SEMA’s Business Technology Committee (BTC) will conduct a seminar in conjunction with the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show that will cover the basics and benefits of standardized product information.

The BTC exists to help SEMA members make the right technology decisions. The idea is to focus on expanding selling opportunities and cut costs through the use of standards and the right technologies. Manufacturers who've taken the time to get their data into industry-standard formats are experiencing company-wide benefits, such as fewer returns by reduction of data entry errors and inaccurate fitments, increased speed to market for all products and improved inventory efficiency to reduce costs.

Participate in the BTC seminar that promises no “geek speak” and learn why adopting industry standards will increase your company's efficiency and profits.

SEMA Business Technology Committee Seminar

Where: Hotrod & Restoration Show – Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
When: Thursday, March 11 – Presented by Scott O’Toole
Topic: “Learn How Data Can Make Selling Your Products Easy!”

Access the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show seminar registration form here. The deadline to submit your seminar registration form is Friday, February 12. To obtain additional information regarding the 2010 Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show, visit www.hotrodshow.com.

SEMA’s Business Technology Committee (BTC) will conduct a seminar in conjunction with the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show that will cover the basics and benefits of standardized product information.

The BTC exists to help SEMA members make the right technology decisions. The idea is to focus on expanding selling opportunities and cut costs through the use of standards and the right technologies. Manufacturers who've taken the time to get their data into industry-standard formats are experiencing company-wide benefits, such as fewer returns by reduction of data entry errors and inaccurate fitments, increased speed to market for all products and improved inventory efficiency to reduce costs.

Participate in the BTC seminar that promises no “geek speak” and learn why adopting industry standards will increase your company's efficiency and profits.

SEMA Business Technology Committee Seminar

Where: Hotrod & Restoration Show – Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
When: Thursday, March 11 – Presented by Scott O’Toole
Topic: “Learn How Data Can Make Selling Your Products Easy!”

Access the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show seminar registration form here. The deadline to submit your seminar registration form is Friday, February 12. To obtain additional information regarding the 2010 Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show, visit www.hotrodshow.com.

SEMA’s Business Technology Committee (BTC) will conduct a seminar in conjunction with the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show that will cover the basics and benefits of standardized product information.

The BTC exists to help SEMA members make the right technology decisions. The idea is to focus on expanding selling opportunities and cut costs through the use of standards and the right technologies. Manufacturers who've taken the time to get their data into industry-standard formats are experiencing company-wide benefits, such as fewer returns by reduction of data entry errors and inaccurate fitments, increased speed to market for all products and improved inventory efficiency to reduce costs.

Participate in the BTC seminar that promises no “geek speak” and learn why adopting industry standards will increase your company's efficiency and profits.

SEMA Business Technology Committee Seminar

Where: Hotrod & Restoration Show – Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
When: Thursday, March 11 – Presented by Scott O’Toole
Topic: “Learn How Data Can Make Selling Your Products Easy!”

Access the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show seminar registration form here. The deadline to submit your seminar registration form is Friday, February 12. To obtain additional information regarding the 2010 Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show, visit www.hotrodshow.com.

	Resellers of Superlift products can further educate themselves about the product lines online at the SEMA Education Institute.

The Superlift Product Education Courses (SPECs) is an extensive compilation of Superlift training, marketing and product information. The SPECs Learning Track is designed to educate resellers of any knowledge level on Superlift products and brand. 

The Manufacturer’s Learning Track is designed to give retail sales people the knowledge, tools and confidence to close a sale. The Superlift Learning Track centers around a one-hour training course, complete with comprehensive knowledge checks and a final exam on products for 1999-2006 GM pickups.

Once a student successfully completes the course, it is recorded in the student's transcript maintained by the SEMA Education Institute (SEI).  Also included in the Superlift Learning Track are seven informational videos on different product applications ranging from Level-It Lift Systems to Jeep Wrangler lift kits.

In conjunction with the InGEAR Sales and Marketing training offered by SEI, sales people at any experience level can put all the pieces of the sales puzzle together and confidently close the sale. 

For SPECs, InGEAR and all the business-building education courses and videos SEI offers, visit meridian.sema.org.

SEMA News - January 2010

Quality is our mantra. It is the theme underlying everything we do at the association, and it was our goal for the 2009 SEMA Show. The feedback we’ve received indicates that the Show was a success by any measure, and we’ll use the information we’ve collected to produce an even better event for 2010.

The displays and innovation at the New Products Showcase were beyond our expectations this year. Even though the recession had constricted business for months, more than 1,400 products were entered in a dozen new-product categories. The new location and expanded footprint of the New Products Showcase in the upper level of the South Hall gave attendees easier access to the displays, leading them to swarm over the area to view some of the most innovative andtechnologically advanced offerings we’ve ever seen. In fact, buyers and media recorded more than 65,000 electronic scans to request additional product information and photography.

Connecting buyers and sellers is also a critical goal at every SEMA Show, and the numbers of exhibitors and buyers who linked up using the Matchmaking Program was a further indicator of success for 2009. Attendees exchanged tens of thousands of e-mails prior to arriving in Las Vegas, scheduling appointments with businesses whose product offerings or preferences matched their own. Buyers were also able to use the online floorplan at www.SEMAShow.com to not only determine top supplier prospects, but also to pinpoint the location of the booths they wished to visit, vastly improving their route planning.

We added two new sections this year—Paint, Body & Equipment and Powersports & Utility Vehicles. As with the traditional Show sections, the two new ones were set-up adjacent to related categories, designed to enhance crossover opportunities and, we hope, encourage retail and warehouse businesses to examine possible new product lines.

Education is another of the hallmark programs we seek to improve at every SEMA Show, and the attendance figures at this year’s offerings were a sign that our industry’s leading companies appreciated the value of increasing their knowledge and improving their skills. From business basics and sales techniques to Internet marketing and industry forecasts, the seminars and strategy sessions offered this year signaled a commitment by both jobbers/retailers and manufacturers to build upon best practices—especially the importance of clean and reliable product data.

A walk down any aisle at the 2009 SEMA Show confirmed that technology and innovation lead the way in vehicle evolution. New materials, new systems and new ways of viewing even the basics of how cars and trucks can operate spur our industry to provide products that tailor diverse vehicles to unique purposes. Keeping our focus on that diversity and those unique requirements is also what we in the association strive to achieve.

One-hundred percent of the businesses that attended the SEMA Show put it all on the line in 2009, signaling that buyers, manufacturers and services in this industry are ready for an active 2010. SEMA intends to be part of that process and continue offering programs and services to boost our members’ succcess. 

SEMA News - January 2010

 

The SEMA Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve funding for the creation of a uniform, all-industry product information data pool. The data pool will enable the sharing of information between trading partners, eCatalogs and those requiring the ability to perform computer searches to sell more parts. The first of its kind, the pool will be a comprehensive, one-stop service to SEMA’s membership and to all other suppliers and resellers in the North American specialty-equipment market.

“SEMA leadership is keenly aware of the critical role that data plays in an increasingly technologically enabled specialty aftermarket,” said SEMA Chairman Rick Rollins. “Our members understand that selling more of our products through existing specialty channels and to a broader audience through replacement-parts outlets requires readily available, complete, standardized and validated product information. This pool will provide that critical service.”

According to SEMA Board member and Business Technology Committee (BTC) Chairman Bob Moore, “The BTC has spent the last three years closely studying the needs of the specialty aftermarket as well as those of the replacement segment. All of our design specifications have been created to service those needs. The SEMA marketplace relies more heavily on product attribute data than does the replacement parts aftermarket. Because specialty products are more often about how they enhance a vehicle’s performance or appearance, data related to performance, appearance or horsepower is sometimes more important than the make and year of vehicles the product fits. That’s why the vision for this pool from the outset was to focus on product attribute data.”

Moore also noted that today’s market is served by a range of catalog and data providers that focus on make/model/year lookups.

“Our expectation is that providing an economical, easy-to-use resource for acquiring product data will spur the creation of applications that search product attributes in addition to make/model/year,” Moore said. “That eventuality will enhance the salability of specialty products at every level in both segments. Additionally, it will provide a potential for enhanced services by current providers of make/model/year lookups.

“Product attribute information is critically important to the automotive aftermarket overall, and there is no reliable single source for it today. The SEMA data pool will fill that void in a credible, cost-effective manner. The SEMA BTC anticipates having a working data pool operating for initial participants by close of the first quarter of 2010.”

SEMA Launches the All-New EnjoyTheDrive.com

In response to member requests to take advantage of social media and other means to raise consumer awareness of the automotive specialty-equipment industry’s products, EnjoyTheDrive.com has been updated and is now live. New features of the consumer-focused website include:

• Access to new products, vehicles and industry trends as seen at the 2009 SEMA Show.
• User-generated content reported by enthusiast opinion leaders.
• A downloadable widget that allows visitors to create custom feeds of vehicle and product information from SEMA members.
• Information about and links to SEMA consumer programs, including Take a Kid to a Car Show, Racers Against Street Racing, the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund and the SEMA Action Network.

EnjoyTheDrive.com will continue to be the primary SEMA tool from which consumers may receive information from the association and its members. Future site functionality will enhance SEMA members’ ability to promote their products to automotive enthusiasts.

13th Annual MPMC Media Trade Conference Moves to Covina, California

	The 13th annual MPMC Media Trade Conference will be held for the first time at the Radisson Suites Hotel in Covina, California.

The 13th annual Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference will be held for the first time at the Radisson Suites Hotel in Covina, California, January 19–21, 2010. For the past six years, the conference was held in El Segundo, California. The Media Trade Conference is a unique event that allows 100 MPMC-member manufacturers and editorial staffs from national and international media to network over three days of pre-scheduled, 30-minute meetings.

“The value of this event goes way beyond the meetings,” said Comp Cams CEO and SEMA Board of Directors Chair-Elect Scooter Brothers. “It’s about the networking and the relationships that we establish here—relationships with the media and with our peers. There is no other venue in our industry where so many of us can spend three days together and network like this.”

MPMC will also host its annual media reception at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19, in conjunction with the conference. The annual Robert E. Petersen Media Award will be presented during the evening’s event. The conference will also host an exhibitor appreciation reception on Thursday evening, and MPMC will hold an open membership meeting on Friday, January 22.

“We’d like to see as many of the exhibiting manufacturers there as possible,” said MPMC Chairman Bill Floyd. “I know it’s an extra day of travel, but this is really a great opportunity to share your ideas with the Select Committee on where MPMC should be headed and how to get there.”

For more information on the events, visit the MPMC’s website or contact Jim Skelly at 909/396-0289, ext 103.

Students Earn $250,000 in Scholarships Through Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge

	The finalists for the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge were awarded a total of $250,000 in scholarships.

The five members of Team Fel-Pro from Jolliet Central High School in Joliet, Illinois, each earned $10,000 scholarships for their victory in the inaugural Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge National Championship at the 2009 SEMA Show.

Team Fel-Pro needed just 44:22 to take apart and reassemble a high-performance Chevy 350 engine in the championship round, besting Team MSD’s 56:54 in a competition dubbed “The Showdown at SEMA.” Hailing from the Elkhart Area Career Center (Elkhart, Indiana), each member of Team MSD was awarded individual $7,500 scholarships.

To qualify for the championship round, Team Fel-Pro and Team MSD eliminated Team Hedman Hedders from Loara High School (Anaheim, California) and Team Edelbrock from Van Buren Tech Center (Lawrence, Michigan).

The Ohio Technical College and the University of Northwestern Ohio each donated $125,000 toward scholarships to the high-school students who participated in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge National Championship. A total of $250,000 in scholarships was awarded to the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge finalists.

Here is more information on the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge.

FAST FACTS

Identifix received a Top 20 Tools Award from Motor magazine for its Pegisys PC diagnostic system, which features OTC Direct-Hit Technician—Powered by Identifix. This is the second such award for Identifix. In 2003, Identifix received a Top 20 Tools Award for Direct-Hit, Identifix’s subscription-based online diagnostic information source offering real-world diagnostic information.

Mark Mojica joined the ReadyLift team as director of sales and marketing. Mojica entered the specialty aftermarket in 1987 with Rancho Suspension, where he enjoyed a successful 21-year career. He held several leadership positions, including some in customer service, marketing, product management and sales. ReadyLift, Santa Ana, CA; 800/549-4620.

Jacob Cartmill

Jacob Cartmill joined Beck/Arnley as a product specialist. Cartmill oversees brake hydraulics, including calipers, master cylinders, wheel cylinders and brake hoses, and is responsible for product-management efforts such as the introduction of new products, determining target pricing, creating new-product packaging and researching and developing new-product applications.

Tire Service Equipment Manufacturing Co. Inc. of Phoenix, Arizona, acquired all inventory, trademarks, equipment and manufacturing rights of Amermac Inc. of Ellaville, Georgia. In business for more than 50 years, Amermac Inc. is widely recognized as a leader in tire-vibration equipment and is renowned throughout the automotive trucking industry and the motorsports world. Tire Service Equipment Manufacturing Co. Inc., Phoenix, AZ; 602/437-5020.

Mike Clark

Mike Clark was promoted to vice president of operations for ConvExx, an independent show management company headquartered in Las Vegas. Clark, whose background includes operations management in information technology and hospitality, has been at ConvExx for four years. ConvExx, Las Vegas, NV; 702/450-7662.

GMB has been approved to supply new lifetime water pumps to the Automotive Distribution Network. The Automotive Distribution Network has 242 warehouse distributor locations with $2 billion in annual sales, and the company services more than 2,000 affiliated auto stores and 1,400 affiliated service centers. GMB has been a global manufacturer for more than 65 years, with more than 30 years of servicing the U.S. automotive aftermarket.

Dr. Hwi Joong Kim, Hankook Tire Co. Ltd.’s chief technology officer and chief production officer, was named the recipient of The University of Akron’s department of polymer science 2009 Outstanding Alumni Award. The Outstanding Alumnus Award is given to graduates who show remarkable achievement in academics or technology. The University of Akron’s department of polymer science annually recognizes an accredited alumnus and honors that person at a symposium during the fall semester. Dr. Kim oversees all global engineering, technical and manufacturing activities at Hankook. Hankook Tire Co. Ltd., Wayne, NJ; 800/426-5665.

ASA Tire Systems announced the following staff changes: Russ Johnson, who has more than 25 years of seniority at ASA, will retire from his fulltime duties; Jeff Manseau was promoted to TireMax product manager due in part to Johnson’s

C.R. Laurence of Europe Ltd. headquarters

retirement; Cindy Reynolds moved to TreadX/TirePro support supervisor; Erik Croswell moved to account management; and Sky Souza was promoted to marketing manager, where she will oversee the operations of the marketing department. ASA Tire Systems, Nashua, NH; 603/889-8700.

C.R. Laurence of Europe Ltd. expanded its European operations with the construction of a new 71,000-sq.-ft. headquarters, including an office and a warehouse, at Rochdale’s Kingsway Business Park. C.R. Laurence Co. Inc., Los Angeles, CA; 323/588-1281.

Walt Siklich has left Michael A. Kunzman & Associates to form his own sales and marketing agency, AutoRep Sales Company Inc. “With nearly 30 years of experience calling on and servicing some of the leading accounts and manufacturers in the performance industry, I am truly excited to apply my skills and knowledge to the many challenges and opportunities that lie ahead,” said Siklich. Autorep Sales Co. Inc., Bloomfield, MI 48302; 248/539-9327.

Butch Lahmann Jr. returned to the automotive aftermarket industry with the online media company CarDomain Network. Lahmann grew up in the aftermarket industry with his family’s business, American Specialty Equipment Corp., and also worked in the marketing department at Keystone Automotive. He left the WD side of the business and went to work for Primedia as its Eastern ad director for the International Automotive Group, whose titles and sites included Super Street, Sport Compact Car, European Car and more. After Primedia, Lahmann went into the outdoor sports industry and worked on media sales for both InterMedia Outdoors and Gorilla Nation. He is now CarDomain Network’s senior account manager for the East Coast. Based out of New York city, Lahmann can be reached at walter.lahmann@cardomain.com. CarDomain Network, Seattle, WA; 206/926-2100.

The Car Care Council earned a top award from North American Precis Syndicate Inc. (NAPS) for its consumer radio feature, “Keeping Your Car Can Save You Money.” The feature was honored with the prestigious Certificate of Excellence for superior achievement in media relations. The radio story generated 665 placements by America’s radio broadcasters, ranking in the top 1% of all radio features distributed to the media by NAPS.

Jeff Crutchfield was named the regional sales manager for Boge America Inc., providing sales and technical support to a growing distributor network in the South. He is responsible for managing and developing the distributor network from Alabama to Southern California. Crutchfield has spent more than 30 years in the compressed-air industry, working for a number of well-known manufacturers in the design and sales fields.

SoffSeal announced that Monte Stetler is the new president and CEO of the 29-year-old restoration company. SoffSeal, Harrison, OH; 800/426-0902.

After two years of research and development, the Spectre Performance SpeedLiner is officially in the record books as the fastest Cadillac and blown gas streamliner on earth. Competing in the Southern California Timing Association AA/BGS class for streamlined vehicles running on gasoline, the Cadillac-powered SpeedLiner averaged 330.9 mph over the course of two runs with veteran driver Kenny Hoover at the wheel. Complete information and a video of the record-breaking run are available here. Spectre Performance, Ontario, CA; 909/673-9800.

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. launched FitFotos, a new section of www.pioneerelectronics.com that highlights installations of car electronics by authorized Pioneer retailers. FitFotos enable dealers to showcase their professional installation capabilities while simultaneously helping consumers visualize the fit of Pioneer products in their vehicles. FitFotos builds upon the success of Mobile Electronics Live, Pioneer’s online portal for dealers that offers exclusive product information, video training and technical support. Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., Long Beach, CA; 310/952-2000.

 

 

SEMA News - January 2010

The images and information provided in “Spy Photos” are supplied by the spy shooters at Brenda Priddy & Co. “Spy Photos” are included each week in SEMA eNews, the association’s electronic newsletter. To receive your copy of SEMA eNews, e-mail enews@sema.org.

 

Photos Copyright Brenda Priddy & Company. Reuse or reproduction without the copyright holder’s consent is prohibited.

 

 

SEMA News - January 2010

By Drew Hardin

Photo Courtesy Source Interlink Media Archives

 

The old familiar sight of several roadsters at a Southern California drive-in is fast fading away,” wrote Tex Smith in the July 1959 Hot Rod magazine. That’s right. As long as 50 years ago, rodders were concerned about changes in the car hobby. “The car that wrote hot-rodding history is giving ground to its newer cousins from Detroit,” said Smith.

He pointed out, though, that there were plenty of hot roadsters still to be found in SoCal, including a group that “banded together under the title of ‘Roadsters of L.A.’ to see to it that the beloved little rods are preserved in all their dignity.” Founded in 1957, the club was open (and still is) to roadsters from ’36 or older and had already adopted its signature uniform of red shirts and white pants. In 1960, the L.A. Roadsters held its first roadster show and swap meet, a tradition that continues every Father’s Day.

In April 1959, Smith accompanied the L.A. Roadsters on a rod run from the Columbia Records building in Hollywood to the Griffith Park Observatory. When the club’s members stopped at the Tiny Naylor’s restaurant along the way, they became an instant car show, and Smith captured the scene.

 

SEMA News - January 2010

By Stuart Gosswein

SEMA Webinar Guides Member Companies on How to Obtain Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights

	Obtaining a design patent can cost between $3,000–$10,000, depending on the complexity of the claim. Courtesy of Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

Any good idea or product is worth protecting—especially if it’s the mainstay of your business’ success. However, the process of protecting your intellectual property (IP) may seem daunting. To help explain the procedures and ease the complexity for SEMA-member companies, the association recently hosted a webinar entitled “Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights: Ask the Experts.” It was presented by Steve Lustig of Dickinson Wright PLLC; Robb Roby of Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear LLP; and Merritt Blakeslee of The Blakeslee Law Firm.

The webinar provided guidance on the different types of “intellectual property.” The main categories include:

Copyrights: Protect creative expression (e.g., website design, software, catalogs, pricing sheets, advertising, etc.).

Trademarks: Protect words, names, symbols, sounds or colors that identify you as the source of your goods or services, and distinguish them from those manufactured or sold
by others.

Patents: Protect an invention or discovery of any new and useful process, machine, manufacture or composition of matter (utility patent) or protect ornamental features (design patent).

Trade Secrets: Protect a formula, program, device, process or other confidential information which provides an economic advantage over a competitor or customer.

The webinar explained why companies establish a line item in their budgets to protect IP assets. It provided guidance on the value of working with an attorney to review those assets, prioritize efforts and establish a long-term strategy for registering IP rights and enforcing those rights.

The first question that typically arises in protecting IP rights is how much does it cost to register? The costs and procedures for registering a copyright, trademark or patent are unrelated and vary in complexity.

Steve Lustig, an attorney specializing in copyrights and trademarks, advised members to budget $500–$1,000 to apply for a copyright registration with the Library of Congress. “For trademarks,” he said, “I recommend budgeting $1,500–$2,000 to file an application with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (PTO). That amount should cover the application to register a simple trademark. If it takes multiple office actions to complete the registration process, a company should budget an additional $3,000–$5,000.”

According to Lustig, copyrights can be issued in a matter of three to four months now that the Library of Congress has
started to use a more sophisticated electronic system.He noted that the length of time to register a trademark varies according to circumstances. “The process may be completed in 18 months or less if the mark is already in use and easily distinguishable. It could take much longer if the examining attorney at the PTO detects conflicting marks, challenges the mark as being merely descriptive or raises other issues.”

Robb Roby outlined the budget parameters for patents, noting that, “The patent application is a large investment due to its complexity. It also triggers a number of PTO fees and examination costs, along with attorney fees.” Roby estimated that a utility patent would cost $10,000–$15,000 for a simple invention. For a more complicated invention, he noted the cost can increase to $30,000–$40,000. In comparison, design patents are less expensive. “They can be $3,000–$5,000 for most,” he said, “and $7,000–$10,000 for more complicated design patents.”

The time to obtain a patent depends on a number of issues. “Most utility patents take three years or so,” said Roby. “Some may go through much quicker, perhaps in as little as 14–16 months. However, I would say you are generally looking at years rather than months or days.” For design patents, it usually takes a year or longer.

Merritt Blakeslee provided guidance on how to enforce IP rights after the property is registered. The advice included tips on self-policing (e.g., conducting Internet searches and monitoring retailers, competitor’s websites/catalogs, trade shows, etc.), protecting the company’s supply chain and using contracts to shield against infringement and non-performance. Blakeslee observed, “There are a variety of enforcement actions available at all price levels. A first step may be to work directly with online marketplaces, such as eBay and Alibaba.com, to remove postings offering goods that infringe your intellectual property. Recording your copyrights and trademarks with U.S. Customs and Border Protection as a mechanism to stop the importation of infringing products is another example of proactive enforcement. Sometimes a cease-and-desist letter will resolve a dispute. Other times, it is necessary to pursue legal action in a federal court or before the International Trade Commission.”

One question posed during the webinar concerned whether hiring an attorney is necessary. “With trademarks, you don’t want to make too many mistakes because you can wind up spending a lot of money for nothing,” said Lustig. “You probably do want to consult with an attorney just to hash things out.” This sage advice applies to all forms of IP.

No one ever said that protecting a business is simple, but with experts guiding you through the process, you can minimize wasted effort and keep your intellectual property in your sole possession.

To download a PDF and an audio version of this webinar, visit SEMA's webinars homepage. SEMA members may access all past webinars free of charge. 

 

SEMA News - January 2010

Optimism and Determination at the 2009 SEMA Show

Sunny skies in Las Vegas mirrored the mood within the Las Vegas Convention Center during the first week of November. The recession was only a secondary topic at the 2009 SEMA Show, and the mood was decidedly upbeat in the crowded aisles, where business executives who were determined to move forward met with attendees who were equally hopeful. A total of 1,745 companies exhibited at the mecca of automotive trade shows, and they were joined by more than 120,000 retailers, warehouse distributors, members of the media and other attendees, with about 24% of the registered buyers coming from outside the United States. SEMA staff and Show organizers offered new programs, enhancements and ongoing floorplan and organizational refinements to produce the best event possible, and the industry responded with gusto. 

 

 

Matchmaker

When exhibitors and buyers registered for the 2009 SEMA Show, they were asked about the products and services pertinent to them. A unique matchmaking tool then paired them according to their stated preferences and e-mailed them a list of contacts that matched their product categories. Thus, buyers and exhibitors arranged appointments long before the SEMA Show even began. In fact, more than 40,000 e-mails were exchanged using the matchmaking tool, ensuring that the participants would have the best possible chance to meet and do business with one another.

 

 

New Sections Introduced

Two new exhibitor categories were introduced at the 2009 SEMA Show. Fifty-five companies exhibited in the Paint, Body & Equipment section, and 59 set-up their booths in the new Powersports & Utility Vehicles segment. The additions came in direct response to buyer interests in those categories at previous SEMA Shows. The Paint, Body & Equipment displays were housed in the North Hall, adjacent to the Tools & Equipment and Restyling & Car Care Accessories exhibits for maximum crossover potential. Likewise, the Powersports & Utility Vehicles section was located in the South Hall next to the Trucks, SUVs & Off-Road exhibitors, also providing buyers there with access to related product exhibitors. The two new sections helped make up the more than 461 companies that were exhibiting at the SEMA Show for the first time.

 

 

Media Exposure a Bonus for Exhibitors

Both automotive and general-interest media flock to the SEMA Show each year. Upward of 2,000 members of the press descended on Las Vegas to attend more than 40 press conferences, and the Show’s total reach has become even more impressive as social networking gained popularity. Items posted on Twitter about SEMA Show products and vehicles brought the event into the network’s top 10 trends. Media credentials were given to those covering the Show for editorial purposes only, providing exhibitors with added value through publicity for their products in thousands of publications throughout the world. The media’s efforts were aided through services that included complimentary registration; storage lockers in the Media Center (which was open well before and after Show hours); copy and fax services; easy access to exhibitor press materials; free computer access, including high-speed wireless service throughout the facilities; and downloadable high-res photos at www.semaphotos.com.

Online Marketing Conference

SEMA dedicated the day prior to the Show opening to “Online Marketing Conference 2009: Your No-B.S. Day to Mastering Internet Marketing.” It was the first time that the association had ever focused an entire training day at the SEMA Show on a single topic, and the room was packed with more than 240 attendees. Sponsored by eBay Motors and AutoGuide, the program was designed to help companies learn how to profit and promote themselves through the Internet and provide information of immediate value. “Members are increasingly turning to SEMA for guidance and solutions,” said Nathan Ridnouer, SEMA vice president of councils and membership. “Our data tell us that online marketing is of huge importance to our members.” SEMA’s education department will be providing a number of educational offerings throughout 2010 focused specifically in this area.

Proving Grounds

The 2009 SEMA Show again featured a pair of proving grounds where attendees could test drive a new-car model and learn about the latest vehicle innovations. Participants piloted Ford’s Euro-spec versions of the forthcoming Fiesta on the 51,000-sq.-ft. track at the Motor Trend Proving Ground, which was hosted by the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. Simultaneously, the Off-Road Proving Ground sponsored by Toyota featured the latest off-road products and technologies over a course that featured rock-crawling and mudslinging as well as demonstrations of big air by professional race drivers.

 

Opinion Leaders

SEMA members have consistently ranked research as one of the top benefits of belonging to the association, and who better to learn from than automotive specialty-equipment customers—especially those whose opinions help inform and persuade their friends and associates. The first-ever SEMA Show Enthusiast Opinion Leader Research Program brought a select group of automotive enthusiasts to Las Vegas, including car collectors, club members, bloggers and enthusiasts who are active in automotive forums and social media, to participate in market research and feedback sessions prior to and during the Show. The participating consumers provided their insights and perspectives on the SEMA Show experience in general along with specific feedback about new products, Show vehicles and industry trends. Exhibitors benefitted from increased viral messaging about Show activities through social media channels, such as Twitter and Facebook, and the association will use the results from a pre-Show survey, focus groups and onsite feedback to build a market report for SEMA-member companies. For more information about the program, e-mail research@sema.org.

 

Making Green Cool Zone

Green performance was showcased at the 2009 Making Green Cool Zone, as the next generation of musclecars and hot rods equipped with clean diesels, advanced hybrid powertrains, extended-range and pure electric motors shared the stage. “No industry is tied to technology more than the auto industry,” said John Waraniak, SEMA’s vice president of vehicle technology. “This is truly one of the most exciting times to be in the auto industry, and the Green Zone is what SEMA is all about—making vehicles go faster, go farther and, most importantly, making them cooler. The new generation of clean diesels, gasoline direct injection, hybrid and battery electric vehicles are leading the reinvention of the automobile and creating exciting opportunities for SEMA-member companies and bold OEMs. This is a new day and a new game with new rules and new players.” Myriad examples of innovative powertrain technology flourished in the Green Zone, and the world’s first production electric superbike—the Mavizen TTX02—was unveiled at a special press conference. The Green Zone was designed to highlight those companies and enthusiasts whose creativity and innovation in the development, deployment and marketing of green vehicle technologies prove that being environmentally friendly is cool.

Dealer Day

The Dealer Day program was created in response to the growing number of auto dealers who are interested in the profits available through accessory sales. Dealer Day’s targeted seminars and workshops allowed participants to hone in on established business models, such as partnering with professional restyling facilities, operating in-house accessory centers and balancing factory versus non-factory accessories. The 2009 Dealer Day was hosted by the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA). It included sessions on how to use accessories to reinvigorate sales, stimulate floor traffic and create high-margin profit centers throughout the dealership. One of the highlights was a discussion of “Recession-Busting Strategies to Speed Accessory Sales,” presented by Josh “Chop” Towbin of Towbin Dodge and his special guest, Myles Kovacs of DUB Publishing. Besides being very entertaining, the pair brought real-life examples of how dealers can profit from accessorization.

 

Green Rods and Solving the Titling Dilemma for Hobbyist Vehicles in California

On Monday evening of Show week, SEMA announced a resolution to the titling of street rods, custom vehicles, kit cars and replicas in cooperation with California agencies that included the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Bureau of Automotive Repair, the Air Resources Board and the attorney general’s office. “This breakthrough procedure allows owners of certain specially constructed vehicles to avoid the pitfalls of a previously muddy process for legally registering and titling such vehicles in California,” said Steve McDonald, SEMA vice president of government affairs. “The program also permits these vehicles to demonstrate state emissions-compliance requirements.” Under a new law, the DMV will grant amnesty from prosecution to the owner of a previously illegally titled vehicle if certain conditions are met, including the owner filing a completed application with the department. First, an owner can pay all back taxes and penalties and apply for one of 500 (per year) smog-check exemptions. Under a second option, owners of specially constructed vehicles can pay all back taxes and penalties and then choose to install one of several OEM engines and related powertrain components. Finally, SEMA configured a kit of emissions-related aftermarket parts that meet California smog-check standards. An owner can pay all back taxes and penalties and install the “retrofit kit.” Major components in the “GreenRod” kit include an aftermarket electronic fuel injection (EFI) system, an EFI controller, exhaust headers, a camshaft, mufflers and catalytic converters. For further details about the program and the “GreenRod Project,” visit the Government Affairs homepage.

Hurst Camaro

SEMA, Chevrolet, eBay and Hurst Performance Vehicles teamed up to auction a pre-production 2010 Hurst Camaro leading into the SEMA Show, with the proceeds going to the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund. The bidding was won by Ernie Feist at $61,900. Featuring choice items that include a Hurst/Magnaflow exhaust, a Hurst/Eibach suspension, T-2 20-inch forged wheels, a Billet/Plus short-throw shifter and a red anodized Hard-Drive billet pistol-grip shift handle, the Camaro is a unique vehicle built for a worthy cause. Signatures from luminaries such as Doc Watson, Linda Vaughn and Hurst executives as well as a personalized “SEMA Special” interior identification badge attest to the rarity of the special car. Feist and his son Ernie Jr. were on hand at the Show to get their first look at the Camaro with Hurst executive and former SEMA Chairman of the Board Nate Shelton.

 

SEMA Person of the Year

A perennial favorite on the last night of Show week, the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet opened with a stirring video, closed with a top-notch comedian and featured well-deserved awards in between. Source Interlink Media’s Doug Evans, a member of the SEMA Board of Directors and chairman of the SEMA Political Action Committee, was chosen as the association’s Person of the Year. Evans (on the left in photo with banquet entertainer Bill Engvall and fellow Board member Bob Moore) places legislative issues at the forefront of his activism, and he is in a unique position to disseminate SEMA Action Network issues to enthusiasts to get them to respond swiftly and reach out to their local politicians to protect their hobby. Evans has established relationships with various U.S. Senate and House representatives who are friends of the specialty-equipment industry. Created in 1969, the Person of the Year Award recognizes individuals for their distinguished service to the trade association and the specialty-equipment industry.

Other awards presented during the evening included P&E Distributors as the Warehouse Distributor of the Year, Considine Sales & Marketing as the SEMA Manufacturers’ Rep Agency of the Year, and the presentation of the Chairman’s Service Award to Jim Bingham of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge.