SEMA News—December 2014

EVENTS
By Chad Simon

Designing Mini Pinewood Hot Rods

Builders Race Their Creations on the Dragstrip to Raise Money for SEMA Cares Charities

	Jesse Greening, Greening Auto Co.
	James Crosby, James Crosby Designs
	Doug Dwyer, American Sales & Marketing
	Brent VanDervort, Fatman Fabrications
	Glenn See, Garaj Mahal

After three years of dominance by Street Vizions, this year featured a new winner—Jesse Greening of Greening Auto Co. Theresa Contreras of L&G Enterprises was the runner-up, followed by James Crosby of Ride Tech.

“I always like making fun things for charity, especially this car,” Greening said. “One of our goals this year was to win the race, along with building a good-looking car. We wanted show and go! We were very excited to be asked to be a part of the challenge again this year.”

Participating builders included American Sales & Marketing, James Crosby Designs, Garaj Mahal, Fatman Fabrications, Greening Auto Co., Hudson’s Rod Shop, Kaucher Kustoms, L&G Enterprises, Mo’ Muscle Cars, Motofeet and Reisinger Custom Rebuilding.

During the HRIA reception at the SEMA Show, the Best Engineered and Best in Show cars were determined by vote and—along with the race winner (Greening Auto Co.)—were auctioned live. A silent auction was held for the rest of the Pinewood Builder’s cars. Proceeds benefit the SEMA Cares charities.

“The Builders’ Challenge is another way the HRIA tries to boost awareness and involvement in the hot-rod industry, in this case by reaching out to both up-and-coming hot-rod builders and existing industry heroes to construct some really cool Pinewood cars,” said BJ Elmore, HRIA select committee member and head of the Pinewood task force. “Really, who wouldn’t want to own a piece of hand-crafted hot-rod artwork constructed by your favorite builder?”

In addition to supporting the charities, the builders showcase their creations throughout the year to children interested in cars, providing an opportunity to expose the hot-rod hobby and custom-car industry to the next generation of car builders.

“Thanks to all the builders who poured their passion into these cars,” said Dave Williams of Rampage Products, who served as the race organizer and trackside umpire. “They truly are remarkable works of art. Like Jesse’s work with fullsize rods, he built a way-cool car, and it was an extra kick to see our first lady builder, Theresa Contreras, racing her Pinewood entry alongside Jesse for a place on the podium as well.”

Contreras declared, “I was so excited about racing in the Pinewood Builder’s Race, but most of all, it’s a great group of people raising awareness and money for these kids and having a great time doing it.”

The race came to fruition at the 2009 SEMA Show, when HRIA Chairman Rick Love of Vintage Air and HRIA members Eric Saltrick of Steele Rubber Products and the late John Menzler of COMP Cams decided to walk the Show floor and ask every well-known hot-rod builder to participate.

“We consider the Builder’s Challenge to be one of the signature programs for the HRIA,” Love said. “It’s another opportunity for everyone in the industry to see the level of creativity and craftsmanship these builders are turning out. The actual races have been very close and have generated a huge amount of enthusiasm. The crowning achievement of the program is the fact that the proceeds from the cars’ auction go directly to the SEMA Cares charities. Most of these cars have more than 100 hours in design and build time, and it is just another example of the lengths our industry goes to give back and share.”

The idea behind the first Challenge was simply to see what top-notch hot-rod builders could do with a block of wood, and they have pushed the boundaries every year. The rules are simple and subject to interpretation. Each pinewood builder is given four months to complete a car, with no design limitations imposed except that the car has to fit the track’s dimensions and no propulsion systems are allowed.

Each builder must use at least one piece of the pinewood block that SEMA provides. Over the years, builders have not only used the wood for their cars but also aluminum, fiberglass and chrome. They have fabricated custom wheels, suspensions and chassis parts in miniature formats.

Fourth-year contender Keith Kaucher of Kaucher Kustoms constructed his car’s body from surfboard foam and fiberglass and used the pinewood provided by SEMA for the chassis. He said Saltrick approached him in 2010 to compete in the 2011 Pinewood Builder’s Challenge.

“I designed a car called the Ignitor IV, and it won Best Engineered that year,” Kaucher said. “Since then, I’ve participated every year. This year’s car, the Kozmic Ray, was my best car so far, although it wasn’t built for racing. It was 100% a show car and a tribute to the show-rod builders from the early ’60s, including Roth, Jefferies, Cushenberry and Starbird. I invite other designers in the industry to participate; it’s for a great cause, and you’ll meet so many good people in the manufacturing end of the industry to boot.”

SEMA News—December 2014

SEMA DATA CO-OP
By Jon Wyly

Clearing the Air on Product Data Management, Part II

Questions From Your Industry Peers

The goal in presenting some of these questions is that they may help you better understand the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) and help explain why effective product data management is so critical to business growth today.

Question: Why should my company support the SDC?

Answer: As the only industry-owned and -operated product data management solution, the SDC truly is a cooperative effort with the goal of increasing sales through large-scale distribution of data to businesses throughout the marketplace.

Our non-profit status enables us to invest heavily in state-of-the-art tools and services, providing a lasting solution that is secure and stable and bringing these services to the industry at the lowest possible cost. By the time you read this, we will be closing in on a total membership of more than 750 suppliers and receivers, putting us well on our way to being the largest single repository for product data in the automotive specialty aftermarket.

In addition to these organizational benefits, we have recently launched SEMA Search, a comprehensive online electronic catalog that is powered by the data in the SDC and is free to all participating suppliers. Designed to be a powerful reference tool for salespeople around the industry, SEMA Search is gaining traffic every day.

We also offer fulltime, live Help Desk assistance throughout the entire process, from initial onboarding to ongoing maintenance, and we ensure that suppliers in the SDC always maintain total control and ownership of their data.

Question: Will using the SDC require extra resources at my company?

Answer: It really depends on the current state of your product data, but in general terms, we have found that the real challenge for the typical supplier is in gathering the initial data set and working back and forth with our Help Desk to fill in missing elements. This process is what we call the initial onboarding, and it does require that someone in your organization take ownership of getting that first data set into shape, with lots of help from our data experts. After that, the ongoing maintenance has normally been manageable by one person on a part-time basis. Typically, an existing member of the marketing team or sales group makes a great choice for this responsibility. Just be sure to have a backup person trained in case someone leaves on short notice!

Question: How much does it cost to use the SDC?

Answer: Thanks again to our nonprofit status and to the efficiencies designed into our Product Information Management System, our fee range for suppliers is only $100–$600 per month for unlimited data storage, validation and exports to an unlimited number of customers. There is no charge for the onboarding process, and there are no start-up fees. The SDC will work with suppliers to gather their data, bring it into the industry standard ACES and PIES formats, validate it for compliance, and publish the data to key receivers before there are any fees collected.

For data receivers, we offer customized export formats and unlimited data exports free to SEMA members, with approval from their suppliers.

To learn how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven at jimg@semadatacoop.org or 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—December 2014

SEMA DATA CO-OP
By Jon Wyly

Clearing the Air on Product Data Management, Part II

Questions From Your Industry Peers

The goal in presenting some of these questions is that they may help you better understand the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) and help explain why effective product data management is so critical to business growth today.

Question: Why should my company support the SDC?

Answer: As the only industry-owned and -operated product data management solution, the SDC truly is a cooperative effort with the goal of increasing sales through large-scale distribution of data to businesses throughout the marketplace.

Our non-profit status enables us to invest heavily in state-of-the-art tools and services, providing a lasting solution that is secure and stable and bringing these services to the industry at the lowest possible cost. By the time you read this, we will be closing in on a total membership of more than 750 suppliers and receivers, putting us well on our way to being the largest single repository for product data in the automotive specialty aftermarket.

In addition to these organizational benefits, we have recently launched SEMA Search, a comprehensive online electronic catalog that is powered by the data in the SDC and is free to all participating suppliers. Designed to be a powerful reference tool for salespeople around the industry, SEMA Search is gaining traffic every day.

We also offer fulltime, live Help Desk assistance throughout the entire process, from initial onboarding to ongoing maintenance, and we ensure that suppliers in the SDC always maintain total control and ownership of their data.

Question: Will using the SDC require extra resources at my company?

Answer: It really depends on the current state of your product data, but in general terms, we have found that the real challenge for the typical supplier is in gathering the initial data set and working back and forth with our Help Desk to fill in missing elements. This process is what we call the initial onboarding, and it does require that someone in your organization take ownership of getting that first data set into shape, with lots of help from our data experts. After that, the ongoing maintenance has normally been manageable by one person on a part-time basis. Typically, an existing member of the marketing team or sales group makes a great choice for this responsibility. Just be sure to have a backup person trained in case someone leaves on short notice!

Question: How much does it cost to use the SDC?

Answer: Thanks again to our nonprofit status and to the efficiencies designed into our Product Information Management System, our fee range for suppliers is only $100–$600 per month for unlimited data storage, validation and exports to an unlimited number of customers. There is no charge for the onboarding process, and there are no start-up fees. The SDC will work with suppliers to gather their data, bring it into the industry standard ACES and PIES formats, validate it for compliance, and publish the data to key receivers before there are any fees collected.

For data receivers, we offer customized export formats and unlimited data exports free to SEMA members, with approval from their suppliers.

To learn how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven at jimg@semadatacoop.org or 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—December 2014

SEMA DATA CO-OP
By Jon Wyly

Clearing the Air on Product Data Management, Part II

Questions From Your Industry Peers

The goal in presenting some of these questions is that they may help you better understand the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) and help explain why effective product data management is so critical to business growth today.

Question: Why should my company support the SDC?

Answer: As the only industry-owned and -operated product data management solution, the SDC truly is a cooperative effort with the goal of increasing sales through large-scale distribution of data to businesses throughout the marketplace.

Our non-profit status enables us to invest heavily in state-of-the-art tools and services, providing a lasting solution that is secure and stable and bringing these services to the industry at the lowest possible cost. By the time you read this, we will be closing in on a total membership of more than 750 suppliers and receivers, putting us well on our way to being the largest single repository for product data in the automotive specialty aftermarket.

In addition to these organizational benefits, we have recently launched SEMA Search, a comprehensive online electronic catalog that is powered by the data in the SDC and is free to all participating suppliers. Designed to be a powerful reference tool for salespeople around the industry, SEMA Search is gaining traffic every day.

We also offer fulltime, live Help Desk assistance throughout the entire process, from initial onboarding to ongoing maintenance, and we ensure that suppliers in the SDC always maintain total control and ownership of their data.

Question: Will using the SDC require extra resources at my company?

Answer: It really depends on the current state of your product data, but in general terms, we have found that the real challenge for the typical supplier is in gathering the initial data set and working back and forth with our Help Desk to fill in missing elements. This process is what we call the initial onboarding, and it does require that someone in your organization take ownership of getting that first data set into shape, with lots of help from our data experts. After that, the ongoing maintenance has normally been manageable by one person on a part-time basis. Typically, an existing member of the marketing team or sales group makes a great choice for this responsibility. Just be sure to have a backup person trained in case someone leaves on short notice!

Question: How much does it cost to use the SDC?

Answer: Thanks again to our nonprofit status and to the efficiencies designed into our Product Information Management System, our fee range for suppliers is only $100–$600 per month for unlimited data storage, validation and exports to an unlimited number of customers. There is no charge for the onboarding process, and there are no start-up fees. The SDC will work with suppliers to gather their data, bring it into the industry standard ACES and PIES formats, validate it for compliance, and publish the data to key receivers before there are any fees collected.

For data receivers, we offer customized export formats and unlimited data exports free to SEMA members, with approval from their suppliers.

To learn how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven at jimg@semadatacoop.org or 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—December 2014

SEMA DATA CO-OP
By Jon Wyly

Clearing the Air on Product Data Management, Part II

Questions From Your Industry Peers

The goal in presenting some of these questions is that they may help you better understand the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) and help explain why effective product data management is so critical to business growth today.

Question: Why should my company support the SDC?

Answer: As the only industry-owned and -operated product data management solution, the SDC truly is a cooperative effort with the goal of increasing sales through large-scale distribution of data to businesses throughout the marketplace.

Our non-profit status enables us to invest heavily in state-of-the-art tools and services, providing a lasting solution that is secure and stable and bringing these services to the industry at the lowest possible cost. By the time you read this, we will be closing in on a total membership of more than 750 suppliers and receivers, putting us well on our way to being the largest single repository for product data in the automotive specialty aftermarket.

In addition to these organizational benefits, we have recently launched SEMA Search, a comprehensive online electronic catalog that is powered by the data in the SDC and is free to all participating suppliers. Designed to be a powerful reference tool for salespeople around the industry, SEMA Search is gaining traffic every day.

We also offer fulltime, live Help Desk assistance throughout the entire process, from initial onboarding to ongoing maintenance, and we ensure that suppliers in the SDC always maintain total control and ownership of their data.

Question: Will using the SDC require extra resources at my company?

Answer: It really depends on the current state of your product data, but in general terms, we have found that the real challenge for the typical supplier is in gathering the initial data set and working back and forth with our Help Desk to fill in missing elements. This process is what we call the initial onboarding, and it does require that someone in your organization take ownership of getting that first data set into shape, with lots of help from our data experts. After that, the ongoing maintenance has normally been manageable by one person on a part-time basis. Typically, an existing member of the marketing team or sales group makes a great choice for this responsibility. Just be sure to have a backup person trained in case someone leaves on short notice!

Question: How much does it cost to use the SDC?

Answer: Thanks again to our nonprofit status and to the efficiencies designed into our Product Information Management System, our fee range for suppliers is only $100–$600 per month for unlimited data storage, validation and exports to an unlimited number of customers. There is no charge for the onboarding process, and there are no start-up fees. The SDC will work with suppliers to gather their data, bring it into the industry standard ACES and PIES formats, validate it for compliance, and publish the data to key receivers before there are any fees collected.

For data receivers, we offer customized export formats and unlimited data exports free to SEMA members, with approval from their suppliers.

To learn how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven at jimg@semadatacoop.org or 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—December 2014

SEMA DATA CO-OP
By Jon Wyly

Clearing the Air on Product Data Management, Part II

Questions From Your Industry Peers

The goal in presenting some of these questions is that they may help you better understand the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) and help explain why effective product data management is so critical to business growth today.

Question: Why should my company support the SDC?

Answer: As the only industry-owned and -operated product data management solution, the SDC truly is a cooperative effort with the goal of increasing sales through large-scale distribution of data to businesses throughout the marketplace.

Our non-profit status enables us to invest heavily in state-of-the-art tools and services, providing a lasting solution that is secure and stable and bringing these services to the industry at the lowest possible cost. By the time you read this, we will be closing in on a total membership of more than 750 suppliers and receivers, putting us well on our way to being the largest single repository for product data in the automotive specialty aftermarket.

In addition to these organizational benefits, we have recently launched SEMA Search, a comprehensive online electronic catalog that is powered by the data in the SDC and is free to all participating suppliers. Designed to be a powerful reference tool for salespeople around the industry, SEMA Search is gaining traffic every day.

We also offer fulltime, live Help Desk assistance throughout the entire process, from initial onboarding to ongoing maintenance, and we ensure that suppliers in the SDC always maintain total control and ownership of their data.

Question: Will using the SDC require extra resources at my company?

Answer: It really depends on the current state of your product data, but in general terms, we have found that the real challenge for the typical supplier is in gathering the initial data set and working back and forth with our Help Desk to fill in missing elements. This process is what we call the initial onboarding, and it does require that someone in your organization take ownership of getting that first data set into shape, with lots of help from our data experts. After that, the ongoing maintenance has normally been manageable by one person on a part-time basis. Typically, an existing member of the marketing team or sales group makes a great choice for this responsibility. Just be sure to have a backup person trained in case someone leaves on short notice!

Question: How much does it cost to use the SDC?

Answer: Thanks again to our nonprofit status and to the efficiencies designed into our Product Information Management System, our fee range for suppliers is only $100–$600 per month for unlimited data storage, validation and exports to an unlimited number of customers. There is no charge for the onboarding process, and there are no start-up fees. The SDC will work with suppliers to gather their data, bring it into the industry standard ACES and PIES formats, validate it for compliance, and publish the data to key receivers before there are any fees collected.

For data receivers, we offer customized export formats and unlimited data exports free to SEMA members, with approval from their suppliers.

To learn how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven at jimg@semadatacoop.org or 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—December 2014

SEMA DATA CO-OP
By Jon Wyly

Clearing the Air on Product Data Management, Part II

Questions From Your Industry Peers

The goal in presenting some of these questions is that they may help you better understand the SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) and help explain why effective product data management is so critical to business growth today.

Question: Why should my company support the SDC?

Answer: As the only industry-owned and -operated product data management solution, the SDC truly is a cooperative effort with the goal of increasing sales through large-scale distribution of data to businesses throughout the marketplace.

Our non-profit status enables us to invest heavily in state-of-the-art tools and services, providing a lasting solution that is secure and stable and bringing these services to the industry at the lowest possible cost. By the time you read this, we will be closing in on a total membership of more than 750 suppliers and receivers, putting us well on our way to being the largest single repository for product data in the automotive specialty aftermarket.

In addition to these organizational benefits, we have recently launched SEMA Search, a comprehensive online electronic catalog that is powered by the data in the SDC and is free to all participating suppliers. Designed to be a powerful reference tool for salespeople around the industry, SEMA Search is gaining traffic every day.

We also offer fulltime, live Help Desk assistance throughout the entire process, from initial onboarding to ongoing maintenance, and we ensure that suppliers in the SDC always maintain total control and ownership of their data.

Question: Will using the SDC require extra resources at my company?

Answer: It really depends on the current state of your product data, but in general terms, we have found that the real challenge for the typical supplier is in gathering the initial data set and working back and forth with our Help Desk to fill in missing elements. This process is what we call the initial onboarding, and it does require that someone in your organization take ownership of getting that first data set into shape, with lots of help from our data experts. After that, the ongoing maintenance has normally been manageable by one person on a part-time basis. Typically, an existing member of the marketing team or sales group makes a great choice for this responsibility. Just be sure to have a backup person trained in case someone leaves on short notice!

Question: How much does it cost to use the SDC?

Answer: Thanks again to our nonprofit status and to the efficiencies designed into our Product Information Management System, our fee range for suppliers is only $100–$600 per month for unlimited data storage, validation and exports to an unlimited number of customers. There is no charge for the onboarding process, and there are no start-up fees. The SDC will work with suppliers to gather their data, bring it into the industry standard ACES and PIES formats, validate it for compliance, and publish the data to key receivers before there are any fees collected.

For data receivers, we offer customized export formats and unlimited data exports free to SEMA members, with approval from their suppliers.

To learn how you can take control of your product data and manage it at the lowest possible cost, contact SDC Director of Membership Jim Graven at jimg@semadatacoop.org or 888-958-6698 x4.

SEMA News—December 2014

REQUIRED READING

Standing Tall

The message is clear: Automotive customization is thriving, and American-based businesses are at the forefront of product technology and innovation for the industry. As highlighted in the recent “SEMA Annual Market Study,” the automotive specialty-equipment market now represents $33 billion in annual sales—a 7% increase over the previous year.

This month’s “Required Reading” highlights several SEMA-member companies that have achieved success and are examples of the leading innovation that exists in the industry. These companies typify many SEMA-member companies, manufacturing products created by people with a passion for the industry and the desire to create superior products.

SEMA News—December 2014

REQUIRED READING

Standing Tall

The message is clear: Automotive customization is thriving, and American-based businesses are at the forefront of product technology and innovation for the industry. As highlighted in the recent “SEMA Annual Market Study,” the automotive specialty-equipment market now represents $33 billion in annual sales—a 7% increase over the previous year.

This month’s “Required Reading” highlights several SEMA-member companies that have achieved success and are examples of the leading innovation that exists in the industry. These companies typify many SEMA-member companies, manufacturing products created by people with a passion for the industry and the desire to create superior products.

SEMA News—December 2014

REQUIRED READING

Standing Tall

The message is clear: Automotive customization is thriving, and American-based businesses are at the forefront of product technology and innovation for the industry. As highlighted in the recent “SEMA Annual Market Study,” the automotive specialty-equipment market now represents $33 billion in annual sales—a 7% increase over the previous year.

This month’s “Required Reading” highlights several SEMA-member companies that have achieved success and are examples of the leading innovation that exists in the industry. These companies typify many SEMA-member companies, manufacturing products created by people with a passion for the industry and the desire to create superior products.