Toyota has just announced that it is making available thousands of hydrogen fuel-cell patents—royalty free. In fact, Toyota will grant royalty-free use of approximately 5,680 fuel-cell-related patents held globally, including critical technologies developed for the new Toyota Mirai. The list includes approximately 1,970 patents related to fuel-cell stacks, 290 associated with high-pressure hydrogen tanks, 3,350 related to fuel-cell system software control and 70 patents related to hydrogen production and supply.

“At Toyota, we believe that when good ideas are shared, great things can happen,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations at Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc. “The first-generation hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, launched between 2015 and 2020, will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers. By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically.”

This Toyota initiative builds on previous commitments, including substantial financial support for the development of a hydrogen fueling infrastructure in California and the northeastern United States. In May 2014, Toyota announced a $7.3 million loan to FirstElement Fuels to support the operations and maintenance of 19 hydrogen fueling stations across California. In November 2014, Toyota announced a collaboration with Air Liquide to develop and supply a phased network of 12 state-of-the-art hydrogen stations targeted for New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The hydrogen fuel-cell patents will be made available to automakers who will produce and sell fuel-cell vehicles, as well as to fuel-cell parts suppliers and energy companies that establish and operate fueling stations, through the initial market introduction period, anticipated to last until 2020. Companies working to develop and introduce fuel-cell busses and industrial equipment, such as forklifts, are also covered. Requests from parts suppliers and companies looking to adapt fuel-cell technology outside of the transportation sector will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The banner at the top of the RCTS Canada website reads, “Technology is the only substitute for cubic inches.” It’s a saying that the retail performance outlet has lived by since owner Reg Riemer founded it in 1996. Over the years, RCTS has worked closely with factory shops ranging from TTE-Toyota Team Europe to HKS to boost its technical and R&D credentials. In fact, RCTS has carved out a specific niche as the only licensed, fully supported HKS Pro Dealer in all of Canada.

The banner at the top of the RCTS Canada website reads, “Technology is the only substitute for cubic inches.” It’s a saying that the retail performance outlet has lived by since owner Reg Riemer founded it in 1996. Over the years, RCTS has worked closely with factory shops ranging from TTE-Toyota Team Europe to HKS to boost its technical and R&D credentials. In fact, RCTS has carved out a specific niche as the only licensed, fully supported HKS Pro Dealer in all of Canada.

By SEMA Editors

	Nearly 500 students and faculty, including many Scholarship recipients, attended the 2014 SEMA Show Student Welcome Luncheon—an event that all SEMA Scholarship winners are invited to attend during the week of the Show.

Students preparing for careers in the auto or auto parts industries are invited to apply for an award from the 2015 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF). The program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators.

Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, including accounting, sales and marketing and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000–$3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

The program also includes a loan forgiveness component, which offers financial awards to employees of SEMA-member companies who have completed and are currently paying off a loan for a program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program within the United States.

The deadline for the 2015 program is April 1, 2015.

For more information on the program or to apply, visit the 2015 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF) website or contact Juliet Marshall, SEMA education manager at julietm@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

	Nearly 500 students and faculty, including many Scholarship recipients, attended the 2014 SEMA Show Student Welcome Luncheon—an event that all SEMA Scholarship winners are invited to attend during the week of the Show.

Students preparing for careers in the auto or auto parts industries are invited to apply for an award from the 2015 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF). The program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators.

Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, including accounting, sales and marketing and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000–$3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student.

The program also includes a loan forgiveness component, which offers financial awards to employees of SEMA-member companies who have completed and are currently paying off a loan for a program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program within the United States.

The deadline for the 2015 program is April 1, 2015.

For more information on the program or to apply, visit the 2015 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund (SMSF) website or contact Juliet Marshall, SEMA education manager at julietm@sema.org.

Compiled by SEMA Editors

	Luanne Brown

eTool Developers’ Luanne Brown to Receive Spirit of Leadership Award

Luanne Brown, president of eTool Developers and a member of the SEMA Board of Directors, has been chosen to receive the 2015 Spirit of Leadership Award presented annually by the Women’s Automotive Association International (WAAI). The award—which recognizes professional women in the automotive industry for their outstanding professional achievements, community involvement and contributions to the growth and progress of the automotive industry—will be presented to Brown and five other distinguished industry women at the WAAI Spirit of Leadership Awards Reception, Saturday, January 24, in San Francisco.

Brown’s firm is best known for providing standardized data management utilizing a customized e-tool developed by her company that enables aftermarket clients to become compliant with industry data standards. She also created a portal for aftermarket manufacturers to provide online product training under the auspices of the Performance Warehouse Association. Besides serving on the SEMA Board, Brown chairs the SEMA Cares Committee, which engages in charitable fundraising initiatives, and is a past chair of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network.

The other honorees include Celeste Briggs, director of General Motors’ Women’s Retail Network; Ruth Fruehauf, founder/CEO of the Fruehauf Trailer Historical Society; Debbie Pollack, Luxury Automotive Marketing senior strategist; Elaine Robertazzi, retired and former owner of Liberty Lincoln-Mercury; and Susan Scarola, president of the DCH Charitable Foundation.

Synchrony Financial Announces Engage With Car Pros Campaign

Synchrony Financial's Engage with Car Pros Contest will recognize automotive repair shop owners who have gone above and beyond to deliver exceptional service.

Now through February 15, 2015, customers can submit their best car care story at www.engagewithcarpros.com/pro to show their appreciation for the outstanding service their automotive professionals provided. Readers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite story from March 9–30, with the automotive professional who receives the most votes announced in the spring.

The automotive care location featured in the winning story will receive $100,000 and the customer who submits the winning story will also win $2,500. Additional prizes for automotive professionals and first-place customer stories will also be awarded.

Automotive care shop owners interested in the contest can visit www.engagewithcarpros.com/pro to learn more and request a free contest kit, which includes signs promoting consumer participation.

Cyclo Toolmakers Inc. Acquired by RUPES S.p.A.

RUPES S.p.A. announced its acquisition of Cyclo Toolmakers of Longmont, Colorado, producers of the Cyclo Orbital Polisher. RUPES, an Italian manufacturer of electric and pneumatic power tools and vacuum systems, is based in Vermezzo, Italy, a suburb of Milan. RUPES is best known in North America for the introduction of its paradigm-changing polishing system, BigFoot. Cyclo Toolmakers has supplied the auto detailing and airplane polishing segments with its Cyclo dual-head polisher for more than 60 years. The company manufactures its line of polishers in its Colorado facility. This location is slated to become the center of Rupes’ and Cyclo’s operations in North America, where the new company will operate as Rupes USA Inc. The entire RUPES product offering can be viewed at the RUPES corporate website at www.rupes.com. Cyclo Toolmakers’ website is www.cyclotoolmakers.com.

Champion Oil adds Innovative Marketing Services in the West

Champion Oil has announced that Innovative Marketing Services (IMS) is its newest rep agency covering the Western United States and Western Canada. IMS has been nominated for SEMA Rep Agency of the Year three out of the past five years. SEMA recently honored the company's founder, Jerry Nunez, by inducting him into the SEMA MRN Hall of Fame. Lynne Trimble, CEO of Innovative Marketing Services, serves on SEMA’s MRN Select Committee. Dick Hedman, Scott Freeny, Joe Bovee and Jeff Gloden round out the IMS team.

	’33 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow

Arizona Concours d’Elegance Rare and Historic Feature Cars

The second-annual Arizona Concours d’Elegance kicks off the Valley of the Sun’s famous Classic Car Week, Sunday, January 11, with an array of rare and exceptional automobiles displayed on the inner lawns of the landmark Arizona Biltmore Resort. Ninety cars will compete for prizes in 17 classes and vie for a number of special awards. There also will be four featured classes for 2015: the Pierce-Arrow luxury brand, the 100th anniversary of the Italian design firm Ghia, Ferrari race cars through ’65, and cars once owned by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who consulted in the design of the Arizona Biltmore, which opened in 1929.

Among the top automobiles that highlight the Arizona Concours d’Elegance are:

• ’33 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow
• ’53 Cadillac Ghia
• ’37 AC roadster
• ’54 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing
• ’37 Rolls-Royce “Copper Kettle”
• ’56 Ferrari 250 GT Zagato

Tickets for the Arizona Concours are strictly limited, with 2,000 paid entries available for the January 11 event, and are available on the Arizona Concours d’Elegance official website.

Heatshield Products Celebrates 30 Years of Engineering and Manufacturing Heat Barrier Products in the USA

Heatshield Products is celebrating 30 years of business in 2015. The company started with two products—Thermal Sleeving and Thermaflect Shield (originally called Heat Blanket)—and the Heatshield Products line has grown to more than 400 products that span the automotive, marine, industrial and military markets.

Mel Heye and his son Bruce started Heatshield Products in the family’s two-car garage, and has expanded to more than 500 dealers globally. Today, Heatshield Products encompasses two manufacturing facilities with a combined total of 20,000 sq. ft., and the company plans to open a third facility in 2015.

Have some company news you would like to share? Let us know and the news may appear in an upcoming issue of SEMA eNews. Send your items for consideration to editors@sema.org.

SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

You may be fed up with political antics in Washington but there’s a lot happening in our nation’s capital that affects your bottom line. SEMA’s Political Action Committee (SEMA PAC) helps you keep pace by supporting the Congressional car guys and gals who have our industry’s back.

Whether it’s the law or the people that make laws, things in our nation’s capital are always changing. We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while others determine the future of our industry. Make your voice heard in 2015 by visiting SEMAPAC.com and becoming SEMA PAC Approved. It takes seconds and there is never an obligation to contribute. The more people who join, the louder our voice and the greater our ability to impact change.

To learn more, contact SEMA PAC and Congressional Relations Manager Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org.

SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

You may be fed up with political antics in Washington but there’s a lot happening in our nation’s capital that affects your bottom line. SEMA’s Political Action Committee (SEMA PAC) helps you keep pace by supporting the Congressional car guys and gals who have our industry’s back.

Whether it’s the law or the people that make laws, things in our nation’s capital are always changing. We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while others determine the future of our industry. Make your voice heard in 2015 by visiting SEMAPAC.com and becoming SEMA PAC Approved. It takes seconds and there is never an obligation to contribute. The more people who join, the louder our voice and the greater our ability to impact change.

To learn more, contact SEMA PAC and Congressional Relations Manager Christian Robinson at christianr@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA urged the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to set aside efforts to establish a mandatory safety standard for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) in favor of an industry standard developed in consultation with the CPSC over the past five years. The CPSC held a public meeting January 7 to discuss the issue. SEMA joined with the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) and a number of other organizations and companies in voicing concerns that the proposed CPSC rule would have the unintended effect of imposing design restrictions and stifling future safety innovations.

The industry standard was produced by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and ROHVA. SEMA questioned whether the CPSC had sufficient basis for abandoning the current industry standard since the law directs the Agency to pursue a voluntary consumer product safety standard whenever possible. The CPSC acknowledges that it lacks sufficient data to estimate whether there would be reduced injury rates from its mandatory approach. SEMA noted that it is much easier to update an industry standard with government collaboration to reflect technological changes since a government safety standard requires a lengthy rulemaking process.

ROVs are a popular form or recreational transportation on backcountry roads and trails. They can attain speeds greater than 30 miles-per-hour and are configured differently than all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). ROVs generally accommodate a side-by-side driver/passenger in a compartment equipped with roll bars. They include automotive-type controls for steering, throttle and braking.

View a copy of SEMA’s comments. 

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

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

SEMA urged the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to set aside efforts to establish a mandatory safety standard for recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) in favor of an industry standard developed in consultation with the CPSC over the past five years. The CPSC held a public meeting January 7 to discuss the issue. SEMA joined with the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) and a number of other organizations and companies in voicing concerns that the proposed CPSC rule would have the unintended effect of imposing design restrictions and stifling future safety innovations.

The industry standard was produced by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and ROHVA. SEMA questioned whether the CPSC had sufficient basis for abandoning the current industry standard since the law directs the Agency to pursue a voluntary consumer product safety standard whenever possible. The CPSC acknowledges that it lacks sufficient data to estimate whether there would be reduced injury rates from its mandatory approach. SEMA noted that it is much easier to update an industry standard with government collaboration to reflect technological changes since a government safety standard requires a lengthy rulemaking process.

ROVs are a popular form or recreational transportation on backcountry roads and trails. They can attain speeds greater than 30 miles-per-hour and are configured differently than all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). ROVs generally accommodate a side-by-side driver/passenger in a compartment equipped with roll bars. They include automotive-type controls for steering, throttle and braking.

View a copy of SEMA’s comments. 

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