SEMA News - August 2010

By Tori Tellem

Honoring Visionaries and Leaders

Richard "Dick" McMullen		Chuck Schwartz		Van Woodell

A hall of fame—it’s a place reserved for legends, trailblazers, visionaries and leaders. It’s bestowed on sports figures, musicians, inventors and others who inspire and shape an industry. A hall of fame is how the world finds out that, hey, this is a person whose work, contributions and service have left an indelible mark.

Yet inductees seem to always say the same thing: “I was just doing what I loved.”

The accomplished members of the SEMA Hall of Fame have each made an imprint on the automotive specialty-equipment industry, and their professional and personal achievements are what the association recognizes with this prestigious honor. Dedication to growing the specialty-equipment industry and SEMA are the passion of these exceptional people. They fight for the hobby and are the voice of many. Their dreams create realities for others.

And that’s the easy part of being considered for the SEMA Hall of Fame.

When the association’s very first Hall of Fame award was presented in 1969, what it took to be inducted was clear: “outstanding persons in the industry who have enhanced the stature of, or significantly contributed to, the industry and/or association’s growth.” A candidate back then, as with today, had to meet those criteria. However, the standards are even higher now. Nominees must also have at least 10 years of experience in the industry and/or association, and their contributions must have national influence. Additionally, a candidate must enhance technology, demonstrate integrity and help the industry thrive.

Which brings us to this year’s respected inductees: Richard “Dick” McMullen, Chuck Schwartz and Van Woodell. Each has reaffirmed the values established more than 40 years ago for this award, both in the spirit and letter of the criteria. It is with utmost regard that we welcome these three gentlemen into the SEMA Hall of Fame and to their place in history.

Richard “Dick” McMullen

Growing up in Fremont, Michigan, Dick McMullen displayed a keen business sense early on, consistently selling more magazine subscriptions for the school drive than any other student. His trick of the trade? Call on people ahead of time for pre-order sales. But this wise, young salesman was also an auto enthusiast, so when McMullen was 13 and landed a job with the milk delivery man, it wasn’t just the free milk that he counted as a job perk—he also got to drive the truck.

The McMullen family eventually moved to Los Angeles, and he worked in a gas station while attending high school, handling everything from pumping gas to washing windshields. He was so good at his job that his boss gave him a raise, providing McMullen with enough cash to buy a car.

“Cars were always his interest,” explained his wife, Sally. By her count, McMullen owned more than 21 automobiles over his lifetime. In fact, he picked her up in a brand-new Oldsmobile for their first encounter, a blind date in 1954. “I thought, gosh, anybody that likes a nice car must be okay!” she said. But not everyone was thrilled with this love connection. “My mother was horrified to even think I would date a hot rodder.”

After attending college, McMullen enlisted in the Air Force, working in mechanics. Although he was stationed in Germany for nearly four years, boot camp took place in Texas, and that was where he and other car enthusiasts started a club limited to members of the Air Force. Following the service, McMullen and a friend from the Texas days, Dean Brown, launched the first newspaper dedicated to drag racing, Drag News. McMullen was the manager, handling the sales side of the business, which included clients ranging from Howards Racing Cams and Hedman Hedders to Weiand and Isky Racing Cams.

In 1963, McMullen sold Drag News and made the switch from publishing to advertising, joining Ed Elliott’s agency, which represented high-performance clients. The company was later renamed Elliott-McMullen Agency, and “…damn near every company that ever started in this industry went to that agency at one time or another,” said Bob Vandergriff of Vandergriff Motorsports, who was a friend and business associate/partner of McMullen.

It has been said that the idea of SEMA first came under discussion inside the Culver City, California, offices of Elliott-McMullen. “Dick thought the purpose of SEMA should be to unite the manufacturers and to have a united front,” Sally recalled. And McMullen remained dedicated to SEMA’s efforts. Over the years, he was involved in the establishment of the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Foundation and served on many SEMA committees.

After Elliott passed away, McMullen assumed full ownership of the agency and renamed it McMullen Advertising (which later became McMullen Design and Marketing). But one day, explained Sally, Bob Hedman told McMullen that he was thinking of selling his company and said, “If you ever hear of anybody that wants to buy it, let me know.” McMullen and Vandergriff took over Hedman Hedders, selling products worldwide.

Sadly, McMullen passed away in 2005 and will receive the SEMA Hall of Fame award posthumously. McMullen “…loved doing what he did,” said Sally. “He was very low-key, not a high-powered salesman, pushy kind of guy, but very caring.” Vandergriff fondly remembers him as “honest, sincere and extremely creative—a solid personality and trustworthy.”

McMullen’s hobbies were “cars, cars, cars,” according to Sally, and he had a passion for people, the industry, the association and his work. “He always told our kids, ‘Whatever you go into, be sure it’s something you like. Otherwise going to work every day will be a pain,’” she said. “That’s what he did, so his work was his fun.” Vandergriff recalled that what McMullen loved most about his work was “…helping people grow. He’s gone, but he’s still watching.”

Chuck Schwartz

Born in Danville, Pennsylvania, and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Chuck Schwartz studied at Ohio State before entering the U.S. Army, where he served in military intelligence. A move to California landed him a job at a seat cover and muffler shop in San Diego—The Big Wheel—where he began by installing dual exhausts and mufflers and was then promoted to salesman and played a key role in the company’s expansion. When an opportunity to buy a leased automotive department in a discount house presented itself, it was done under the name Western Big Wheel, and Schwartz played an instrumental role in the corporation, which owned as many as 165 leased departments at the organization’s peak and became the first mass merchandiser in the United States to offer speed equipment.

Schwartz also sponsored race cars at the local tracks where the corporation had stores, and the fleet even included a championship car. That led to California Racing Specialists, which built engines and chassis for super stock cars. Then came another venture—K-Bar S—which coincided with the growing appeal of off-road racing. K-Bar S focused on building pre-runners, but the company started selling parts before long as well. Schwartz and his crew even built and raced a Ford Bronco in the very first Baja 1000.

The next move was to start two companies—Pioneer 4-Wheel Drive Center and Pioneer Van Conversions—and Schwartz also was involved with the formation of the Off Road Equipment Association (OREA) with the likes of Pete Condos, Bill Stroppe and Thurston Warn as a response to concerns about the closure of land to off-road use. Schwartz participated with the team that produced the OREA Shows and produced the final OREA Show just prior to the acquisition of OREA by SEMA. And then he began to ponder a permanent career change: show business.

Prior to venturing down that new path, Schwartz sold his retail business and became a manufacturer’s rep for about three years. And then it happened: He launched the Auto Internacional trade show in 1980, which focused on parts and accessories for imports. In 1982, SEMA acquired that show. Schwartz became producer of the SEMA Show, and, “It’s been a great ride ever since!” he said. Ron Funfar of Hedman Hedders/Trans-Dapt, who has known Schwartz for nearly 30 years, described him as “…a force in attempting to make SEMA a better-known association from one side of the country to the other.”

Schwartz now produces the SEMA Show and other events through his company, ConvExx. “But Chuck’s impact on SEMA is far greater than his role at ConvExx and as a vendor,” explained Chris Thomson, national sales manager of AIRAID Filter Company. “He’s been an active participant in the actual growth of SEMA, participating in it long before the major successes of the SEMA Show.”

Schwartz is a charter member of the SEMA Political Action Committee (PAC) and was elected chairman of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) management in 1999. He served on that organization’s board of directors for seven years, received the IAEE Pinnacle Award and is an Auto International Association Hall of Fame winner, among the many honors he has accrued since becoming a trade show producer in 1976. He has also been an active volunteer in his community and continues to offer mentoring programs.

This will be Schwartz’s 29th year as SEMA Show producer, a job that involves drawing the floorplan, selling floor space, getting exhibitors prepared for the Show and “…having the knowledge of where manufacturers are going, what they’re doing, what’s changing in the marketplace. I watch all that and talk to as many exhibitors as possible and learn so that we know what’s going on in the marketplace,” he said.

And it’s clear that there’s no business like show business. “Chuck gets enormous satisfaction out of seeing others succeed,” said B.J. Leanse, Big Country Truck Accessories/Go Rhino! Products North America sales manager. “He sees change and creates solutions and meets every challenge with excellence as the only acceptable goal.”

Van Woodell

Not many of us can say that we’ve received a life-changing job offer in midair, but Van Woodell can. But let’s back up a bit. Born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, Woodell tinkered with cars before discovering that four-wheeling in the mountains was his real thrill. He bought a ’71 Toyota Land Cruiser and joined a four-wheel-drive club in Durham. To pay for his hobby, he worked in the service department of a local Jeep dealership. “By now, I had been bit,” he recalled, and he went to work in 1974 for a start-up called Tar Heel 4WD Center, where he really became involved in learning parts, selling parts and developing expertise in off-roading.

Unfortunately, the difficult economy of the time caused Tar Heel 4WD Center to close its doors in 1979, leaving Woodell to take odd jobs, such as tuning cars, brake jobs and “…anything I could do to earn some money,” he said. “I had a baby on the way, so I was in a panic.” As it turned out, several of the reps who called on Woodell at Tar Heel 4WD Center also called on his future employer, Dudley Weathers, who was based in Tupelo, Mississippi, where the original Weathers Auto Supply was located.

Weathers flew Woodell to Petersburg, Virginia, for a talk and on the flight back to Durham, made a job offer to open a store in Petersburg. Since Woodell’s wife, Carol, was due to give birth, she stayed behind in Durham while he set-up shop—and living quarters—in the new Weathers warehouse.

Weathers gave Woodell an opportunity to buy 10% of the Virginia store, and the two then opened another warehouse in Charlotte, North Carolina. Over the next couple of years, Woodell bought another 10%, then another 10%. By 1989, he bought the balance of the Petersburg store.

Sam Compton of Rep South Productions had called on Woodell as a customer and recalled looking for a buyer who was “…not reckless, but one that had vision, understanding of the customer and the courage to be a pioneer.”

“Van met all of these attributes,” he said. “You left Virginia feeling good and inspired to follow his image.”

Steve Starr of PSKB, who met Woodell early in his career as a manufacturer’s rep, recalled his affinity for others. “I feel he loves the industry mainly because of the people he has contact with and his passion for the automotive aftermarket,” Starr said. “He is definitely a people person.”

Woodell had attended SEMA Shows as a member with Tar Heel 4WD Center, but when he joined the association with Weathers, he had a new perspective.

“I figured, if I’m going to be in something or involved in something, I want to learn about it,” he said. “But at that point, I had no earthly idea how to become involved with SEMA.”

Enter Bob Cook of Bob Cook Sales, who told Woodell: “I’ll get you involved.” Cook was an independent rep during Woodell’s Tar Heel 4WD Center days and explained that Woodell and he hit it off right away. “He was very open to new-product presentation, friendly and understood the business,” Cook said. So when it came to SEMA involvement, Cook told him, “Don’t complain about issues unless you are willing to work toward changing them.”

That is what Woodell did, serving three consecutive two-year terms on the SEMA Board of Directors from 1997–2003. He was elected to the Board again in 2007 and 2009. He served on the nominating committee for the Board of Directors and has served on a variety of other SEMA committees and task forces. He held a seat on the PWA Board of Directors and is a past president of PWA. He has also been honored with the Vanguard Award by SEMA’s Young Executives Network (YEN) and was selected for the Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA) Hall of Fame.

Compton might just sum up this SEMA Hall of Fame inductee perfectly with, “Everyone should have a Van Woodell in their life.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEMA News - August 2010

By Tori Tellem

Honoring Visionaries and Leaders

Richard "Dick" McMullen		Chuck Schwartz		Van Woodell

A hall of fame—it’s a place reserved for legends, trailblazers, visionaries and leaders. It’s bestowed on sports figures, musicians, inventors and others who inspire and shape an industry. A hall of fame is how the world finds out that, hey, this is a person whose work, contributions and service have left an indelible mark.

Yet inductees seem to always say the same thing: “I was just doing what I loved.”

The accomplished members of the SEMA Hall of Fame have each made an imprint on the automotive specialty-equipment industry, and their professional and personal achievements are what the association recognizes with this prestigious honor. Dedication to growing the specialty-equipment industry and SEMA are the passion of these exceptional people. They fight for the hobby and are the voice of many. Their dreams create realities for others.

And that’s the easy part of being considered for the SEMA Hall of Fame.

When the association’s very first Hall of Fame award was presented in 1969, what it took to be inducted was clear: “outstanding persons in the industry who have enhanced the stature of, or significantly contributed to, the industry and/or association’s growth.” A candidate back then, as with today, had to meet those criteria. However, the standards are even higher now. Nominees must also have at least 10 years of experience in the industry and/or association, and their contributions must have national influence. Additionally, a candidate must enhance technology, demonstrate integrity and help the industry thrive.

Which brings us to this year’s respected inductees: Richard “Dick” McMullen, Chuck Schwartz and Van Woodell. Each has reaffirmed the values established more than 40 years ago for this award, both in the spirit and letter of the criteria. It is with utmost regard that we welcome these three gentlemen into the SEMA Hall of Fame and to their place in history.

Richard “Dick” McMullen

Growing up in Fremont, Michigan, Dick McMullen displayed a keen business sense early on, consistently selling more magazine subscriptions for the school drive than any other student. His trick of the trade? Call on people ahead of time for pre-order sales. But this wise, young salesman was also an auto enthusiast, so when McMullen was 13 and landed a job with the milk delivery man, it wasn’t just the free milk that he counted as a job perk—he also got to drive the truck.

The McMullen family eventually moved to Los Angeles, and he worked in a gas station while attending high school, handling everything from pumping gas to washing windshields. He was so good at his job that his boss gave him a raise, providing McMullen with enough cash to buy a car.

“Cars were always his interest,” explained his wife, Sally. By her count, McMullen owned more than 21 automobiles over his lifetime. In fact, he picked her up in a brand-new Oldsmobile for their first encounter, a blind date in 1954. “I thought, gosh, anybody that likes a nice car must be okay!” she said. But not everyone was thrilled with this love connection. “My mother was horrified to even think I would date a hot rodder.”

After attending college, McMullen enlisted in the Air Force, working in mechanics. Although he was stationed in Germany for nearly four years, boot camp took place in Texas, and that was where he and other car enthusiasts started a club limited to members of the Air Force. Following the service, McMullen and a friend from the Texas days, Dean Brown, launched the first newspaper dedicated to drag racing, Drag News. McMullen was the manager, handling the sales side of the business, which included clients ranging from Howards Racing Cams and Hedman Hedders to Weiand and Isky Racing Cams.

In 1963, McMullen sold Drag News and made the switch from publishing to advertising, joining Ed Elliott’s agency, which represented high-performance clients. The company was later renamed Elliott-McMullen Agency, and “…damn near every company that ever started in this industry went to that agency at one time or another,” said Bob Vandergriff of Vandergriff Motorsports, who was a friend and business associate/partner of McMullen.

It has been said that the idea of SEMA first came under discussion inside the Culver City, California, offices of Elliott-McMullen. “Dick thought the purpose of SEMA should be to unite the manufacturers and to have a united front,” Sally recalled. And McMullen remained dedicated to SEMA’s efforts. Over the years, he was involved in the establishment of the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Foundation and served on many SEMA committees.

After Elliott passed away, McMullen assumed full ownership of the agency and renamed it McMullen Advertising (which later became McMullen Design and Marketing). But one day, explained Sally, Bob Hedman told McMullen that he was thinking of selling his company and said, “If you ever hear of anybody that wants to buy it, let me know.” McMullen and Vandergriff took over Hedman Hedders, selling products worldwide.

Sadly, McMullen passed away in 2005 and will receive the SEMA Hall of Fame award posthumously. McMullen “…loved doing what he did,” said Sally. “He was very low-key, not a high-powered salesman, pushy kind of guy, but very caring.” Vandergriff fondly remembers him as “honest, sincere and extremely creative—a solid personality and trustworthy.”

McMullen’s hobbies were “cars, cars, cars,” according to Sally, and he had a passion for people, the industry, the association and his work. “He always told our kids, ‘Whatever you go into, be sure it’s something you like. Otherwise going to work every day will be a pain,’” she said. “That’s what he did, so his work was his fun.” Vandergriff recalled that what McMullen loved most about his work was “…helping people grow. He’s gone, but he’s still watching.”

Chuck Schwartz

Born in Danville, Pennsylvania, and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Chuck Schwartz studied at Ohio State before entering the U.S. Army, where he served in military intelligence. A move to California landed him a job at a seat cover and muffler shop in San Diego—The Big Wheel—where he began by installing dual exhausts and mufflers and was then promoted to salesman and played a key role in the company’s expansion. When an opportunity to buy a leased automotive department in a discount house presented itself, it was done under the name Western Big Wheel, and Schwartz played an instrumental role in the corporation, which owned as many as 165 leased departments at the organization’s peak and became the first mass merchandiser in the United States to offer speed equipment.

Schwartz also sponsored race cars at the local tracks where the corporation had stores, and the fleet even included a championship car. That led to California Racing Specialists, which built engines and chassis for super stock cars. Then came another venture—K-Bar S—which coincided with the growing appeal of off-road racing. K-Bar S focused on building pre-runners, but the company started selling parts before long as well. Schwartz and his crew even built and raced a Ford Bronco in the very first Baja 1000.

The next move was to start two companies—Pioneer 4-Wheel Drive Center and Pioneer Van Conversions—and Schwartz also was involved with the formation of the Off Road Equipment Association (OREA) with the likes of Pete Condos, Bill Stroppe and Thurston Warn as a response to concerns about the closure of land to off-road use. Schwartz participated with the team that produced the OREA Shows and produced the final OREA Show just prior to the acquisition of OREA by SEMA. And then he began to ponder a permanent career change: show business.

Prior to venturing down that new path, Schwartz sold his retail business and became a manufacturer’s rep for about three years. And then it happened: He launched the Auto Internacional trade show in 1980, which focused on parts and accessories for imports. In 1982, SEMA acquired that show. Schwartz became producer of the SEMA Show, and, “It’s been a great ride ever since!” he said. Ron Funfar of Hedman Hedders/Trans-Dapt, who has known Schwartz for nearly 30 years, described him as “…a force in attempting to make SEMA a better-known association from one side of the country to the other.”

Schwartz now produces the SEMA Show and other events through his company, ConvExx. “But Chuck’s impact on SEMA is far greater than his role at ConvExx and as a vendor,” explained Chris Thomson, national sales manager of AIRAID Filter Company. “He’s been an active participant in the actual growth of SEMA, participating in it long before the major successes of the SEMA Show.”

Schwartz is a charter member of the SEMA Political Action Committee (PAC) and was elected chairman of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) management in 1999. He served on that organization’s board of directors for seven years, received the IAEE Pinnacle Award and is an Auto International Association Hall of Fame winner, among the many honors he has accrued since becoming a trade show producer in 1976. He has also been an active volunteer in his community and continues to offer mentoring programs.

This will be Schwartz’s 29th year as SEMA Show producer, a job that involves drawing the floorplan, selling floor space, getting exhibitors prepared for the Show and “…having the knowledge of where manufacturers are going, what they’re doing, what’s changing in the marketplace. I watch all that and talk to as many exhibitors as possible and learn so that we know what’s going on in the marketplace,” he said.

And it’s clear that there’s no business like show business. “Chuck gets enormous satisfaction out of seeing others succeed,” said B.J. Leanse, Big Country Truck Accessories/Go Rhino! Products North America sales manager. “He sees change and creates solutions and meets every challenge with excellence as the only acceptable goal.”

Van Woodell

Not many of us can say that we’ve received a life-changing job offer in midair, but Van Woodell can. But let’s back up a bit. Born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, Woodell tinkered with cars before discovering that four-wheeling in the mountains was his real thrill. He bought a ’71 Toyota Land Cruiser and joined a four-wheel-drive club in Durham. To pay for his hobby, he worked in the service department of a local Jeep dealership. “By now, I had been bit,” he recalled, and he went to work in 1974 for a start-up called Tar Heel 4WD Center, where he really became involved in learning parts, selling parts and developing expertise in off-roading.

Unfortunately, the difficult economy of the time caused Tar Heel 4WD Center to close its doors in 1979, leaving Woodell to take odd jobs, such as tuning cars, brake jobs and “…anything I could do to earn some money,” he said. “I had a baby on the way, so I was in a panic.” As it turned out, several of the reps who called on Woodell at Tar Heel 4WD Center also called on his future employer, Dudley Weathers, who was based in Tupelo, Mississippi, where the original Weathers Auto Supply was located.

Weathers flew Woodell to Petersburg, Virginia, for a talk and on the flight back to Durham, made a job offer to open a store in Petersburg. Since Woodell’s wife, Carol, was due to give birth, she stayed behind in Durham while he set-up shop—and living quarters—in the new Weathers warehouse.

Weathers gave Woodell an opportunity to buy 10% of the Virginia store, and the two then opened another warehouse in Charlotte, North Carolina. Over the next couple of years, Woodell bought another 10%, then another 10%. By 1989, he bought the balance of the Petersburg store.

Sam Compton of Rep South Productions had called on Woodell as a customer and recalled looking for a buyer who was “…not reckless, but one that had vision, understanding of the customer and the courage to be a pioneer.”

“Van met all of these attributes,” he said. “You left Virginia feeling good and inspired to follow his image.”

Steve Starr of PSKB, who met Woodell early in his career as a manufacturer’s rep, recalled his affinity for others. “I feel he loves the industry mainly because of the people he has contact with and his passion for the automotive aftermarket,” Starr said. “He is definitely a people person.”

Woodell had attended SEMA Shows as a member with Tar Heel 4WD Center, but when he joined the association with Weathers, he had a new perspective.

“I figured, if I’m going to be in something or involved in something, I want to learn about it,” he said. “But at that point, I had no earthly idea how to become involved with SEMA.”

Enter Bob Cook of Bob Cook Sales, who told Woodell: “I’ll get you involved.” Cook was an independent rep during Woodell’s Tar Heel 4WD Center days and explained that Woodell and he hit it off right away. “He was very open to new-product presentation, friendly and understood the business,” Cook said. So when it came to SEMA involvement, Cook told him, “Don’t complain about issues unless you are willing to work toward changing them.”

That is what Woodell did, serving three consecutive two-year terms on the SEMA Board of Directors from 1997–2003. He was elected to the Board again in 2007 and 2009. He served on the nominating committee for the Board of Directors and has served on a variety of other SEMA committees and task forces. He held a seat on the PWA Board of Directors and is a past president of PWA. He has also been honored with the Vanguard Award by SEMA’s Young Executives Network (YEN) and was selected for the Truck and Off-Road Alliance (TORA) Hall of Fame.

Compton might just sum up this SEMA Hall of Fame inductee perfectly with, “Everyone should have a Van Woodell in their life.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEMA News - August 2010

By Steve Campbell

Classic Car Parts Make Classic Cars, But Restomod Has Changed the Market

	For traditionalists, automotive restoration refers strictly to classic cars rebuilt using classic car parts. For many, though, the definitions are changing. Courtesy of Mustang Monthly Magazine

In traditional hobbyist terms, automotive restoration refers strictly to classic cars rebuilt using classic car parts. And while there remains a significant portion of the market for which that holds true, today’s restorations are just as likely to include an amalgam of modern running gear as well as comfort and safety systems combined with factory-spec knobs, moldings, panels and fabrics. “In today’s market, restoration holds the more broad definition of ‘resurrection,’” said Michael Manning, president of American Autowire, a wiring harness and accessory options manufacturer. “Many parts, such as trim, sheetmetal and glass, must be done to original specifications in order to fit. However, some original parts and original-specification reproduction parts are being replaced by technologically superior options. Brakes, crate engines, suspensions and wheel and tire combinations are examples of this. American Autowire has seen the necessity to upgrade the entire electrical system to accommodate more options and facilitate the demands on the whole system.”

The foundations of this restomod trend have been around for nearly two decades but have recently taken a greater hold. The name itself combines restoration and modification, creating a fusion that its proponents feel delivers the best of
both worlds.

“Owners still want the stock look but want their cars to accelerate, brake and handle better,” said Sandy Patterson, publisher of Source Interlink Media’s Mustang Monthly, Modified Mustangs & Fords, High Performance Pontiac and Vette magazines.

	This ’65 Mustang hardtop is typical of a restomod enthusiast’s desire to include modern power, handling, braking and safety features with classic design. This car features a Rod & Custom Motorsports Mustang II front suspension, Wilwood disc brakes, Billet Specialties wheels with modern 17-inch rubber, a late-model Ford 5.0L engine and numerous other upgrades. Courtesy of Modified Mustangs & Fords magazine

Patterson adds, “Owners are bringing their classic cars up to modern standards with fuel injection, power disc brakes and upgraded performance products. Safety improvements are a big part of their projects as well. Restomods can vary from mild to wild, depending on how the owner wants to personalize the car. This segment of the market has helped our industry grow.”

The restoration market has also embraced lesser-known and formerly less-desirable cars as the confirmed classics have become harder to find and more expensive to purchase. While tried-and-true muscle machines, such as Barracudas, Camaros, Mustangs and ’55–’57 Chevys, remain stalwarts of the industry, enthusiasts are also daring to be different not just in how the cars are built, but in the raw materials they choose.

“If you’re looking to stand out these days, you need to go off the beaten path,” said Dennis Gage, host of the “My Classic Car” television show and CEO of the company that carries the same name. “You are seeing more orphan makes getting a lot of attention—cars such as Hudsons and Nashes. An early-’70s big-body T-bird or even a really nice LTD will draw an amazing amount of attention at a show.”

There have also been changes in the way consumers buy products, said Roger Niehaus, vice president of sales for Auto Custom Carpets Inc. Restoration retail customers are no longer filling all of their needs with one large order, he explained. Instead, they place smaller orders over a longer period through dealers who carry a large inventory and can ship immediately.

“Smaller dealers that have to drop ship to fulfill orders seem to be getting the shorter end of the stick,” Niehaus said. “People are looking for the very best deal for their money, and they’re also looking for free freight and immediate possession of their parts.”

	The restomod market has led some traditional restoration companies to develop products that address today’s technology. For instance, American Autowire has developed updated product lines that accommodate modern accessories, marketing the original reproduction line as “Factory Fit” and the resto performance line as the “Classic Update Series.” Courtesy of American Autowire

The market has thus become far more competitive. A couple of decades ago, consumers were restricted to classic car parts from only one or two companies, depending on which vintage vehicle they were rebuilding. Now, there are several large suppliers as well as numerous smaller specialty outfits for any given resto project.

“The number of parts options is the biggest change I have seen in restoration sales,” said Alex Tainsh, sales and marketing manager for TrimParts Inc. “If a part was made for, say, a ’69 Camaro 15 to 20 years ago, it was probably produced by only one company, so it was the only choice, good or bad. Now, with so many options, the consumer needs to be educated about the quality differences out there. Retailers may offer a quality part for $45 and find themselves competing with a poor-quality part that is priced at $19.95. If the consumer believes that it’s the same part, the poor-quality part wins, which can give the entire industry a bad reputation.” 

Technology has helped with the education process. The huge growth in web-based product sales, social networking sites, blogs and other information sources on the Internet has allowed consumers to easily perform their own research into classic car parts and the modern options available.

“Consumers prefer to hit forums or social media outlets and get feedback from other consumers rather than from company-issued testimonials used in marketing materials,” said Laura Bergan, vice president of marketing for American Collectors Insurance. “The Internet feedback is often considered to be more factual, more objective and less biased. Savvy companies recognize this.”

Manning agreed that the Internet has created the most obvious and dramatic changes in the way modern companies market their restoration-based products. Rather than waiting three months for new-product promotions to reach the nation’s newsstands in print, they can be introduced and publicized almost instantly via the web.

“An added benefit of the web is the ability to provide more details on the product, thus enabling customers to better determine if the product is right for them,” he said. “The additional benefit to the manufacturer is reduced phone time for the sales staff to explain the product and subsequently less technical support time.”

	Where new parts once had to be completely reversed engineered, many manufacturers of even restoration parts now utilize CAD data from the OEMs and use modern manufacturing processes to produce parts that exactly match original specifications. Courtesy of TrimParts

Technology has also created improvements in manufacturing techniques through the use of computerized design and CNC machines, Manning said, allowing the production of better parts more quickly. In addition, tool innovations have helped to create whole new markets.

“Some of the most significant new-product developments I have seen have come from the new welders,” said Jim Christina, vice president and general manager of Dynacorn International and Dynacorn Classic Bodies Inc. “We use them in our body-shell program, but they’re also used at restoration facilities. They allow the welder to get into spots that were inaccessible by the types used on the original assembly line. The introduction of replacement body shells has been a gigantic boon for this industry.”

The 3-D printer is another example of how advanced technology is affecting the industry. “With a 3-D printer, nothing is impossible,” said Gage. “If you can scan it, this thing can make it. Since it creates a physical model, you can check it for fit in the actual application and make modifications if needed before casting or machining the final piece in the correct material. This is truly something out of the ‘Jetsons.’”

Tainsh and Manning pointed to programs such as SEMA’s Measuring Sessions and Technology Transfer program as helping to reduce the need for reverse engineering and speeding time to market. These new manufacturing techniques, along with improved materials, often mean a part that is better than the original while retaining the look of the OEM design, Manning said. Tainsh added that those types of improvements instill greater confidence in the buying public, which appreciates the quality, fit and finish of the products.

While the technology explosion has been a boon in some areas, however, it has created challenges in others, not only within the restoration segment but throughout the broader industry as a whole. For instance, the print medium has been struggling to reinvent itself as it competes with the Internet for consumer time and interest.

“We live in a world that wants information now,” said Jeffrey Broadus, former publisher of Car Collector magazine and current president of Waterford Media Inc. “Being able to deliver on this request requires solid support from our print media partners and expanding our web presence. I’m extremely confident that the print medium will not go away—at least not in my lifetime—but it does have the biggest challenge in vying for a younger generation than we served in the past decade.”

	The introduction of replacement body shells has been a significant advance in the restoration industry. New technologies, such as welders, that allow access to spots that were virtually unreachable by the types used on the original assembly line have also been a boon to restoration professionals. Courtesy of Dynacorn International

Source Interlink’s Patterson said that her company—a multimedia corporation with outlets in print, broadcast, events and the Internet—sees an increase in the use of varied channels for marketing programs and new-product announcements, including mobile phones. But she recognizes the same challenge as Broadus in addressing the youngest elements of the market.

“The restoration segment of the automotive industry is aging,” she said. “Youth awareness programs, such as the Automotive Restoration Market Organization’s (ARMO’s) Take a Kid to a Car Show were developed to promote activities that expose children and young adults to the restoration hobby. Capturing the interest of these kids today will help to ensure the longevity of our hobby.”

In doing so, companies must take care not to prejudge what people perceive to be a collector car. “Continue to monitor trends and watch which makes and models become popular as each new generation plays a role in influencing the marketplace,” said Broadus. “We saw our grandfathers marvel over the antique era, the love our fathers had for the pre-World War II era and now the current generation’s enthusiasm for post-war ’50s through ’70s cars. With every new generation, our hobby shifts to different eras and renewed interest in some segment of the collector car industry.”

The recession also challenged the industry. Whether the current intimations of recovery are real or simply a pause in a volatile economy, most manufacturers caution their retail partners to be ready when customers begin to spend in earnest again.

“I would pay close attention to inventory levels,” Manning said. “You want to be able to service customers, but you must also be aware of order lead times as many suppliers cut back production to salvage their own cash flow. Inventory maintenance and usage combined with order lead times should be foremost on the watch list. Many manufacturers are operating with just-in-time inventory practices. Factoring that position into your planning is necessary. You should also evaluate your inventory and eliminate inferior parts that were rushed into
the marketplace.”

As the restoration industry incorporates the restomod movement, technological improvements and a younger consumer base, the restoration industry will not only survive but thrive, said Gage. But even a resilient market requires some care.

“The restoration segment weathered this economic downturn better that any other segment in the aftermarket,” said Gage, “but don’t take that for granted. Keep pumping out new products and encouraging people to get these cars out on the road and at shows so that those who aren’t currently in the hobby can see them and, hopefully, catch the bug, too. Participation in the hobby is what fuels the aftermarket. Don’t ever forget that.”  

SEMA News - August 2010

By Steve Campbell

Classic Car Parts Make Classic Cars, But Restomod Has Changed the Market

	For traditionalists, automotive restoration refers strictly to classic cars rebuilt using classic car parts. For many, though, the definitions are changing. Courtesy of Mustang Monthly Magazine

In traditional hobbyist terms, automotive restoration refers strictly to classic cars rebuilt using classic car parts. And while there remains a significant portion of the market for which that holds true, today’s restorations are just as likely to include an amalgam of modern running gear as well as comfort and safety systems combined with factory-spec knobs, moldings, panels and fabrics. “In today’s market, restoration holds the more broad definition of ‘resurrection,’” said Michael Manning, president of American Autowire, a wiring harness and accessory options manufacturer. “Many parts, such as trim, sheetmetal and glass, must be done to original specifications in order to fit. However, some original parts and original-specification reproduction parts are being replaced by technologically superior options. Brakes, crate engines, suspensions and wheel and tire combinations are examples of this. American Autowire has seen the necessity to upgrade the entire electrical system to accommodate more options and facilitate the demands on the whole system.”

The foundations of this restomod trend have been around for nearly two decades but have recently taken a greater hold. The name itself combines restoration and modification, creating a fusion that its proponents feel delivers the best of
both worlds.

“Owners still want the stock look but want their cars to accelerate, brake and handle better,” said Sandy Patterson, publisher of Source Interlink Media’s Mustang Monthly, Modified Mustangs & Fords, High Performance Pontiac and Vette magazines.

	This ’65 Mustang hardtop is typical of a restomod enthusiast’s desire to include modern power, handling, braking and safety features with classic design. This car features a Rod & Custom Motorsports Mustang II front suspension, Wilwood disc brakes, Billet Specialties wheels with modern 17-inch rubber, a late-model Ford 5.0L engine and numerous other upgrades. Courtesy of Modified Mustangs & Fords magazine

Patterson adds, “Owners are bringing their classic cars up to modern standards with fuel injection, power disc brakes and upgraded performance products. Safety improvements are a big part of their projects as well. Restomods can vary from mild to wild, depending on how the owner wants to personalize the car. This segment of the market has helped our industry grow.”

The restoration market has also embraced lesser-known and formerly less-desirable cars as the confirmed classics have become harder to find and more expensive to purchase. While tried-and-true muscle machines, such as Barracudas, Camaros, Mustangs and ’55–’57 Chevys, remain stalwarts of the industry, enthusiasts are also daring to be different not just in how the cars are built, but in the raw materials they choose.

“If you’re looking to stand out these days, you need to go off the beaten path,” said Dennis Gage, host of the “My Classic Car” television show and CEO of the company that carries the same name. “You are seeing more orphan makes getting a lot of attention—cars such as Hudsons and Nashes. An early-’70s big-body T-bird or even a really nice LTD will draw an amazing amount of attention at a show.”

There have also been changes in the way consumers buy products, said Roger Niehaus, vice president of sales for Auto Custom Carpets Inc. Restoration retail customers are no longer filling all of their needs with one large order, he explained. Instead, they place smaller orders over a longer period through dealers who carry a large inventory and can ship immediately.

“Smaller dealers that have to drop ship to fulfill orders seem to be getting the shorter end of the stick,” Niehaus said. “People are looking for the very best deal for their money, and they’re also looking for free freight and immediate possession of their parts.”

	The restomod market has led some traditional restoration companies to develop products that address today’s technology. For instance, American Autowire has developed updated product lines that accommodate modern accessories, marketing the original reproduction line as “Factory Fit” and the resto performance line as the “Classic Update Series.” Courtesy of American Autowire

The market has thus become far more competitive. A couple of decades ago, consumers were restricted to classic car parts from only one or two companies, depending on which vintage vehicle they were rebuilding. Now, there are several large suppliers as well as numerous smaller specialty outfits for any given resto project.

“The number of parts options is the biggest change I have seen in restoration sales,” said Alex Tainsh, sales and marketing manager for TrimParts Inc. “If a part was made for, say, a ’69 Camaro 15 to 20 years ago, it was probably produced by only one company, so it was the only choice, good or bad. Now, with so many options, the consumer needs to be educated about the quality differences out there. Retailers may offer a quality part for $45 and find themselves competing with a poor-quality part that is priced at $19.95. If the consumer believes that it’s the same part, the poor-quality part wins, which can give the entire industry a bad reputation.” 

Technology has helped with the education process. The huge growth in web-based product sales, social networking sites, blogs and other information sources on the Internet has allowed consumers to easily perform their own research into classic car parts and the modern options available.

“Consumers prefer to hit forums or social media outlets and get feedback from other consumers rather than from company-issued testimonials used in marketing materials,” said Laura Bergan, vice president of marketing for American Collectors Insurance. “The Internet feedback is often considered to be more factual, more objective and less biased. Savvy companies recognize this.”

Manning agreed that the Internet has created the most obvious and dramatic changes in the way modern companies market their restoration-based products. Rather than waiting three months for new-product promotions to reach the nation’s newsstands in print, they can be introduced and publicized almost instantly via the web.

“An added benefit of the web is the ability to provide more details on the product, thus enabling customers to better determine if the product is right for them,” he said. “The additional benefit to the manufacturer is reduced phone time for the sales staff to explain the product and subsequently less technical support time.”

	Where new parts once had to be completely reversed engineered, many manufacturers of even restoration parts now utilize CAD data from the OEMs and use modern manufacturing processes to produce parts that exactly match original specifications. Courtesy of TrimParts

Technology has also created improvements in manufacturing techniques through the use of computerized design and CNC machines, Manning said, allowing the production of better parts more quickly. In addition, tool innovations have helped to create whole new markets.

“Some of the most significant new-product developments I have seen have come from the new welders,” said Jim Christina, vice president and general manager of Dynacorn International and Dynacorn Classic Bodies Inc. “We use them in our body-shell program, but they’re also used at restoration facilities. They allow the welder to get into spots that were inaccessible by the types used on the original assembly line. The introduction of replacement body shells has been a gigantic boon for this industry.”

The 3-D printer is another example of how advanced technology is affecting the industry. “With a 3-D printer, nothing is impossible,” said Gage. “If you can scan it, this thing can make it. Since it creates a physical model, you can check it for fit in the actual application and make modifications if needed before casting or machining the final piece in the correct material. This is truly something out of the ‘Jetsons.’”

Tainsh and Manning pointed to programs such as SEMA’s Measuring Sessions and Technology Transfer program as helping to reduce the need for reverse engineering and speeding time to market. These new manufacturing techniques, along with improved materials, often mean a part that is better than the original while retaining the look of the OEM design, Manning said. Tainsh added that those types of improvements instill greater confidence in the buying public, which appreciates the quality, fit and finish of the products.

While the technology explosion has been a boon in some areas, however, it has created challenges in others, not only within the restoration segment but throughout the broader industry as a whole. For instance, the print medium has been struggling to reinvent itself as it competes with the Internet for consumer time and interest.

“We live in a world that wants information now,” said Jeffrey Broadus, former publisher of Car Collector magazine and current president of Waterford Media Inc. “Being able to deliver on this request requires solid support from our print media partners and expanding our web presence. I’m extremely confident that the print medium will not go away—at least not in my lifetime—but it does have the biggest challenge in vying for a younger generation than we served in the past decade.”

	The introduction of replacement body shells has been a significant advance in the restoration industry. New technologies, such as welders, that allow access to spots that were virtually unreachable by the types used on the original assembly line have also been a boon to restoration professionals. Courtesy of Dynacorn International

Source Interlink’s Patterson said that her company—a multimedia corporation with outlets in print, broadcast, events and the Internet—sees an increase in the use of varied channels for marketing programs and new-product announcements, including mobile phones. But she recognizes the same challenge as Broadus in addressing the youngest elements of the market.

“The restoration segment of the automotive industry is aging,” she said. “Youth awareness programs, such as the Automotive Restoration Market Organization’s (ARMO’s) Take a Kid to a Car Show were developed to promote activities that expose children and young adults to the restoration hobby. Capturing the interest of these kids today will help to ensure the longevity of our hobby.”

In doing so, companies must take care not to prejudge what people perceive to be a collector car. “Continue to monitor trends and watch which makes and models become popular as each new generation plays a role in influencing the marketplace,” said Broadus. “We saw our grandfathers marvel over the antique era, the love our fathers had for the pre-World War II era and now the current generation’s enthusiasm for post-war ’50s through ’70s cars. With every new generation, our hobby shifts to different eras and renewed interest in some segment of the collector car industry.”

The recession also challenged the industry. Whether the current intimations of recovery are real or simply a pause in a volatile economy, most manufacturers caution their retail partners to be ready when customers begin to spend in earnest again.

“I would pay close attention to inventory levels,” Manning said. “You want to be able to service customers, but you must also be aware of order lead times as many suppliers cut back production to salvage their own cash flow. Inventory maintenance and usage combined with order lead times should be foremost on the watch list. Many manufacturers are operating with just-in-time inventory practices. Factoring that position into your planning is necessary. You should also evaluate your inventory and eliminate inferior parts that were rushed into
the marketplace.”

As the restoration industry incorporates the restomod movement, technological improvements and a younger consumer base, the restoration industry will not only survive but thrive, said Gage. But even a resilient market requires some care.

“The restoration segment weathered this economic downturn better that any other segment in the aftermarket,” said Gage, “but don’t take that for granted. Keep pumping out new products and encouraging people to get these cars out on the road and at shows so that those who aren’t currently in the hobby can see them and, hopefully, catch the bug, too. Participation in the hobby is what fuels the aftermarket. Don’t ever forget that.”  

SEMA News - August 2010

RESTORATION MARKETPLACE NEW PRODUCTS

SEMA Show Buyers Come Face-to-Face With 68 Ways to Find Profit in the Restoration Market

In 2009, 14,573 buyers went to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas specifically to identify the newest trends and products available in the automotive restoration market. In pursuit of new and original equipment replacement parts, buyers had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with 65 exhibitors in the Restoration Marketplace section of the Show, who registered 68 products in the New Products Showcase. Buyers took advantage of the showcase and scanned those entries more than 2,867 times. Larry Atkisson from TCS Inc. in Hansville, Washington, was one of those attendees, and this was his first trip to the SEMA Show.

“This is my first SEMA Show, and it’s overwhelming. I’m sure I’m going to find plenty of products here that I’ll be able to use in my business,” said Atkisson. “I’m looking for everything from performance parts to suspensions. I’m starting with the New Products Showcase and looking for restoration and new/old/stock parts.”

View a PDF of all of the Restoration Marketplace new products.

SEMA News - August 2010

Adding to the Receipt by Featuring the Latest in Vintage Products

The Restoration Marketplace section of the SEMA Show floor is dedicated to the new and original replacement parts that retailers need to satisfy their customer’s cravings. It’s home to the products and services that help cherry-out four-wheeled, family heirlooms and upgrade vintage tin to 21st century technology.

The following is a list of the 100 retailers whose commitment to the SEMA Show was second-only to their passion for providing customers with the restoration market’s hottest products. These retailers are considered the Top 100 because they scanned more products in the showcase, visited with more exhibitors and attended more seminars in one week than their competition will in a year.

 

 

Whitney Automotive Group 111 E. Wacker Dr., Ste. 3000 Chicago, IL 60601 312/431-6000 www.jcwhitney.com Eckler Industries Inc. 5200 S. Washington Ave. Titusville, FL 32780-7316 321/269-9680 www.ecklers.com Summit Racing Equipment P.O. Box 909 Akron, OH 44309-0909 330/630-0270 www.summitracing.com Auto Anything 9210 Sky Park Ct. San Diego, CA 92123 858/569-8111 www.autoanything.com Ron Mangus Hot Rod Interiors 247 S. Olive Ave. Rialto, CA 92376 909/877-9342 www.ronmangus.com Hillbank Motor Corp. 6 Autry Irvine, CA 92618 949/900-1960 www.hillbankusa.com Morris 4x4 Center 1020 S.W. 10th Ave. Pompano Beach, FL 33069 954/941-7807 www.jeep4x4center.com National Parts Depot 900 S.W. 38th Ave. Ocala, FL 34474 352/861-8701 www.nationalpartsdepot.com The Eastwood Co. 263 Shoemaker Rd. Pottstown, PA 19464-6433 610/705-5412 www.eastwood.com Corvette Central 13550 Three Oaks Rd. Sawyer, MI 49125 269/426-3342 www.corvettecentral.com Just Suspension 4723 Mountain Creek Ave. Denver, NC 28037 704/809-1269 www.justsuspension.com Speed and Truck World 1060 W. Sunrise Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 954/760-9922 www.speedandtruckworld.com Dearborn Classics P.O. Box 7649 Bend, OR 97708 541/318-7471 www.dearbornclassics.com Wolfsburg West 2850 Palisades Dr. Corona, CA 92880 888/965-3937 www.wolfsburgwest.com Mustangs Plus Inc. 2353 N. Wilson Way Stockton, CA 95205 800/999-4289 www.mustangsplus.com The Parts Place 217 Paul St. Elburn, IL 60119-9055 630/365-1800 www.thepartsplaceinc.com TAPS Truck Accessories 1207 13th St. Paso Robles, CA 93446 805/226-8277 www.tapstruck.com State of Nine Ltd. 1 Chestnut St., Ste. 222 Nashua, NH 03060 302/351-6222 www.stateofnine.com Vettehead Products 876 Tower Rd. Mundelein, IL 60060 847/388-3950 www.hubcapsplus.com Performance Autosport 2179 Tomlynn St. Richmond, VA 23230 804/784-8851 www.performanceautosport.com Motorsport Industries 1139 W. Collins Ave. Orange, CA 92867 714/639-2620 www.zcarparts.com The Filling Station 990 S. Second St. Lebanon, OR 97355-3227 541/258-2114 www.fillingstation.com Auto Accessories Garage 7450 Duvan Dr. Tinley Park, IL 60477 708/444-2580, ext. 221 www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com USA Parts Supply 261 Industrial Blvd. Kearneysville, WV 25430-2775 703/335-1935 www.usapartssupply.com All American Classics Inc. 15209 N.E. Fourth Plain Rd. Vancouver, WA 98682-5143 360/254-8850 www.allamericanclassics.com Early Ford V-8 Sales Inc. Bldg. 37, Curtis Industrial Park Ballston Spa, NY 12020 518/884-2825 www.earlyford.com Grants Auto Trim Inc. 1600 Broad St. Chattanooga, TN 37408-1199 423/266-3772 www.grantsautotrim.com Modern Driveline 25308 Arroyo Ct. Caldwell, ID 83607 208/453-9800 www.moderndriveline.com Quantum Performance Ltd. 13700 Diplomat Dr. Farmers Branch, TX 75234 972/629-4440 www.quantum-perf.com Performance Truck & SUV 1053 W. Innovation Dr. Kearney, MO 64060 816/906-8785 www.performancetruckllc.com Trent’s Trick Upholstery 6886 Thoreau Ln. Baltimore, OH 43105-9732 740/468-2727 www.trentstrickupholstery.com Fuel Injection Specialties 11051 Wye St. San Antonio, TX 78217-2615 210/654-0774 www.fuelinjection.com No Joke Upholstery 106 W. Madison St. New Carlisle, OH 45344 937/845-3177 www.nojokeupholstery.com Weimanns Interiors LLC 2515 Rte. 66 Delmont, PA 15626 724/468-5887 www.weimanns.com Adaptive Performance 16965 W. Central St. Surprise, AZ 85388-1515 623/214-4995 www.adaptiveperformance.com Blue Collar Performance LLC 8310 Campbell Taylor, MI 48180 313/801-0391 www.bluecollarperformance.com Undercover Innovations 3624 Buck Owens Blvd. #12 Bakersfield, CA 93308 661/325-4506 www.undercoverinnovations.com Gearheads Garage 681 S. Tustin St., Ste. 302 Orange, CA 92866 714/225-3997 www.gearheadsgarage.com R & L Upholstery Works 94-1025 Molale St. Waipahu, HI 96797 808/677-2181 Truck Stuff and More 224 N. Water St. Bellefonte, PA 16823 814/357-8142 www.truckstuffandmore.com Shiftworks 320 North Washington St. Rochester, NY 14625 585/383-0574 www.shiftworks.com Unkl Al’s Custom Emporium P.O. Box 21595 Bullhead City, AZ 86439 928/704-8655 www.unklals.com K.M.P. Accessories 10900 Shaker Point Way #10 Harrison, OH 45030 813/417-6967 www.kmpaccessories.com The Street Rod Store 154 Cooper Rd., Ste. 1602 West Berlin, NJ 08091 856/719-8030 www.thestreetrodstore.com Gary Pilo Chevy Parts 104 Seneca Ave. Rochester, NY 14621 716/739-9777 J & M Enterprises Group Inc. P.O. Box 903 Corona, CA 92878 951/549-1441 www.jamcosuspension.com Traffic Jams Complete Car Center 7241 Olive Blvd. Saint Louis, MO 63130-2321 314/484-4573 www.trafficjams.com Transformers Custom Auto Specialists 8075 W. 20th Ave. Hialeah, FL 33014 786/219-1700 www.transformersauto.com Jon’s Autobody 311 Makia Pl. Makawao, HI 96768-8051 808/357-5715

Auto Accents 540 E. Cross Ave. Tulare, CA 93274-4009 559/688-8733 Elite Auto Sport 1387 Pacific Dr. Burlington, WA 98233 360/391-7458 www.eliteautosport.net Fairystone Import Parts & Paint 9230 Fairystone Park Hwy. Bassett, VA 24055-3056 276/629-5474 Duetto Motors LLC 20929 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 47-124 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 818/887-1474 www.duettomotors.com Pro Design Hot Rods 2020 S. Susan St., Ste. B Santa Ana, CA 92704-4436 714/436-1158 www.prodesignhotrods.com Industrial Finishes & Systems 3455 W. 1st Ave. Eugene, OR 97402-5449 541/284-2208 www.industrialfinishes.com Bobbys Upholstery 1467 N. 3700 W. Cedar City, UT 84720-8367 435/586-3251 Butch’s Hotrod Shop P.O. Box 2196 Ewa Beach, HI 96706-2915 808/689-3380 Sunstate Mustang Supply 14200 60th St. N Clearwater, FL 33760-2705 727/535-9158 Custom Image Auto Body & Accessories P.O. Box Afton, WY 83110 307/885-7289 New Old Stock Motorsports 3849 E. Oasis Cir. Mesa, AZ 85215-9796 602/454-0786 www.nosms.com Huntsman’s Body Repair 4065 Clearview Loop South Security, CO 80911 719/392-9610 Faro 11729 Autumn Ridge Cove Sandy, UT 84092 949/275-2295 www.faro.com Hot Rod Heaven Inc 22542 Bear Creek Dr. S Murrieta, CA 92562-3013 951/677-8339 Strategy Plus/Rescue Rods 2175 Ocean Dr. Oxnard, CA 93035-4436 805/310-2618 www.rescuemissionfoundation.org Sittin Sic Performance LLC 2544 Bay Shore Dr. Sister Bay, WI 54234 262/227-5678 www.sittinsic.com dds Discount 1372 Broadway New York, NY 10018-6107 212/819-3771 www.rossstores.com KOI Auto Parts 2500 Spring Grove Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45225 513/287-7500 www.koiautoparts.com Blue Package Delivery 1636 Gervais Ave., Ste. 3 Saint Paul, MN 55109-2136 651/773-0031 www.bluepackage.com Colours Inc. 50 Dana St. Wilkes Barre, PA 18702-4302 570/208-5655 www.gocolours.com Wesco Group P.O. Box 5003 Lynnwood, WA 98046-5003 425/771-0926 www.wescopbe.com The Dent Zone Companies Inc. 5100 N. O’Connor Blvd., Ste. 100 Irving, TX 75039 214/393-2148 www.dentzone.com Dynamic Auto Images 1407 N. Batavia, Ste. 102 & 202 Orange, CA 92867 714/771-3400 www.dynamicautoimages.com Automtive Paint Specialties 1707 N.E. Hwy. 20 Bend, OR 97708 541/389-8467 www.apspaint.com Hutchbsr 4030 Concord Parkway S. Concord, NC 28027 704/788-7004 http://hutchbsr.com Automotive Paint Specialties 33485 Hwy. 99 E Tangent, OR 97389 541/917-7496 Automotive Color & Supply Corp. 1902 S. Calhoun St. Fort Wayne, IN 46802-5260 260/456-1237 Corvettes of Houston 15350 North Fwy. Houston, TX 77090-6002 281/821-1222 www.corvettesofhouston.com Got My PT 36607 Chantecler Rd. Winchester, CA 92596-9021 951/926-5679 Hot Rod Paint & Fab 589 Industrial Blvd. Pueblo West, CO 81007-1552 719/568-1100 National Parts Depot 2435 S. Haggerty Rd. Canton, MI 48188 800/976-1117 www.npdlink.com Stinger Chemical Corp 905 Live Oak St. Houston, TX 77003-3623 713/227-1340 http://stingerchemicals.com Kc Auto Paints 1622 S. 4th Ave. Tucson, AZ 85713-2916 520/440-6885 www.kc auto paints.com GPC/NAPA 1005 2nd St. NW Albuquerque, NM 87102-2215 505/843-6700 Grunion Fabrication 13011 N. Cave Creek Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85022 602/258-0088 www.grunionfabrication.com Competition Speed 33543 Cedar Creek Ln. Lake Elsinore, CA 92532 213/448-5015 www.competition-speed.com Gladwin Paint Co. 2000 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78215 210/223-2695 www.gladwinpaint.com National Parts Depot 1376 Walter St. #1 Ventura, CA 93003 805/654-0468 www.npdlink.com Auto Body Supplies & Paint 1205 Main St., Ste. 3 East Hartford, CT 06108-2281 860/528-9283 www.absap.com Boesch Auto Body Inc. P.O. Box 332 Humphrey, NE 68642-0332 402/923-0770 TCP Global Corp. 6695 Rasha St. San Diego, CA 92121 858/909-2149 www.tcpglobal.com Mill Supply Inc. 19801 Miles Rd. Cleveland, OH 44128-4117 216/518-5072 www.millsupply.com Automotive Concepts 2731 Nevada Ave. N New Hope, MN 55427 763/535-2181 www.ac-mn.com ToolTopia.com 125 Freestate Blvd. Shreveport, LA 71107 318/560-2025 www.tooltopia.com Butchs Hotrod Shop 91-827 Kauwili St. Ewa Beach, HI 96706-2915 808/247-3883 Classic Parts of America 1 Chevy Duty Dr. Riverside, MO 64150-9643 816/741-8029 www.classicparts.com D’Agostino’s Rod Shop 7436 Mark St. Texarkana, AR 71854-8727 870/772-5402 Industrial Finishes & Systems 955 S.E. Wilson Ave. Bend, OR 97702-1792 541/388-7372 www.industrialfinishes.com Plas-Pak Ind. 1 Connecticut Ave. Norwich, CT 06360-1501 412/264-4481 www.plaspakinc.com R & R Products Inc. 3334 E. Milber St. Tucson, AZ 85714-2029 520/889-3593 www.rrproducts.com San Juan Depot 26411 Via Cuervo Mission Viejo, CA 92691-2907 949/855-8449

 

SEMA News - August 2010

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT NEW PRODUCTS

Boosting the Bottom Line With Gear That Gets the Job Done

The SEMA Show is the once-a-year epicenter for automotive accessories. It’s more than 1,500 exhibitors offering their best products and services to more than 100,000 attendees. The must-see attraction for many is the custom, one-of-a kind vehicles on display throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center. For others, however, the real eye candy is getting a look at the tools and equipment that builders are using to create those masterpieces.

In 2009, 23,191 buyers went to Las Vegas specifically interested in tools and equipment. These buyers found 107 exhibitors, registering 32 products in the New Products Showcase and media/buyers scanned those entries 1,395 times. Jason Fennessey from Speedlife Motorsports in Andover, Massachusetts, attended the 2009 SEMA Show for the first time ever, looking for opportunities.

“We specialize in Audi and Volkswagen parts. I’m looking around for tools or anything I haven’t seen before,” said Fennessey. “This is my first time to the SEMA Show, and the New Products Showcase is very cool. I like the way it’s laid out by categories, and I’m amazed at all the things I didn’t know about.”

View a PDF of all the Tools & Equipment new products.

SEMA News - August 2010

By Steve Campbell
Photography Courtesy Local Motors

Local Motors Pairs Limited Production With Unlimited Potential

	With styling cues and an aggressive attitude reminiscent of a P-51 Mustang, the Local Motors Rally Fighter has the muscular image off-road enthusiasts love. That stands to reason, given that so many of them participated in its open design.

The concepts aren’t totally new to the automotive world: Get a group of designers together, brainstorm a vehicle concept, noodle out the financing, then sell every unit the market will bear. All a car company has to do is pick the right designers who develop the right concept that can be produced at the right cost for the right group of consumers. But that’s a whole lot of uncertainty, and the most common result is compromise after compromise, resulting in a bland vehicle for the masses.  John B. Rogers Jr. had a different idea. He decided that customers should design and develop the cars his company would help create. He also figured that there was no reason to start from scratch on every component part. Great engines, suspension systems, body pieces and interior components already existed throughout both the traditional tier-supplier network as well as in the specialty-equipment aftermarket. If his community of designer/builders tracked down the best of what was already on the shelves and used just-in-time delivery, he reasoned that they could avoid a whole slew of inventory and manufacturing headaches.

Rogers established his unique car company under the banner of Local Motors in 2007, based on the concept of open sourcing and open design. He developed a website where he held a series of contests to solicit vehicle concepts from a quickly burgeoning community of artists, car enthusiasts and designers. Then he allowed that same community—augmented by more and more users as the site and the intended project became more well-known—to vote on which designs should be pursued.

	Local Motors founder John B. Rogers Jr. holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton, an MBA from Harvard and an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps, where his duty stations included a tour as an infantry company commander in Iraq.

“Local Motors routinely shares the development of car designs chosen by the community,” Rogers said. “We share this open development so that our community can co-create the cars with us. We also share the production data—chassis, body, build sequences—so that our customers and community can design and build aftermarket components that actually fit the vehicle. We choose to work with top-caliber parts manufacturers and, for the sake of our community, we tend to work with those manufacturers who are also willing to share their data.”

The commercial and intellectual properties of Local Motors products and those of its suppliers are fully protected, Rogers noted. Local Motors promotes Creative Commons licensing  to protect its community of contributors while encouraging collaboration.

“We utilize a license called ‘Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share Alike,’” Rogers said. “Our community is highly visual, and this license allows them to download a car design by a peer, sketch over it to express suggested changes and then share it with the community. But everyone must include the original designer’s name on the sketch-over, and they know that they cannot try to sell work that belongs to someone else. In effect, this has created the first real protection for intellectual property in transportation design and those wishing to engage in an open sharing of ideas.”

		For more information on Local Motors, visit booth #24501 in the Racing & Performance section at the 2010 SEMA Show or contact Sarah Stokes, CSO at sstokes@local-motors.com or 480/371-6797.

Rogers is as well-versed in the concepts of intellectual property and patents as he is attuned to car design. He holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard. Lest you think he’s strictly a bookworm, however, be advised that he also spent six years in the Marine Corps between obtaining his undergraduate and graduate degrees, and part of that service was as an infantry company commander in Iraq. He also augmented his education through personal investigation within the automotive world. Given his vision for a small company, he pursued targeted guidance as well as real-world assistance from one of the leaders in the specialty-vehicle field: Factory Five Racing. Founded by brothers Mark and Dave Smith, Factory Five has been manufacturing component car kits since its inception in 1985.

“We get contacted all the time by guys who want to start car companies,” said Mark Smith. “When Rogers first called, he was kind of lost in the mix. We never got back to him because he was just another guy who wanted to start a car company. But a relative knew about him and told me that I should see what he had to say because he was a great guy. I did, and we eventually let him set up in a small building that we owned. Two of our engineers, Dave Riha and Mike Pisani, also went to work for Local Motors. With that building, two engineers and his idea, he was off and running.”

Smith said that the true strength of the Local Motors business model is that it uses “wild concepts from guys who are artists rather than car guys.” The Rally Fighter is a perfect example, he said. It’s definitely not for everyone, but for enthusiasts who want a unique type of vehicle, it’s fabulous.

	The Rally Fighter is designed to fit the BMW M57, GM LS3 and Mercedes BluTech, and the suspension includes a Fox Racing Shox package that is typical of the care with which components are selected for Local Motors vehicles.

The Rally Fighter was originally designed by Local Motors community member Sangho Kim of Pasadena, California, but more than 150 people contributed to its development and design. Some simply voted yes or no when an idea was proposed, Rogers said, and some did sketches to suggest new profile details or fender treatments. Others went as far as designing the entire interior or side vents or light bars.

“We had competition challenges to design unique parts of the Rally Fighter,” he said. The competitions were incentivized with cash prizes that ranged from $1,500–$20,000. The community also took part in sourcing components, and even when the company developed the primary selection list, the community chose which parts were actually fitted to the vehicle. The tooling used includes some high-tech appliances such as 3-D printers and scanners, but most of the equipment is standard fare. “We push very hard in our development process to reduce the use of complex machinery and the number of steps,” Rogers said. “For example, only two parts of the Rally Fighter require machine work. All of the other parts are off the shelf.”

In final trim, the Rally Fighter features a welded steel tubular space frame with lightweight thermoplastic and carbon-fiber body panels, and the suspension delivers 20 in. of travel. The beta car is fitted with a BMW M57 clean diesel engine that delivers 265 hp and, more importantly for off-road use, 425 lb.-ft. of torque. Rogers said that other Local Motors vehicles may be set up with Mercedes BlueTEC diesel or GM LS3 engines. The Fox Racing Shox shock absorber package on the Rally Fighter is typical of the care with which components are selected for Local Motors vehicles.

	The total build run for the Rally Fighter is slated for only 2,000 units. That exclusivity—and the fact that the buyer actually takes part in the vehicle’s assembly—is part of the Local Motors mystique.

“We’re a vehicle dynamics and suspension solutions company,” said Ross McNab, senior project engineer at Fox. “We work with different customers to try to find solutions to their problems, and we specifically selected the four shock absorbers for the Rally Fighter. They use a patented internal-bypass system that gives position-sensitive damping in a single coil-over shock and provides damping as a function of both velocity and position. For small-amplitude inputs, there is less damping; on larger inputs, the shocks deliver a lot more damping to help prevent bottoming out.”

Local Motors doesn’t make many of its own components, preferring to use high-quality, vetted, federally compliant components from companies such as Hella, Ri-Tar Enterprises, Uni-grip, StanPro, 3M and others. Rogers said that more than 100 companies supplied hardware for the Rally Fighter.

Another unique aspect of the Local Motors business model is their assembly facilities and personnel. The just-in-time component deliveries eliminate most waste, and each customer actually participates in the building of his or her vehicle.

“We’re also going to create a marketplace on our website for component manufacturers who want to sell items they design specifically for the Rally Fighter,” Rogers said. “It will look much like an applications store for the iPhone, but it will feature the Rally Fighter and awesome parts instead of apps.”

The estimated price for a Rally Fighter is $50,000.

While Rogers’ open sourcing business model is an important feature to industry insiders, it’s not the most crucial aspect for those potential buyers, according to Factory Five’s Smith.

“Nobody cares whether Microsoft Windows came from a thousand people or from one guy,” he said. “People want great cars and a great experience. What’s going to drive the value proposition is actually delivering on the crowd-source concept. I believe Local Motors is doing that.”

 

SEMA News - August 2010

By Steve Campbell

Heavy on the Research; Must Reading for Industry Pros

	The Business of Speed: The Hot Rod Industry in America, 1915–1990 is a remarkable record of the birth, growth and maturation of the automotive high-performance industry.

If you scan no farther than these next words, know this: You should read The Business of Speed: The Hot Rod Industry in America, 1915–1990 by David Lucsko. Since you’re browsing through SEMA News, you must be favored with some interest in the automotive specialty-equipment industry, and Lucsko’s book offers a primer about where it began, how it evolved and, if not precisely where it’s heading, at least an optimistic appraisal of why it will live on. Lucsko admits early in the preface to The Business of Speed that he is not a hot rodder, but he should have added that he is one prodigious researcher. Just the endnotes to this history of the American automotive high-performance aftermarket encompass 79 of the book’s 343 pages and are worth consideration on their own merits. Lucsko says in an “Essay on Sources” that his eventual study of the material—which evolved from an earlier graduate dissertation—lasted nine years as he combed through decades-old copies of magazines, such as Hot Rod and Popular Hot Rodding, along with how-to manuals, a range of private papers, seminal reference works that were penned by automotive journalism’s most venerated scribes, and a wealth of personal interviews with industry insiders. But this is far from merely one desiccated fact piled on the next. Lucsko is a formidable organizer and a talented story teller.

He begins his chronicle with the Model T Ford—the “universal car”—and early speed-equipment innovators, such as Joe Jaegersberger, Robert Roof and the Chevrolet brothers, whose initial efforts were centered on overhead-valve improvements to the earliest four-cylinder Flathead engines. He then follows the performance train to the beginnings of competition-bred improvements on the dry lakes of California and Ed Winfield’s carburetor, head and camshaft advancements at early Indianapolis 500 races. He differentiates between high-performance specialty equipment and replacement parts, discussing not only the types of products that developed but also the impetus for their creation, whether on a track, a lake bed or the street.

Lucsko provides a backdrop for the creation of various racing and hobby organizations, including the Southern California Timing Association, the National Hot Rod Association, the National Street Rod Association and the origins of SEMA as the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association. Along the way, he explains how the people involved with these organizations identified strongly with their mechanical passions. “A bona fide hot rodder was a mechanically inclined young man who built, drove, and raced a ‘hot roadster,’” Lucsko writes. “He sourced his parts from wrecking yards, speed shops, and, increasingly, from some of the handful of his acquaintances who manufactured high-performance equipment of their own design. He gathered with his friends at clubhouses, speed shops, automotive repair shops, and local diners to share ideas, to plan events, and to bench race.”

	Author David N. Lucsko spent nine years in concentrated research for his history of the automotive performance aftermarket, including hundreds of hours exploring the pages of vintage periodicals, such as Hot Rod and Popular Hot Rodding.

As he traces the industry’s path through the post-World War II years, Lucsko also examines the origins of hot rodding’s poor reputation among the general populous, which stemmed from street racing, parts thieves and illegally registered cars. The rise of the enthusiast press in the late ’40s and early ’50s—most notably Robert E. Petersen’s Hot Rod and the devotion of editor and NHRA founder Wally Parks—helped the racing community move from the streets to airstrips and, eventually, to purpose-built dragstrips. The magazines, Lucsko points out, gave rodders a sense of community in addition to helping manufacturers sell parts and providing an information conduit for performance enthusiasts through technical and how-to stories.

The Business of Speed is also sprinkled with fascinating biographical information about industry legends, such as Phil Weiand, Vic Edelbrock Sr., Fred Offenhauser and Ed Iskenderian. Lucsko pays homage to the technical prowess of these pioneers while praising them as well for their selfless transfer of knowledge to the succeeding generations of entrepreneurs who worked for them.

Throughout his book, Lucsko details the intricate symbiosis between the auto manufacturers and the entrepreneurs who considered factory stock cars and trucks to be only a starting point. He devotes a fair amount of space to the advent of musclecars and the development by the original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of their own proprietary performance parts, tracing the evolution of factory engines from that first Ford Flathead in the early 1900s to the wildly popular Chevrolet small-block that was introduced in 1955. Yet he always brings the story back to the premise of the book: the business of developing, manufacturing and selling speed parts.

By the seventh chapter, Lucsko is delving deeply into the roots and reasons for the advent of SEMA, which was developed by a handful of speed-parts manufacturers as an attempt first to manage credit problems within the industry and then to influence emissions and safety legislation that began to affect automotive enterprises—both OEM and aftermarket—in the early ’60s. The Business of Speed describes the growth of the industry and the evolution of the association as it morphed from the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association to the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association. Perhaps because the focus of the book is the performance end of the industry, Lucsko doesn’t mark the final name change—to the Specialty Equipment Market Association—which now reflects the wider umbrella covering not only manufacturers but also retailers, warehouse distributors and automotive accessory businesses of all types.

		The Business of Speed: The Hot Rod Industry in America, 1915–1990, By David N. Lucsko
		343 pages. $50 list,; $33.75 Barnes & Noble; $40.46 Amazon.com (all hardcover) The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008, www.press.jhu.edu

The book continually examines the relationships between the government, high-performance businesses and the OEMs, including the establishment of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board. It tracks the evolution of emissions controls, the demise of leaded fuels and SEMA’s role in the development of Executive Orders as the industry learned to “incorporate the requirements of regulatory agencies into its overall approach to the design and manufacture of high-performance parts.” Lucsko contrasts SEMA’s willingness to work within the system and develop compromises in the ’70s to the confrontational style adopted by the OEMs during that same period—and concludes that subtle negotiation was the more effective tactic.

The book is replete with arresting parallels between what occurred years and even decades ago with the forces still at work within the industry today. The Business of Speed is a remarkable record of the birth, growth and maturation of the automotive high-performance industry, carrying with it an enlightening subplot of a changing country and the shifting political winds that helped shape our current state of affairs.

Lucsko misses the mark with his prediction that the sport-compact market would continue to thrive—it was a hotbed as he was conducting his research—but while the bloom may be off that rose, at least for the time being, he nails the overarching passion that has always driven and will continue to drive the industry: “[T]he business of speed equipment manufacturing has never been about a certain brand of car, a certain type of engine, or a certain class of enthusiasts,” he writes. “Instead, it has always been about the ability to adapt.”

SEMA News - August 2010

BEST PRACTICES

By Steve Cambell

Finding, Evaluating and Using Field Representatives

	In a marketplace crowded with competitors, expert experience can make a difference. Manufacturers’ reps pride themselves on selling for multiple companies across multiple product lines in large geographic areas.

Unlike other types of salespeople, manufacturers’ representatives work for multiple companies across multiple product lines in a large geographic area, either as individuals or as part of an agency. 

A rep is an independent businessperson, an extension of the manufacturers’ sales force, and he or she can also be a highly valuable jack of all trades who not only closes deals but also teaches in-house manufacturer, warehouse distributor or retailer/jobber salespeople how to best present the manufacturer’s marketing plan to create sales.

A recently completed DVD produced by SEMA’s Manufacturers’ Rep Council (MRC), titled “Understanding the Sales Rep,” points out that companies of all sizes and across all manufacturing genres have used rep firms for years to market and sell their products. The video points out that manufacturers’ reps (also called field reps) tend to be more effective and cost-efficient. Because they are paid on commission, their cost of sales is directly related to their sales success.

“With an independent rep, a company saves money by not having to pay for health insurance, a car, office or travel expenses, retirement or taxes,” said Chris Perry, president of Bill Perry and Associates. “And we provide additional services, such as reviewing customer inventory, updating pricing, revising part numbers and training the customers’ salespeople.”

The benefits of using a manufacturer’s rep, either in conjunction with other salespeople or as a stand-alone sales force, are directly attributable to their experience, contacts and the fact that they are independent contractors. An established rep firm is made up of highly experienced professionals who have developed relationships with distributors and retailers through years of personal contact.

“A manufacturer’s rep is accepted into the existing accounts that he or she calls on,” said Nathan Kunzman of Michael Kunzman and Associates. “The rep has long-standing relationships with his warehouse or retail customers, and those relationships are very important. The ultimate goal should be to increase distribution of the product.”

Reps are knowledgeable about the markets that make up their areas of expertise as well as the product lines they already represent, and their experience allows them to not only sell but to advise their manufacturing clients about the validity of new products.

“Reps provide their clients with a high degree of honesty, integrity and ethics,” said Perry. “They can help review and analyze a customer’s inventories, make sure defects and stock adjustments are correctly handled and help resolve warranty issues. They can act as the manufacturer’s eyes and ears, communicating problems or issues to the manufacturer and providing information on competitive lines in the marketplace. A rep should be open about conflicts with other lines they represent, but manufacturers must also understand that overlaps can occur as lines grow and be open to discussions to resolve these types of issues. Professional independent reps will always feed back information to their manufacturers.”

		Reps are knowledgeable about the markets that make up their areas of expertise as well as the product lines they already represent, and their experience allows them to not only sell but to advise their manufacturing clients about the validity of new products.

In order for the rep to perform effectively and efficiently, the manufacturer must provide all required materials, guidance, leadership and education at no cost, just as it would provide them to internal sales people, said Irv Cohen, managing partner of S&S Sales & Marketing. That includes literature, samples and the opportunity to follow up on all leads generated through magazines, the Internet or other channels.

“Manufacturers’ reps are happy to work with the manufacturers’ inside sales force, so long as they are set up as a team rather than adversaries,” he said. “Most reps don’t sit in an office all day, so a rep on the road may not be able to answer a call immediately, even with a cell phone. If there is an inside sales rep who is assigned to customer service for the same account as a manufacturer’s rep, for example, the inside person might be able to handle that kind of emergency situation.”

As with any business relationship, mutual respect is the key to mutual success. Reps expect manufacturers to value their time, said Perry, providing adequate notice of sales training and in-field sales work and an advance look at all marketing materials, special promotions and telemarketing efforts within their geographic territory. Reps also expect complete reporting of all customer purchases and timely compensation for services rendered.

The industry-standard starting point for rep services is 5% of the rep’s sales on established accounts, but that can vary according to the product line and the work involved in servicing the account. A pioneer line—one that will take extra effort to land because the line isn’t established, has no built-in business, is new to the market or comes from a manufacturer that is new to an established market—will probably call for a 10% commission, Cohen said. And there are other services that his or her agency will soon begin charging extra for.

	SEMA members may obtain copies of the Manufacturers’ Rep Council DVD entitled “Understanding the Sales Rep” by contacting Staci Bostock, SEMA council relations manager, via e-mail at stacib@sema.org or by telephone at 909/978-6693.

“There are many, many trade shows and events that need to be covered, and our expenses are out of hand,” he said. “If we work a trade show without the manufacturer’s presence or we need to provide additional people to handle a booth, we’re going to have to charge a fee.” Likewise, Perry said, the rep should not be expected to bear the cost of sales meetings that are not held in conjunction with trade shows or other industry events that the rep might be expected to attend or are outside of the rep’s normal territory.

Logical factors should be considered when a manufacturer begins to consider using the services of a rep agency. Does it have one or more agents who service the locations that the manufacturer is interested in targeting? How many agents are in the group, and what is the background of the individual or individuals who will be assigned to the manufacturer’s account? Does the agency’s existing portfolio of clients include any competing lines? Does it include any complementary lines that distribution or retail customers might carry in tandem?

Just as with any new hire, the manufacturer should spend some time checking the background and references of the agency and its employees before entering into a contract for services. Reputable agencies will happily furnish a list of current clients, and the manufacturer may wish to contact other agencies in a different geographic area, since most rep firms are aware of each other and can provide feedback based on their own expertise.

Once a manufacturer has signed with an agency, the proof is in the pudding. Sales are the number-one criteria.

“A rep should be able to open new accounts, increase sales within the territory and avoid complaints,” said Cohen. “But it’s all based on the bottom line. If you started with $100 worth of sales in a territory and it grows to $10,000, is that good, bad or indifferent? The way a rep shines is in what he or she actually does.”

However, even though production is the best evidence of value, the unexpected should also be factored into the equation. The recent recession provides a stark example.

“The rep’s service should also be evaluated by his hard work,” said Kunzman. “Sometimes it takes years for a product to sell, and there are many factors that go into its success. Often it takes repetition and continued follow-up on the rep’s part. The rep should communicate with the manufacturer, letting the client know about their efforts. The manufacturer will see the type of commitment a rep has.”

The SEMA MRC webpage and the SEMA Membership Directory offer listings of manufacturers’ rep agencies, and the Performance Warehouse Association also offers a rep section on its website. Neither organization will recommend an individual agency, but their listings include a wide range of established firms.