one-on-one meetings, the 30 members of the SEMA delegation had the opportunity to meet with top U.S. Embassy officials, meet for an informal breakfast with Chinese enthusiast press and tour the Chinese Ministry of Commerce-sponsored CIAPE. This year was the fifth for this trade-only event, which featured primarily repair and replacement products but included a new specialty-equipment hall, with the largest exhibitors being distributors of overseas specialty products.

SEMA places a high priority on assisting SEMA-member companies in diversifying their customer bases and facilitating access to the 95% of the world’s customers located outside the United States. For SEMA members, new geographic markets offer opportunities to create new revenue streams and reach new customers. SEMA Vice President of Communications and Events Peter MacGillivray noted that the association actively searches for additional markets where passion, market conditions and vehicle mix indicate good potential for members’ products and increasingly point to emerging markets.

“One of the most promising of these markets is China,” said MacGillivray. “There is no doubt for those who travel to China that the demand is growing among Chinese consumers to customize their vehicles. The SEMA Global Business Development Conference helps to meet the demands of these buyers in emerging markets, such as China’s. Our program facilitates one-on-one meetings between SEMA manufacturers and pre-vetted Chinese distributors and retailers in a hotel-based setting.”

The program allows for quality meetings between serious buyers and member manufactures in a low-cost, turnkey situation. The program is based on the premise that, until a market has a more fully developed distribution system and has achieved a certain level of development, U.S. companies are advised to avoid the typical high costs of exhibiting in a traditional trade show, including but not limited to shipping material, booth costs and the need for significant staff resources.

China offers a population of more than 1.3 billion and growing market sophistication, and participants in the 2011 program were impressed with the speed at which the Chinese market is expanding.

“The market in China is developing at a much quicker rate than we experienced in the United States,” said SEMA Chairman Scooter Brothers, who also serves as the chief operating officer of Tennessee-based COMP Performance Group. “Chinese consumers crave Western style and trends, which are increasingly being reflected in their cars.”

“Trips, such as the SEMA China Business Development Program, are a critical component in our company’s activities to develop a growing range of products to fit vehicles found on Chinese roads,” said Brothers. “This task will soon become easier as the world platform for the OEs is becoming standard. With that, U.S. and Chinese vehicles will become quite similar, making the development of parts much easier, quicker and less expensive.”

SEMA Member Companies Who Exhibited at the 2011 SEMA China Business Development Conference

  • American Expedition Vehicles
  • Anzo U.S.A.
  • BDS Suspension
  • BrynDana International
  • Bushwacker Inc.
  • COMP Performance Group
  • eBay Motors
  • Evosport
  • Girard Systems and Girard
    Products LLC
  • Injen Technology
  • K&N Engineering Inc.
    and AEM Induction Systems
  • Keystone Automotive Operations
  • SCT Performance
  • Sheen Coatings Co./
    Paasch Products Inc.
  • Stillwater Designs and
    Audio Inc. (Kicker)
  • StopTech/Power Slot
  • T-Rex Grilles
Other companies are finding immediate sales.

“I would attribute our success to the fact that China is experiencing an economic boom in its middle- to upper-class markets,” said Ed Rossi, vice president of sales for Injen Technology. “The average young man aspires to own his own car as a means for making his life easy and as a status symbol. As they travel abroad or experience global news, they start to crave Western ways of life and means.”

“I am convinced that the market for Western products will grow exponentially over the next few years,” Brothers said. “The plans are for the Chinese to manufacture 35 million vehicles by 2025. That’s twice what the U.S. built in its best year. Only a very few of the owners of all those cars need to be ‘car guys’ for us to have a tremendous market.”

Brothers noted that COMP Cams finds the SEMA trip a good way to keep an eye on the market so that it can be well positioned to move quickly when the market explodes.

“I believe it is going to happen all at once,” he said, “and those of us who have done our homework will do well. Those who follow might not be successful.”

The participating companies and SEMA executives had the opportunity to discuss with Chinese and U.S. government officials based in China a variety of issues and problems that must be addressed in order for the market to achieve its full development, including cracking down with strict enforcement over counterfeiting and other intellectual-property infringements and the need for greater clarity and progress regarding the legalization of specialty-equipment products. There was consensus that only when issues such as these are addressed will distributors and retailers in China be willing to invest in the development of a distribution system supported by firms of sufficient size to grow the market and provide consumers with needed access to leading global brands.

SEMA Vice President of Marketing and Member Services Tom Myroniak traveled to China with the group and noted that there is a large and growing need for education and training among Chinese trade businesses and consumers to assist in the development of the market and increase familiarity with leading U.S. brands and their correct installation.

“It’s clear that the marketplace for specialty products in China is building momentum and that the passion for automobiles is alive and well with a growing base of enthusiasts there,” Myroniak said. “Car owners are hungry for information to help them customize or tune their vehicles, and a surprising number of them are very familiar with SEMA-member brands.”

Florida-based SCT Performance, a manufacturer of electronic control units, concurred that the market can be an important one for high-performance products.

“We believe the market in China is untapped and growing each year,” said an SCT Performance’s Rick Trudo. “It offers a great opportunity for us as we work with the Chinese to develop the performance market.”

Buyers and SEMA exhibitors pose on the steps of the Great Hall of the People prior to the dinner.

Located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square, The Great Hall of the People functions as the People’s Republic of China’s parliament building and is the venue of ceremonial activities.

In addition to the one-on-one meetings, the dinner provided a networking opportunity with buyers. Many SEMA members scheduled additional private meetings with potential customers throughout the week.

William Brekke (fourth from right) and Daniel Green (fourth from left) spent the morning with the SEMA delegation. Following a private briefing in which the group discussed the growing Chinese market as well as the challenges hampering its obtaining its full potential—including a less-than-optimal system of enforcement for counterfeiting and other intellectual-property concerns and the need for additional progress in the creation of pro-industry laws concerning customization—the government officials accompanied the SEMA delegation to the opening of the CIAPE Show and visited the SEMA booth.

Malcolm Johnson (center), CEO of Byrn Dana, heard some pointers from Ray Gross (left), CEO of Powersheen, and Andy Barbieri, vice president of business development at BDS Suspension.

About two-thirds of the participants were also here last year and, as Johnson gratefully noted, freely gave of their time and advice to help those participating on the SEMA China Business Development program for the first time, such as Byrn Dana.

Ben Mizban (left), president and CEO of Southern California-based T-Rex Grilles, spoke with a buyer interested in U.S.- manufactured billet grilles and grille assemblies. Mizban participated in the trip to expand to other markets where his company could increase sales and use SEMA’s muscles to connect and generate leads. He noted that he would be busy with follow up. “The ball is in my court now to follow up and turn some of the contacts I made into actual sales and future distributors,” he said. He is optimistic and believes that his products have great growth potential in the Chinese market.

Marcia Girard (far left), CEO of Girard Systems, and Gerald Pogue (second from left), the firm’s vice president and general manager, talked with buyers about the growing market for RV parks. Girard and Pogue’s research reveals a number of RV parks in the Beijing area, with another 17 under construction in just the surrounding area, providing some short-term opportunities for the firm as demand grows for the enjoyment of the popular American pastime. During a recent interview with SEMA, Wang Jidong, the RV association’s secretary-general noted, “There is a great potential for the growth of the RV market in China.” Jidong noted that change is coming fast in China as local governments and businesses build hundreds of RV camps nationwide.

Ivan Martinez (right), Exeter, Pennsylvania -based Keystone Automotive Operations’ global business development director, provides a light-truck distributor with information on Keystone’s high performance, accessories, wheels, automotive parts, truck accessories and import performance product lines. Martinez, in China with SEMA for the first time, noted that he participated in the China Business Development Program to “learn about the market and explore opportunities” and that, in his view, he sees real growth in the next five years. Martinez noted, “As China develops the taste for American vehicles and has more disposable income, the market should experience a level of expansion.”

David Thawley (second from right), senior manager of eBay Motors, a part of eBay Inc., talked with buyers at the SEMA CIAPE China Business Development Program about the online services the firm can offer to Chinese companies, given eBay’s position as the Internet’s largest marketplace for buying and selling automotive-related products. “We [eBay Motors] had a great and very productive time at the SEMA/CIAPE event,” said Thawley. “Recently, we’ve seen tremendous global growth in online automotive parts and accessories sales, and we are confident that Asia will continue to be a major driver of future growth. With more vehicles sold in China vs. the United States over the past year, the current nascent automotive aftermarket in China has an amazing amount of runway ahead! As a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers globally, and as the largest online retailer of automotive parts and accessories in the world, an event such as SEMA/CIAPE provides a tremendous opportunity for eBay Motors to connect with leaders in the automotive aftermarket. We’ll definitely be back next year!”

Simon Atik (far right), president of Evosport, based in Huntington Beach, California, participated in the SEMA China Business Development program to assess the market for the firm’s aftermarket accessories for BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari. “While the emergence of the aftermarket industry is still in its infancy stages, the obvious potentials are astonishing,” said Atik. “The biggest challenges will be educating the consumers and distributors of our brand, as the skillsets necessary to install and support performance specific products is extremely limited. Having established distribution in China almost a year ago, my primary goals were to meet with our current distribution network of dealers and gain greater clarity on the demands and needs of this growing market. Those goals were very much realized during this trip to a much greater extent with the participation in the SEMA event. There is an overwhelming current demand for our products, the future of which will be determined greatly by how well the Chinese government and legislation embraces this industry and the regulations that surround it.”

As part of the program, each SEMA exhibitor was provided with a turnkey booth and an interpreter for the day. The companies, which represented a broad range of products that included engine performance, interior and exterior appearance products, suspension and handling upgrades and mobile electronics, were kept busy meeting with pre-vetted buyers from throughout China.

The program was designed to minimize costs, with no need to ship large quantities of products. In fact, many companies hand-carried their brochures and samples.

Malcolm Johnson (left), CEO of BrynDana International, participated in this year’s SEMA China Business Development program to explore the market for his company’s spray-on coating products. Johnson obtained a number of solid leads during his time in China. “The notion that U.S. manufacturers cannot export to China has been debunked,” he said. “The Chinese buyers with whom I met in Beijing are young entrepreneurs, and they are asking for high-quality U.S.-manufactured automotive products. SEMA organized a well-planned and highly professional trade show that allowed me to reach these buyers. I will attend this show again next year, along with the upcoming Dubai delegation.”

As consumers seek more powerful engines, the demand for high-performance brakes also grows. This increasing demand brought Jeremy Barras (right), export sales manager for StopTech/Power Slot, back to China to participate for a second year in the SEMA China Business Development Program. Compton, California-based StopTech manufacturers high-performance brake systems and components for the racing and street-performance markets. Its sister company, Power Slot, manufactures high-performance slotted brake rotors.

Zhang Ji (left), director general of the MOFCOM office of mechanical, electrical and high technology, presented SEMA Chairman Paul “Scooter” Brothers (second from left), SEMA Director of International Affairs Linda Spencer and SEMA Vice President of Communications and Events Peter MacGillivray (right) with an award recognizing the longtime partnership between SEMA and the MOFCOM trade show CIAPE. SEMA leadership has been working closely with the ministry to make additional progress in legalizing the use of all specialty-equipment products in China.

Ray Gross (second from right) was excited that the trip has yielded some potentially significant business and that his comfort in doing business in China is growing. He has noticed that his potential Chinese customers are not all that dissimilar from those in the United States. He is optimistic about the prospects for his company in China, noting that the market presented “great possibilities.”

Kenneth Merritt (left), vice president of OEM sales for Oregon-based Bushwacker, provided an overview of the company’s bestselling fender flares and other products for Jeeps and other light trucks to a buyer as the daylong one-on-one meetings got underway. Kim Ziebell, the firm’s executive vice president and CMO, is pictured on the far right.

Christopher Wood (third from right), director of sales, and Mike Messink (third from left), CFO of American Expedition Vehicles, discussed with potential buyers the range of products the company produces for the Jeep Wrangler. Jeeps are very popular in China, with a growing number of off-roading events throughout the rugged Chinese countryside, as well as ventures to more distant locations, such as Nepal and Mongolia. Wood noted, “The combination of increased Jeep Wrangler exports to China and a growing demographic of well-funded Chinese buyers has created steady sales growth for our high-end Jeep accessories. The challenge has just been protecting our brand from copying. There is no question that there is a market in China for our products and those of other 4WD accessory manufacturers. The trick is just protecting one’s IPR in China.”

Steve Outhier (center), director of product planning at Stillwater Designs and Audio Inc. (Kicker), enjoyed speaking with buyers interested in the firm’s mobile electronic products.
“We already sell into China,” said Outhier, “and we see great potential for expansion in this market. The conference helped me better understand the opportunities and challenges we face as we expand our presence. That was my goal for the conference, and I feel it was well met.”

 

Anzo U.S.A.’s General Manager George Lee (third from right) chatted with buyers, many of whom sought out the first-time participant that manufacturers lighting products for cars, trucks and SUVs.

Buyers crowded into the Injen booth during the daylong meetings. Ed Rossi (third from left), Injen’s vice president of sales, spoke with a buyer while Ron Delgado (second from right) spoke to another group. “Once again, we met many Chinese companies,” said Rossi, “and we have very firm plans to open accounts with two or three of them. The program has been fantastic for us.”

Pictured here are Brothers (left) and Green (second left) along with SEMA’s MacGillivray and U.S. government official Brekke (right) who has more than 30 years of experience in Asia. In the background is a project vehicle built by Beijing-based distributor BATT and featuring products from Bushwacker and BDS.

 

Kevin Floody (left), the international business manager for K&N Engineering Inc. and AEM Induction Systems, explained the company’s wide array of high-performance air filter and air intake systems designed for a range of sport-compacts, trucks and SUVs applications to one of the many visitors to K&N’s booth. “China continues to amaze me every time I return,” said Floody. “This market is maturing at such a rapid rate that it is like watching your children grow up. K&N is definitely glad China is part of its global markets.”

Rick Trudo (right), president and CEO of SCT Performance, spoke to an increasing number of buyers seeking SCT’s Ford and GM ECU tuning products and other under-hood products to improve engine performance. Trudo was so positive about the market that SCT has just set up an office in China to service its growing customer base. “SCT participated in the SEMA trip to China because of the success we had in 2010,” said Trudo. “We have added dealers and helped develop a tuner market while working with dealers and customers there. The Chinese continue to learn more and more about the performance industry, and we see a great opportunity for us to work with them and help this market continue to grow.”

Andy Barbieri, vice president of business development at BDS Suspension, met with buyers from Chengdu, China, who were interested in learning about the firm’s lifted suspension systems. “We decided to attend for a second year because of the success of our first trip last year,” Barbieri said. “Our goal was to build on the progress that was made last year. I was very encouraged by the number of new contacts that we met at the 2011 SEMA CIAPE conference and the growth of our existing Chinese customer base.” He is also optimistic about continued growth. “The number of new American vehicles being sold and the ever-increasing interest in customizing those vehicles will fuel the growth of the automotive aftermarket in China over the next five years and beyond,” he said.
SEMA Members Meet With Potential Customers in China, Witness Growing Demand First-Hand
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 09:58

SEMA News—December 2011

Chinese Consumers Seek Specialty Products

U.S. Manufacturers Travel to China to Meet Growing Demand

By Linda Spencer


The SEMA delegation was invited to take part in the opening ceremonies of the China International Auto Parts Expo (CIAPE). Posing with the group were Daniel Green, director of market access and compliance office, U.S. Embassy, Beijing (front row, second from right) and William Brekke, principal commercial officer, American Consulate General, Shanghai (front row, third from right). This is the fifth edition of this trade-only show, which was sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).
A group of SEMA-member manufacturers recently descended on the Chinese capitol of Beijing, for the second annual SEMA China International Auto Parts Expo (CIAPE) China Business Development Program—an intensive three days of networking and one-on-one meetings with Chinese buyers from 24 cities throughout China. The 2011 delegation of U.S. companies represented a broad range of products, including engine performance, interior and exterior appearance products, suspension and handling upgrades and mobile electronics. The goals of the participants included meeting potential customers, getting a better understanding of consumer brand awareness, evaluating distribution channels for their products and identifying vehicles on Chinese roads for which they should develop new product applications.

In addition to the daylong networking and one-on-one meetings, the 30 members of the SEMA delegation had the opportunity to meet with top U.S. Embassy officials, meet for an informal breakfast with Chinese enthusiast press and tour the Chinese Ministry of Commerce-sponsored CIAPE. This year was the fifth for this trade-only event, which featured primarily repair and replacement products but included a new specialty-equipment hall, with the largest exhibitors being distributors of overseas specialty products.

SEMA places a high priority on assisting SEMA-member companies in diversifying their customer bases and facilitating access to the 95% of the world’s customers located outside the United States. For SEMA members, new geographic markets offer opportunities to create new revenue streams and reach new customers. SEMA Vice President of Communications and Events Peter MacGillivray noted that the association actively searches for additional markets where passion, market conditions and vehicle mix indicate good potential for members’ products and increasingly point to emerging markets.

“One of the most promising of these markets is China,” said MacGillivray. “There is no doubt for those who travel to China that the demand is growing among Chinese consumers to customize their vehicles. The SEMA Global Business Development Conference helps to meet the demands of these buyers in emerging markets, such as China’s. Our program facilitates one-on-one meetings between SEMA manufacturers and pre-vetted Chinese distributors and retailers in a hotel-based setting.”

The program allows for quality meetings between serious buyers and member manufactures in a low-cost, turnkey situation. The program is based on the premise that, until a market has a more fully developed distribution system and has achieved a certain level of development, U.S. companies are advised to avoid the typical high costs of exhibiting in a traditional trade show, including but not limited to shipping material, booth costs and the need for significant staff resources.

China offers a population of more than 1.3 billion and growing market sophistication, and participants in the 2011 program were impressed with the speed at which the Chinese market is expanding.

“The market in China is developing at a much quicker rate than we experienced in the United States,” said SEMA Chairman Scooter Brothers, who also serves as the chief operating officer of Tennessee-based COMP Performance Group. “Chinese consumers crave Western style and trends, which are increasingly being reflected in their cars.”

“Trips, such as the SEMA China Business Development Program, are a critical component in our company’s activities to develop a growing range of products to fit vehicles found on Chinese roads,” said Brothers. “This task will soon become easier as the world platform for the OEs is becoming standard. With that, U.S. and Chinese vehicles will become quite similar, making the development of parts much easier, quicker and less expensive.”

SEMA Member Companies Who Exhibited at the 2011 SEMA China Business Development Conference

  • American Expedition Vehicles
  • Anzo U.S.A.
  • BDS Suspension
  • BrynDana International
  • Bushwacker Inc.
  • COMP Performance Group
  • eBay Motors
  • Evosport
  • Girard Systems and Girard
    Products LLC
  • Injen Technology
  • K&N Engineering Inc.
    and AEM Induction Systems
  • Keystone Automotive Operations
  • SCT Performance
  • Sheen Coatings Co./
    Paasch Products Inc.
  • Stillwater Designs and
    Audio Inc. (Kicker)
  • StopTech/Power Slot
  • T-Rex Grilles
Other companies are finding immediate sales.

“I would attribute our success to the fact that China is experiencing an economic boom in its middle- to upper-class markets,” said Ed Rossi, vice president of sales for Injen Technology. “The average young man aspires to own his own car as a means for making his life easy and as a status symbol. As they travel abroad or experience global news, they start to crave Western ways of life and means.”

“I am convinced that the market for Western products will grow exponentially over the next few years,” Brothers said. “The plans are for the Chinese to manufacture 35 million vehicles by 2025. That’s twice what the U.S. built in its best year. Only a very few of the owners of all those cars need to be ‘car guys’ for us to have a tremendous market.”

Brothers noted that COMP Cams finds the SEMA trip a good way to keep an eye on the market so that it can be well positioned to move quickly when the market explodes.

“I believe it is going to happen all at once,” he said, “and those of us who have done our homework will do well. Those who follow might not be successful.”

The participating companies and SEMA executives had the opportunity to discuss with Chinese and U.S. government officials based in China a variety of issues and problems that must be addressed in order for the market to achieve its full development, including cracking down with strict enforcement over counterfeiting and other intellectual-property infringements and the need for greater clarity and progress regarding the legalization of specialty-equipment products. There was consensus that only when issues such as these are addressed will distributors and retailers in China be willing to invest in the development of a distribution system supported by firms of sufficient size to grow the market and provide consumers with needed access to leading global brands.

SEMA Vice President of Marketing and Member Services Tom Myroniak traveled to China with the group and noted that there is a large and growing need for education and training among Chinese trade businesses and consumers to assist in the development of the market and increase familiarity with leading U.S. brands and their correct installation.

“It’s clear that the marketplace for specialty products in China is building momentum and that the passion for automobiles is alive and well with a growing base of enthusiasts there,” Myroniak said. “Car owners are hungry for information to help them customize or tune their vehicles, and a surprising number of them are very familiar with SEMA-member brands.”

Florida-based SCT Performance, a manufacturer of electronic control units, concurred that the market can be an important one for high-performance products.

“We believe the market in China is untapped and growing each year,” said an SCT Performance’s Rick Trudo. “It offers a great opportunity for us as we work with the Chinese to develop the performance market.”

Buyers and SEMA exhibitors pose on the steps of the Great Hall of the People prior to the dinner.

Located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square, The Great Hall of the People functions as the People’s Republic of China’s parliament building and is the venue of ceremonial activities.

In addition to the one-on-one meetings, the dinner provided a networking opportunity with buyers. Many SEMA members scheduled additional private meetings with potential customers throughout the week.

William Brekke (fourth from right) and Daniel Green (fourth from left) spent the morning with the SEMA delegation. Following a private briefing in which the group discussed the growing Chinese market as well as the challenges hampering its obtaining its full potential—including a less-than-optimal system of enforcement for counterfeiting and other intellectual-property concerns and the need for additional progress in the creation of pro-industry laws concerning customization—the government officials accompanied the SEMA delegation to the opening of the CIAPE Show and visited the SEMA booth.

Malcolm Johnson (center), CEO of Byrn Dana, heard some pointers from Ray Gross (left), CEO of Powersheen, and Andy Barbieri, vice president of business development at BDS Suspension.

About two-thirds of the participants were also here last year and, as Johnson gratefully noted, freely gave of their time and advice to help those participating on the SEMA China Business Development program for the first time, such as Byrn Dana.

Ben Mizban (left), president and CEO of Southern California-based T-Rex Grilles, spoke with a buyer interested in U.S.- manufactured billet grilles and grille assemblies. Mizban participated in the trip to expand to other markets where his company could increase sales and use SEMA’s muscles to connect and generate leads. He noted that he would be busy with follow up. “The ball is in my court now to follow up and turn some of the contacts I made into actual sales and future distributors,” he said. He is optimistic and believes that his products have great growth potential in the Chinese market.

Marcia Girard (far left), CEO of Girard Systems, and Gerald Pogue (second from left), the firm’s vice president and general manager, talked with buyers about the growing market for RV parks. Girard and Pogue’s research reveals a number of RV parks in the Beijing area, with another 17 under construction in just the surrounding area, providing some short-term opportunities for the firm as demand grows for the enjoyment of the popular American pastime. During a recent interview with SEMA, Wang Jidong, the RV association’s secretary-general noted, “There is a great potential for the growth of the RV market in China.” Jidong noted that change is coming fast in China as local governments and businesses build hundreds of RV camps nationwide.

Ivan Martinez (right), Exeter, Pennsylvania -based Keystone Automotive Operations’ global business development director, provides a light-truck distributor with information on Keystone’s high performance, accessories, wheels, automotive parts, truck accessories and import performance product lines. Martinez, in China with SEMA for the first time, noted that he participated in the China Business Development Program to “learn about the market and explore opportunities” and that, in his view, he sees real growth in the next five years. Martinez noted, “As China develops the taste for American vehicles and has more disposable income, the market should experience a level of expansion.”

David Thawley (second from right), senior manager of eBay Motors, a part of eBay Inc., talked with buyers at the SEMA CIAPE China Business Development Program about the online services the firm can offer to Chinese companies, given eBay’s position as the Internet’s largest marketplace for buying and selling automotive-related products. “We [eBay Motors] had a great and very productive time at the SEMA/CIAPE event,” said Thawley. “Recently, we’ve seen tremendous global growth in online automotive parts and accessories sales, and we are confident that Asia will continue to be a major driver of future growth. With more vehicles sold in China vs. the United States over the past year, the current nascent automotive aftermarket in China has an amazing amount of runway ahead! As a marketplace that connects buyers and sellers globally, and as the largest online retailer of automotive parts and accessories in the world, an event such as SEMA/CIAPE provides a tremendous opportunity for eBay Motors to connect with leaders in the automotive aftermarket. We’ll definitely be back next year!”

Simon Atik (far right), president of Evosport, based in Huntington Beach, California, participated in the SEMA China Business Development program to assess the market for the firm’s aftermarket accessories for BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari. “While the emergence of the aftermarket industry is still in its infancy stages, the obvious potentials are astonishing,” said Atik. “The biggest challenges will be educating the consumers and distributors of our brand, as the skillsets necessary to install and support performance specific products is extremely limited. Having established distribution in China almost a year ago, my primary goals were to meet with our current distribution network of dealers and gain greater clarity on the demands and needs of this growing market. Those goals were very much realized during this trip to a much greater extent with the participation in the SEMA event. There is an overwhelming current demand for our products, the future of which will be determined greatly by how well the Chinese government and legislation embraces this industry and the regulations that surround it.”

As part of the program, each SEMA exhibitor was provided with a turnkey booth and an interpreter for the day. The companies, which represented a broad range of products that included engine performance, interior and exterior appearance products, suspension and handling upgrades and mobile electronics, were kept busy meeting with pre-vetted buyers from throughout China.

The program was designed to minimize costs, with no need to ship large quantities of products. In fact, many companies hand-carried their brochures and samples.

Malcolm Johnson (left), CEO of BrynDana International, participated in this year’s SEMA China Business Development program to explore the market for his company’s spray-on coating products. Johnson obtained a number of solid leads during his time in China. “The notion that U.S. manufacturers cannot export to China has been debunked,” he said. “The Chinese buyers with whom I met in Beijing are young entrepreneurs, and they are asking for high-quality U.S.-manufactured automotive products. SEMA organized a well-planned and highly professional trade show that allowed me to reach these buyers. I will attend this show again next year, along with the upcoming Dubai delegation.”

As consumers seek more powerful engines, the demand for high-performance brakes also grows. This increasing demand brought Jeremy Barras (right), export sales manager for StopTech/Power Slot, back to China to participate for a second year in the SEMA China Business Development Program. Compton, California-based StopTech manufacturers high-performance brake systems and components for the racing and street-performance markets. Its sister company, Power Slot, manufactures high-performance slotted brake rotors.

Zhang Ji (left), director general of the MOFCOM office of mechanical, electrical and high technology, presented SEMA Chairman Paul “Scooter” Brothers (second from left), SEMA Director of International Affairs Linda Spencer and SEMA Vice President of Communications and Events Peter MacGillivray (right) with an award recognizing the longtime partnership between SEMA and the MOFCOM trade show CIAPE. SEMA leadership has been working closely with the ministry to make additional progress in legalizing the use of all specialty-equipment products in China.

Ray Gross (second from right) was excited that the trip has yielded some potentially significant business and that his comfort in doing business in China is growing. He has noticed that his potential Chinese customers are not all that dissimilar from those in the United States. He is optimistic about the prospects for his company in China, noting that the market presented “great possibilities.”

Kenneth Merritt (left), vice president of OEM sales for Oregon-based Bushwacker, provided an overview of the company’s bestselling fender flares and other products for Jeeps and other light trucks to a buyer as the daylong one-on-one meetings got underway. Kim Ziebell, the firm’s executive vice president and CMO, is pictured on the far right.

Christopher Wood (third from right), director of sales, and Mike Messink (third from left), CFO of American Expedition Vehicles, discussed with potential buyers the range of products the company produces for the Jeep Wrangler. Jeeps are very popular in China, with a growing number of off-roading events throughout the rugged Chinese countryside, as well as ventures to more distant locations, such as Nepal and Mongolia. Wood noted, “The combination of increased Jeep Wrangler exports to China and a growing demographic of well-funded Chinese buyers has created steady sales growth for our high-end Jeep accessories. The challenge has just been protecting our brand from copying. There is no question that there is a market in China for our products and those of other 4WD accessory manufacturers. The trick is just protecting one’s IPR in China.”

Steve Outhier (center), director of product planning at Stillwater Designs and Audio Inc. (Kicker), enjoyed speaking with buyers interested in the firm’s mobile electronic products.
“We already sell into China,” said Outhier, “and we see great potential for expansion in this market. The conference helped me better understand the opportunities and challenges we face as we expand our presence. That was my goal for the conference, and I feel it was well met.”

 

Anzo U.S.A.’s General Manager George Lee (third from right) chatted with buyers, many of whom sought out the first-time participant that manufacturers lighting products for cars, trucks and SUVs.

Buyers crowded into the Injen booth during the daylong meetings. Ed Rossi (third from left), Injen’s vice president of sales, spoke with a buyer while Ron Delgado (second from right) spoke to another group. “Once again, we met many Chinese companies,” said Rossi, “and we have very firm plans to open accounts with two or three of them. The program has been fantastic for us.”

Pictured here are Brothers (left) and Green (second left) along with SEMA’s MacGillivray and U.S. government official Brekke (right) who has more than 30 years of experience in Asia. In the background is a project vehicle built by Beijing-based distributor BATT and featuring products from Bushwacker and BDS.

 

Kevin Floody (left), the international business manager for K&N Engineering Inc. and AEM Induction Systems, explained the company’s wide array of high-performance air filter and air intake systems designed for a range of sport-compacts, trucks and SUVs applications to one of the many visitors to K&N’s booth. “China continues to amaze me every time I return,” said Floody. “This market is maturing at such a rapid rate that it is like watching your children grow up. K&N is definitely glad China is part of its global markets.”

Rick Trudo (right), president and CEO of SCT Performance, spoke to an increasing number of buyers seeking SCT’s Ford and GM ECU tuning products and other under-hood products to improve engine performance. Trudo was so positive about the market that SCT has just set up an office in China to service its growing customer base. “SCT participated in the SEMA trip to China because of the success we had in 2010,” said Trudo. “We have added dealers and helped develop a tuner market while working with dealers and customers there. The Chinese continue to learn more and more about the performance industry, and we see a great opportunity for us to work with them and help this market continue to grow.”

Andy Barbieri, vice president of business development at BDS Suspension, met with buyers from Chengdu, China, who were interested in learning about the firm’s lifted suspension systems. “We decided to attend for a second year because of the success of our first trip last year,” Barbieri said. “Our goal was to build on the progress that was made last year. I was very encouraged by the number of new contacts that we met at the 2011 SEMA CIAPE conference and the growth of our existing Chinese customer base.” He is also optimistic about continued growth. “The number of new American vehicles being sold and the ever-increasing interest in customizing those vehicles will fuel the growth of the automotive aftermarket in China over the next five years and beyond,” he said.
2011 Leadership Days: Celebrating and Strengthening the Industry
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 09:52

SEMA News—December 2011

EVENTS

2011 SEMA Leadership Days

Three Days Brimming With Passion, Education and Service


Leadership Days allowed newly elected council leadership to meet and brainstorm on vital issues affecting the entire specialty-equipment aftermarket.
As the automotive aftermarket’s foremost trade association, SEMA is a reflection of the aspirations, vision and creative thinking of its vast membership. However, bringing the industry together for the good of all its businesses requires tremendous time and energy. Key to the association’s mission and growth are industry leaders and volunteers who tirelessly give of themselves to serve on the SEMA Board of Directors and member councils. To recognize these individuals and to encourage the emergence of other industry volunteers to join their ranks, SEMA presented its annual Leadership Days program on Wednesday, July 27, through Friday, July 29.

For the SEMA membership at large, this year’s Leadership Days launched with the highly attended Business Technology Symposium on July 27. The popular charity SEMA Pinewood Drag Races—Presented by eBay Motors, then made its annual return on July 29, demonstrating the industry’s desire to take a lead in giving back to communities. Finally, the celebration of leadership and volunteerism closed with the yearly SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser reception and dinner later that evening—always an industry highpoint. Various council, executive and Board meetings were also held concurrently throughout the three-day program.

The following is a SEMA News recap of Leadership Days’ high points.

SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser Honors Industry Leaders

Hundreds of leaders and professionals from the automotive specialty-equipment industry gathered to honor noteworthy icons and volunteers during the 2011 SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, California. Traditionally, the culmination of SEMA Leadership Days, the annual event once again served as the industry’s premier celebration, with SEMA’s newly elected Board of Directors sworn in and four industry icons officially inducted into the trade association’s prestigious Hall of Fame.

“The Installation Banquet & Gala Fund-raiser has always been a special time to pay tribute to the individuals who are working to support and grow the industry and the association,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “I always look forward to the event. It really is a homecoming where industry friends and colleagues gather, swap stories and show their appreciation to the SEMA Board of Directors and Hall of Fame members.”


SEMA Board Chairman Scooter Brothers (left) and President and CEO Chris Kersting (right) also thanked outgoing Board members, such as Source Interlink Media’s Doug Evans, for their service during the annual industry night gala.

The Gala Banquet also honored automotive legends Gray Baskerville, Art Chrisman, Chris Economaki and John Towle with induction into SEMA’s prestigious Hall of Fame.
The event began with a 6:00 p.m. cocktail gathering, where attendees were able to mix and mingle with other industry professionals, leaders and VIPs. During the sit-down dinner that followed, SEMA’s leadership torch was passed from outgoing Chairman of the Board Rick Rollins of Rollins Performance Companies to Paul “Scooter” Brothers of COMP Performance Group, who will serve a two-year term.

Emcee Dave McClelland hosted the ceremonies that also welcomed the newly elected SEMA Board of Directors, which included Tim Martin of K&N Engineering, Steve Wolcott of ProMedia LLC, Jim Chick of Bestop Inc., J.R. Moore of Performance Warehouse and Greg Adler of Transamerican Auto Parts.

In addition, Nate Shelton of B&M Automotive Group became the new SEMA Chairman-Elect and outgoing Board members Laurel Dasher of Superchips, Zan Martin of Martin & Co. Advertising, Tony Napoli of American Speed Centers, Doug Evans of Source Interlink Media and Ernie Silvers of Egge Machine Co. Inc. were honored and thanked for their substantial contributions to
the industry.

Also, as in prior years, SEMA Hall of Fame inductions formed a major part of the 2011 dinner festivities, with Gray Baskerville, Art Chrisman, Chris Economaki and John Towle welcomed into the roll call of industry elite.

2011 SEMA Business Technology Symposium Delivers Insight

As part of Leadership Days, SEMA helped automotive businesses understand the latest technology trends and opportunities at the annual Business Technology Symposium, July 27, at Long Beach, California’s, Renaissance Hotel. Throughout the daylong gathering, Business Technology Symposium participants learned proven strategies and best practices from experts in the fields of online marketing, multimedia sales and eCommerce to become more productive online.

Developed by SEMA’s Street Performance Council (SPC), the event has become a prime business development forum offering several unique opportunities to gain competitive advantages through the implementation of effective technology-based strategies.

Official Results HRIA Builders Challenge
Winner: Street Vizions
Runner-Up: Rich Evans

Unlimited Class
Winner: Mitch Williams
Runner-Up: eBay Motors

Grand National Trophy
(fastest time of the meet)
Mitch Williams: 2.85 seconds

Modified Class
Winner: Tony Schumacher

Stock Class
Winner: Justin Hoffend

Build it For Me Class
Winner: Justin Hoffend

SEMA Council Cup
Winner: Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council

“Given today’s competitive marketplace, companies are relying more and more on emerging technologies for brand building, lead generation and, in some cases, as a primary source of commerce,” said Tyler Tanaka, vice president of business development at PostRelease, which, along with the SPC, was a key symposium organizer. “Technology is continuing to revolutionize the way business is conducted in the automotive aftermarket, and our members’ businesses are ever changing as a result. We wanted to give them the necessary tools to be prepared, understand and take advantage of the potential opportunities that exist while doing business in today’s digital world.”

Steve Yankovich, eBay vice president of Mobile, delivered the day’s keynote address, which focused on how the mobile medium has become increasingly influential in automotive purchases. Business technology supersessions also covered a diverse range of topics under five main conference titles: Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials; Mobile’s Role in the Automotive Aftermarket; Connecting With Customers: Effective Content Marketing; Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads to Win More Customers; and Product Design and Manufacturing Technology That Could Change the Aftermarket.
“SEMA members are really engaged in furthering their marketing education,” said Kirsten Knipp, director of product evangelism with HubSpot, who was a speaker for the Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads session. “Because specialty products and services benefit disproportionately from getting found online via inbound marketing, it was gratifying to be able to share new data about search, social media and even modern middle-of-the-funnel marketing optimization with this group.”

Many Business Technology Symposium attendees agreed with the need for the sort of ongoing technological education the symposium offers each year.

“I first attended the Business Technical Symposium two years ago when social media was a new territory that the industry began exploring as a marketing tool,” said Cheralyn Smith of Advanced Clutch Technology Inc. (ACT). “I was able to bring some valuable practices to the office that we still use every day at ACT. This year, I had the opportunity to be on the Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials panel. That really gave me a chance to share our experiences, hear what is working for other companies and get an inside perspective on how social media continues to grow and transform marketing in the industry.”

“During challenging economic times, the automotive aftermarket requires an extra gear to compete, sustain and grow, and the Business Technology Symposium very much complied with the business savvy necessary to rise in the aftermarket business environment,” added Dick Dixon, director of the International Motorsports Alliance at California State University San Bernardino, who also attended the event.

2011 Leadership Days: Celebrating and Strengthening the Industry
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 09:52

SEMA News—December 2011

EVENTS

2011 SEMA Leadership Days

Three Days Brimming With Passion, Education and Service


Leadership Days allowed newly elected council leadership to meet and brainstorm on vital issues affecting the entire specialty-equipment aftermarket.
As the automotive aftermarket’s foremost trade association, SEMA is a reflection of the aspirations, vision and creative thinking of its vast membership. However, bringing the industry together for the good of all its businesses requires tremendous time and energy. Key to the association’s mission and growth are industry leaders and volunteers who tirelessly give of themselves to serve on the SEMA Board of Directors and member councils. To recognize these individuals and to encourage the emergence of other industry volunteers to join their ranks, SEMA presented its annual Leadership Days program on Wednesday, July 27, through Friday, July 29.

For the SEMA membership at large, this year’s Leadership Days launched with the highly attended Business Technology Symposium on July 27. The popular charity SEMA Pinewood Drag Races—Presented by eBay Motors, then made its annual return on July 29, demonstrating the industry’s desire to take a lead in giving back to communities. Finally, the celebration of leadership and volunteerism closed with the yearly SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser reception and dinner later that evening—always an industry highpoint. Various council, executive and Board meetings were also held concurrently throughout the three-day program.

The following is a SEMA News recap of Leadership Days’ high points.

SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser Honors Industry Leaders

Hundreds of leaders and professionals from the automotive specialty-equipment industry gathered to honor noteworthy icons and volunteers during the 2011 SEMA Installation Banquet & Gala Fundraiser at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, California. Traditionally, the culmination of SEMA Leadership Days, the annual event once again served as the industry’s premier celebration, with SEMA’s newly elected Board of Directors sworn in and four industry icons officially inducted into the trade association’s prestigious Hall of Fame.

“The Installation Banquet & Gala Fund-raiser has always been a special time to pay tribute to the individuals who are working to support and grow the industry and the association,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “I always look forward to the event. It really is a homecoming where industry friends and colleagues gather, swap stories and show their appreciation to the SEMA Board of Directors and Hall of Fame members.”


SEMA Board Chairman Scooter Brothers (left) and President and CEO Chris Kersting (right) also thanked outgoing Board members, such as Source Interlink Media’s Doug Evans, for their service during the annual industry night gala.

The Gala Banquet also honored automotive legends Gray Baskerville, Art Chrisman, Chris Economaki and John Towle with induction into SEMA’s prestigious Hall of Fame.
The event began with a 6:00 p.m. cocktail gathering, where attendees were able to mix and mingle with other industry professionals, leaders and VIPs. During the sit-down dinner that followed, SEMA’s leadership torch was passed from outgoing Chairman of the Board Rick Rollins of Rollins Performance Companies to Paul “Scooter” Brothers of COMP Performance Group, who will serve a two-year term.

Emcee Dave McClelland hosted the ceremonies that also welcomed the newly elected SEMA Board of Directors, which included Tim Martin of K&N Engineering, Steve Wolcott of ProMedia LLC, Jim Chick of Bestop Inc., J.R. Moore of Performance Warehouse and Greg Adler of Transamerican Auto Parts.

In addition, Nate Shelton of B&M Automotive Group became the new SEMA Chairman-Elect and outgoing Board members Laurel Dasher of Superchips, Zan Martin of Martin & Co. Advertising, Tony Napoli of American Speed Centers, Doug Evans of Source Interlink Media and Ernie Silvers of Egge Machine Co. Inc. were honored and thanked for their substantial contributions to
the industry.

Also, as in prior years, SEMA Hall of Fame inductions formed a major part of the 2011 dinner festivities, with Gray Baskerville, Art Chrisman, Chris Economaki and John Towle welcomed into the roll call of industry elite.

2011 SEMA Business Technology Symposium Delivers Insight

As part of Leadership Days, SEMA helped automotive businesses understand the latest technology trends and opportunities at the annual Business Technology Symposium, July 27, at Long Beach, California’s, Renaissance Hotel. Throughout the daylong gathering, Business Technology Symposium participants learned proven strategies and best practices from experts in the fields of online marketing, multimedia sales and eCommerce to become more productive online.

Developed by SEMA’s Street Performance Council (SPC), the event has become a prime business development forum offering several unique opportunities to gain competitive advantages through the implementation of effective technology-based strategies.

Official Results HRIA Builders Challenge
Winner: Street Vizions
Runner-Up: Rich Evans

Unlimited Class
Winner: Mitch Williams
Runner-Up: eBay Motors

Grand National Trophy
(fastest time of the meet)
Mitch Williams: 2.85 seconds

Modified Class
Winner: Tony Schumacher

Stock Class
Winner: Justin Hoffend

Build it For Me Class
Winner: Justin Hoffend

SEMA Council Cup
Winner: Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council

“Given today’s competitive marketplace, companies are relying more and more on emerging technologies for brand building, lead generation and, in some cases, as a primary source of commerce,” said Tyler Tanaka, vice president of business development at PostRelease, which, along with the SPC, was a key symposium organizer. “Technology is continuing to revolutionize the way business is conducted in the automotive aftermarket, and our members’ businesses are ever changing as a result. We wanted to give them the necessary tools to be prepared, understand and take advantage of the potential opportunities that exist while doing business in today’s digital world.”

Steve Yankovich, eBay vice president of Mobile, delivered the day’s keynote address, which focused on how the mobile medium has become increasingly influential in automotive purchases. Business technology supersessions also covered a diverse range of topics under five main conference titles: Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials; Mobile’s Role in the Automotive Aftermarket; Connecting With Customers: Effective Content Marketing; Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads to Win More Customers; and Product Design and Manufacturing Technology That Could Change the Aftermarket.
“SEMA members are really engaged in furthering their marketing education,” said Kirsten Knipp, director of product evangelism with HubSpot, who was a speaker for the Capture, Manage and Nurture Leads session. “Because specialty products and services benefit disproportionately from getting found online via inbound marketing, it was gratifying to be able to share new data about search, social media and even modern middle-of-the-funnel marketing optimization with this group.”

Many Business Technology Symposium attendees agreed with the need for the sort of ongoing technological education the symposium offers each year.

“I first attended the Business Technical Symposium two years ago when social media was a new territory that the industry began exploring as a marketing tool,” said Cheralyn Smith of Advanced Clutch Technology Inc. (ACT). “I was able to bring some valuable practices to the office that we still use every day at ACT. This year, I had the opportunity to be on the Manufacturer and Distributor Online Marketing Essentials panel. That really gave me a chance to share our experiences, hear what is working for other companies and get an inside perspective on how social media continues to grow and transform marketing in the industry.”

“During challenging economic times, the automotive aftermarket requires an extra gear to compete, sustain and grow, and the Business Technology Symposium very much complied with the business savvy necessary to rise in the aftermarket business environment,” added Dick Dixon, director of the International Motorsports Alliance at California State University San Bernardino, who also attended the event.

SEMA Show Photo Gallery—New Products for Jeep Wrangler
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 09:40

Here is a collection of photos featuring the SEMA Show New Product Showcase entries for the Jeep Wrangler. The Wrangler was named the 2011 SEMA Award winner for Hottest 4X4-SUV during the 2011 SEMA Show.

SEMA Show Photo Gallery—New Products for Jeep Wrangler
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 09:40

Here is a collection of photos featuring the SEMA Show New Product Showcase entries for the Jeep Wrangler. The Wrangler was named the 2011 SEMA Award winner for Hottest 4X4-SUV during the 2011 SEMA Show.

Movers & Shakers: Tire Group International Expands Sales Teams; Katzkin Signs Agreement With Motorz
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 09:28

Tire Group International Expands Domestic and International Teams
The following new hires were announced by Tire Group International: Enrique Goudie, a 20-year veteran of the tire industry, joined the company's international team as senior category manager; Sherko Hajrasouli joined the company as its territory manager for the Middle East; Alejandra Troconis was hired as senior marketing manager; David Morris was added to the domestic team as domestic commercial manager; and Emilio Perez Jr. joined the company as territory manager for Palm Beach County.

  Meyers Manx
  After severe weather halted the build of this '69 Meyers Manx in 2011, the buggy will be completed by the Midwest Autosavers and displayed at the Funfest for Air-Cooled VW 2012.

Funfest for Air-Cooled VW 2012 Features Meyers Manx Makeover
A 1969 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy that came to Mid America Motorworks with original certification will be on display at Funfest for Air-Cooled VW 2012, June 1–3, at Mid America Motorworks' corporate campus in Effingham, Illinois. The build began as a challenge to complete a Meyers Manx makeover in two days during the 2011 Funfest for Air-Cooled VW, a challenge accepted by the crew from dunebuggyarchives.com. With the second day of the build interrupted by severe weather, VW enthusiast and owner of Midwest Autosavers, Dr. Darby Milnor, will complete wiring, dash and gauges, convert to disc brakes, add an aluminum axle beam and add suspension components.

Katzkin Leather Inc. Signs Sponsorship Agreement With Motorz
Katzkin Leather Inc. has signed a sponsorship agreement with automotive TV series Motorz. Based in San Diego, Motorz will showcase Katzkin’s custom leather interiors and their installation as part of its hands-on, ‘how-to’ TV series. Chris Duke, Motorz host and producer said, “Our relative proximity to Katzkin made it ideal to show how to order and properly install their kits to our growing audience on the Internet, DirecTV and DISH Network. Katzkin is not only the most respected leather seat interior manufacturer, they are also being used by the automotive manufacturers themselves as upgrades in many of their most popular vehicles.” New episodes of Motorz air on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific) on DirecTV or DISH Network. Episodes are also available online at www.motorz.tv.

"Vintage Rat" Raffle Engine Won by Donald Costic
Donald Costic of Cleveland, Ohio, was the winner of the Quarter Mile Foundation's Mondello "Vintage Rat" Raffle Engine. The engine was most recently displayed at the World Products booth at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show. Costic is a local drag racer who runs a 10-second '62 Chevrolet Biscayne in northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. He bought the ticket in early June during the "Gasser Reunion" weekend at Thompson Raceway Park. 

Curtis Industries Signs Financing Agreement With Sheffield Financial
Curtis Industries LLC signed an installment financing agreement with Sheffield Financial, a subsidiary of BB&T, effective  September 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012. The agreement provides consumer financing to customers purchasing Sno-Pro snow and ice control products through authorized Sno-Pro and Curtis dealers, including truck and UTV plows, spreaders and loader blades. “We are very happy to offer consumer financing to our customers through our national dealer network,” said Thomas Dimauro, vice president for Curtis Industries. “Sheffield has a great reputation for customer service with excellent experience in our industry.”

CargoGlide Named U.S. Sales Arm for TRUCKBOSS
CargoGlide announced that it is the U.S. sales arm for TRUCKBOSS by Marathon Decks. The TRUCKBOSS is an all aluminum anodized truck bed deck that utilizes Capture Channel Technology, enabling adjustments to fit any fullsize pickup while allowing for the addition of accessories.