SEMA VP of Vehicle Technology John Waraniak will moderate a webinar discussing the SEMA/CAR future industry forecasts.

Reports of a sour economy continue to circulate. Automakers are retooling, adjusting their directions to maintain and, in many cases, regain market shares. The future of the auto manufacturers will have a direct impact on the direction of many SEMA-member companies.

Take one hour on Monday, September 17, to participate in the SEMA webinar, “Major Determinants of U.S. Automotive Demand: Factors Driving the U.S. Automotive Market.” This is your chance to learn more about the major economic drivers of the U.S. automotive market and their potential impact on the specialty-equipment industry.

The session will help SEMA members increase their understanding and awareness of macroeconomic trends and analysis to support business-development and scenario-planning efforts.

The findings are the result of a multi-phased series of specialty-equipment forecasting reports conducted by SEMA and the Center for Automotive Research (CAR). This session includes the findings from Phase III.

Moderator John Waraniak and CAR's Brett Smith will host a live Q&A at the end of the webinar to address the report's conclusions. SEMA recently presented the industry research findings at the annual State of the Association meeting in Pasadena, California, in August.

What: “Major Determinants of U.S. Automotive Demand: Factors Driving the U.S. Automotive Market”
When: Monday, September 17, 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (PDT)
Presenter: Brett Smith, Assistant Director, Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology, Center of Automotive Research (CAR)
Moderator: John Waraniak, SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology

Register for the September 17 Webinar

Don’t forget the webinar session on September 9, "The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service."

Customer loyalty is fundamental to the success of your company. Without it, expenses can go up, profits go down, morale suffers and your company is at risk.

Robert Spector, author of "The Nordstrom Way," will show you how to create loyal customers and keep them coming back during his webinar presentation on September 9, 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (PDT).

Spector's insight to customer service—gained through exclusive input from Nordstrom management and the company's high-level sales people—will guide your organization to new heights in customer service excellence. You and your staff will leave this session with real-world action items that can be put to use right away.

What: "The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service"
When: Wednesday, September 9
Presenter: Robert Spector

Register for the September 9 webinar.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

CGS Motorsports is in the process of moving to a larger distribution and manufacturing facility in Chino, California. The company is currently operating from the Chino facility, as well as its original location in Pomona, California. CGS plans to be operating solely from the Chino location by October 2009.

	John Julis of J & J Marketing.

John Julis’ J & J Marketing is celebrating 30 years in the manufacturers’ rep business. Founded in 1979, J & J Marketing specializes in hardcore racing and high-performance product lines.

Mike Long

Speedway Motors hired Mike Long as vice president of development – open wheel specialist. Long served as vice president of operations for Maxim Racing Chassis in Springfield, Illinois, from 2002–2009. Prior to that, he worked as a crewmember for Steve Kinser Racing, a 20-time World Of Outlaws champion. Long is also a longtime racer who has competed in everything from go-karts to Micros and Sprint Cars and brings a wealth of hands-on racing experience to Speedway Motors.

	Bill O’Roake, International Marketing Manager for Mickey Thompson (left); Governor Ted Strickland (center) and Lisa Patt-McDaniel, interim director of the Ohio Department of Development.

Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels received the 2009 Governor’s Excellence in Exporting Award, also known as an “E-Award,” from the state of Ohio. Each year, the Governor of Ohio presents E-Awards to organizations that have increased the number of export-related jobs in Ohio or helped Ohio companies succeed internationally. The company was honored at a luncheon ceremony held in Columbus, Ohio, in August at the Hyatt Regency.

Christina Awad

Christina Awad joined Precision Fleet Brakes as a project manager. Her responsibilities include customer relations, business management and sales support. Prior to joining Precision Fleet Brakes, Awad worked at Air Liquide as an account manager, where she was responsible for introducing new applications of cryogenics to a variety of industries, maintaining customer accounts and serving as a liaison between several departments, including engineering, distribution, business development and management.

	Tom Yamaguchi

NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited promoted Tom Yamaguchi to president. Yamaguchi previously served as vice president and is a 14-year veteran of NGK Spark Plugs Co. LTD. He also served as assistant to the president in the NGK U.S.A. office from 2006 until his transfer to Canada in 2007. In his new role, Yamaguchi will oversee all functions for NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited. He replaced Shinichi Odo, who returned to Japan to take the role of director – automotive division.

NFL great Joe Theismann and former NFL wide receiver Mark Seay will sign autographs on Saturday, September 19, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., during the Staer Bros. Route 66 Rendezvous, being held Thursday–Sunday, September 17–20. Additional celebrity appearances and the entertainment lineup for the event have been announced. For more information, visit www.route-66.org.

The Tire Industry Association (TIA) will once again offer its popular "Tires at Two" seminars at the SEMA Show.

On Tuesday, November 3, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m, several successful tire dealers will offer tips and advice on getting your business on the road to success in "Successful Tire Dealers Share Their Secrets."

Bartec USA will sponsor "Effectively Communicating TPMS Training/Developments to Techs" on Wednesday, November 4 and Thursday, November 5, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m., covering developments of tire pressure monitoring systems and where this technology is heading.

On Thursday, Bartec will also present "TPMS Repair Tool Manufacturer Update," with manufacturers of TPMS diagnostic and learn tools demonstrating what their products can do and how they can make your shops more productive and profitable.

TIA will have its Tires, Wheels & Equipment (TWE) section at the SEMA Show.

View a schedule of all the education sessions taking place at the Show.

To register for the 2009 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

The Tire Industry Association (TIA) will once again offer its popular "Tires at Two" seminars at the SEMA Show.

On Tuesday, November 3, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m, several successful tire dealers will offer tips and advice on getting your business on the road to success in "Successful Tire Dealers Share Their Secrets."

Bartec USA will sponsor "Effectively Communicating TPMS Training/Developments to Techs" on Wednesday, November 4 and Thursday, November 5, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m., covering developments of tire pressure monitoring systems and where this technology is heading.

On Thursday, Bartec will also present "TPMS Repair Tool Manufacturer Update," with manufacturers of TPMS diagnostic and learn tools demonstrating what their products can do and how they can make your shops more productive and profitable.

TIA will have its Tires, Wheels & Equipment (TWE) section at the SEMA Show.

View a schedule of all the education sessions taking place at the Show.

To register for the 2009 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

The Tire Industry Association (TIA) will once again offer its popular "Tires at Two" seminars at the SEMA Show.

On Tuesday, November 3, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m, several successful tire dealers will offer tips and advice on getting your business on the road to success in "Successful Tire Dealers Share Their Secrets."

Bartec USA will sponsor "Effectively Communicating TPMS Training/Developments to Techs" on Wednesday, November 4 and Thursday, November 5, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m., covering developments of tire pressure monitoring systems and where this technology is heading.

On Thursday, Bartec will also present "TPMS Repair Tool Manufacturer Update," with manufacturers of TPMS diagnostic and learn tools demonstrating what their products can do and how they can make your shops more productive and profitable.

TIA will have its Tires, Wheels & Equipment (TWE) section at the SEMA Show.

View a schedule of all the education sessions taking place at the Show.

To register for the 2009 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

The future direction of vehicle powertrains can be hard to gauge. While electric vehicles, hybrid electrics and the current gasoline engine are all part of the future, there are many factors that impact the production for automakers. The decisions that OEMs make in regard to vehicle powertrains significantly impact the specialty-equipment industry.

“Gasoline prices, no matter what anyone says, are what drives powertrain technologies,” said Brett Smith, assistant director of manufacturing, engineering and technology for the Center of Automotive Research (CAR). He made the comments during a recent SEMA webinar that revealed the findings of a multi-phased series of specialty-equipment forecasting reports conducted by SEMA and CAR.

Through the session, moderated by John Waraniak, SEMA vice president of vehicle technology, Smith explained that the fluctuation in gasoline prices has been a major challenge for automakers. What used to be considered seasonal spikes in gas prices have become more detrimental given the extreme change that gas prices are experiencing from season to season.

“The important and challenging thing for the auto industry is that the spikes in process have become exaggerated,” said Smith. “It is important to understand that [future] gas prices could be $2.00 a gallon or $7.00 a gallon, and as a vehicle manufacturer, that’s a real challenge.” 

Here are a few key findings from the study outlined by Smith.

The gasoline engine is not going away. Because of the fluctuation of gas prices and the impact they have on OEM plans for vehicle production, the study shows two projections for the total percent of light vehicles sold in 2015 with gasoline engines—one percentage for a gas price of $2.50 per gallon and another for a gas price of $6.00 per gallon. If gas is near the $2.50 per gallon, the total percent of vehicles powered by gasoline engines on the market is projected at about 95%. If gas increases to $6.00 per gallon, that percent of vehicles powered by gasoline engines declines to about 89%.

Diesel is not the current technology of choice. Smith says that diesel shows a lot of potential and real positive attributes, but it is not the technology of choice for the current administration. There still remain concerns regarding diesel emissions. And some of the attitude against diesel is due to the administration’s connections with California—a state that has been against diesel technology for decades.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles are part of the solution. The study’s forecast shows that by 2015, if gas prices were to near $6.00 per gallon, about 20% of the total number of light vehicles sold would be hybrid electric. However, if the price per gallon is about $2.50, that number falls to about 6% of the total number of light vehicles sold. Smith says that the increase in gas prices make a strong case for the consumer to actually invest in hybrid technology. He also says that a current concern for vehicle manufacturers is, for the most part, consumers discount fuel economy and they’re not willing to pay extra dollars for fuel economy. Data, over time, shows that instead of buying advanced, new technologies for fuel economy, the trend is for people to purchase a much more efficient small car rather than buy a fuel-efficient midsize car with an expensive technology.

To hear more results from Phase II of the SEMA CAR report, including more news on the future of diesel and the outlook for battery electric vehicles, download the entire webinar session.

About the study results: This survey of the report presents results of a targeted survey of powertrain experts from vehicle manufacturers, powertrain suppliers, powertrain engineering services firms and non-Government organizations. The survey was conducted during the second quarter of 2009. Seventeen individuals participated in the survey. The majority of the interviewees had engineering backgrounds and currently held positions of director or above, They were selected based on their wide range of expertise in both technical and market issues. This topic is highly complex in nature. As such, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) believes there is only a very small group of individuals who are capable of responding to the specific questions asked. The data is presented as the mean of all responses. Statistical analysis of such a small sample is not helpful. All respondents had the opportunity to compare their estimates to the survey mean and make additional comments. There was generally minimal disagreement from the respondents upon review.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

The future direction of vehicle powertrains can be hard to gauge. While electric vehicles, hybrid electrics and the current gasoline engine are all part of the future, there are many factors that impact the production for automakers. The decisions that OEMs make in regard to vehicle powertrains significantly impact the specialty-equipment industry.

“Gasoline prices, no matter what anyone says, are what drives powertrain technologies,” said Brett Smith, assistant director of manufacturing, engineering and technology for the Center of Automotive Research (CAR). He made the comments during a recent SEMA webinar that revealed the findings of a multi-phased series of specialty-equipment forecasting reports conducted by SEMA and CAR.

Through the session, moderated by John Waraniak, SEMA vice president of vehicle technology, Smith explained that the fluctuation in gasoline prices has been a major challenge for automakers. What used to be considered seasonal spikes in gas prices have become more detrimental given the extreme change that gas prices are experiencing from season to season.

“The important and challenging thing for the auto industry is that the spikes in process have become exaggerated,” said Smith. “It is important to understand that [future] gas prices could be $2.00 a gallon or $7.00 a gallon, and as a vehicle manufacturer, that’s a real challenge.” 

Here are a few key findings from the study outlined by Smith.

The gasoline engine is not going away. Because of the fluctuation of gas prices and the impact they have on OEM plans for vehicle production, the study shows two projections for the total percent of light vehicles sold in 2015 with gasoline engines—one percentage for a gas price of $2.50 per gallon and another for a gas price of $6.00 per gallon. If gas is near the $2.50 per gallon, the total percent of vehicles powered by gasoline engines on the market is projected at about 95%. If gas increases to $6.00 per gallon, that percent of vehicles powered by gasoline engines declines to about 89%.

Diesel is not the current technology of choice. Smith says that diesel shows a lot of potential and real positive attributes, but it is not the technology of choice for the current administration. There still remain concerns regarding diesel emissions. And some of the attitude against diesel is due to the administration’s connections with California—a state that has been against diesel technology for decades.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles are part of the solution. The study’s forecast shows that by 2015, if gas prices were to near $6.00 per gallon, about 20% of the total number of light vehicles sold would be hybrid electric. However, if the price per gallon is about $2.50, that number falls to about 6% of the total number of light vehicles sold. Smith says that the increase in gas prices make a strong case for the consumer to actually invest in hybrid technology. He also says that a current concern for vehicle manufacturers is, for the most part, consumers discount fuel economy and they’re not willing to pay extra dollars for fuel economy. Data, over time, shows that instead of buying advanced, new technologies for fuel economy, the trend is for people to purchase a much more efficient small car rather than buy a fuel-efficient midsize car with an expensive technology.

To hear more results from Phase II of the SEMA CAR report, including more news on the future of diesel and the outlook for battery electric vehicles, download the entire webinar session.

About the study results: This survey of the report presents results of a targeted survey of powertrain experts from vehicle manufacturers, powertrain suppliers, powertrain engineering services firms and non-Government organizations. The survey was conducted during the second quarter of 2009. Seventeen individuals participated in the survey. The majority of the interviewees had engineering backgrounds and currently held positions of director or above, They were selected based on their wide range of expertise in both technical and market issues. This topic is highly complex in nature. As such, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) believes there is only a very small group of individuals who are capable of responding to the specific questions asked. The data is presented as the mean of all responses. Statistical analysis of such a small sample is not helpful. All respondents had the opportunity to compare their estimates to the survey mean and make additional comments. There was generally minimal disagreement from the respondents upon review.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

The future direction of vehicle powertrains can be hard to gauge. While electric vehicles, hybrid electrics and the current gasoline engine are all part of the future, there are many factors that impact the production for automakers. The decisions that OEMs make in regard to vehicle powertrains significantly impact the specialty-equipment industry.

“Gasoline prices, no matter what anyone says, are what drives powertrain technologies,” said Brett Smith, assistant director of manufacturing, engineering and technology for the Center of Automotive Research (CAR). He made the comments during a recent SEMA webinar that revealed the findings of a multi-phased series of specialty-equipment forecasting reports conducted by SEMA and CAR.

Through the session, moderated by John Waraniak, SEMA vice president of vehicle technology, Smith explained that the fluctuation in gasoline prices has been a major challenge for automakers. What used to be considered seasonal spikes in gas prices have become more detrimental given the extreme change that gas prices are experiencing from season to season.

“The important and challenging thing for the auto industry is that the spikes in process have become exaggerated,” said Smith. “It is important to understand that [future] gas prices could be $2.00 a gallon or $7.00 a gallon, and as a vehicle manufacturer, that’s a real challenge.” 

Here are a few key findings from the study outlined by Smith.

The gasoline engine is not going away. Because of the fluctuation of gas prices and the impact they have on OEM plans for vehicle production, the study shows two projections for the total percent of light vehicles sold in 2015 with gasoline engines—one percentage for a gas price of $2.50 per gallon and another for a gas price of $6.00 per gallon. If gas is near the $2.50 per gallon, the total percent of vehicles powered by gasoline engines on the market is projected at about 95%. If gas increases to $6.00 per gallon, that percent of vehicles powered by gasoline engines declines to about 89%.

Diesel is not the current technology of choice. Smith says that diesel shows a lot of potential and real positive attributes, but it is not the technology of choice for the current administration. There still remain concerns regarding diesel emissions. And some of the attitude against diesel is due to the administration’s connections with California—a state that has been against diesel technology for decades.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles are part of the solution. The study’s forecast shows that by 2015, if gas prices were to near $6.00 per gallon, about 20% of the total number of light vehicles sold would be hybrid electric. However, if the price per gallon is about $2.50, that number falls to about 6% of the total number of light vehicles sold. Smith says that the increase in gas prices make a strong case for the consumer to actually invest in hybrid technology. He also says that a current concern for vehicle manufacturers is, for the most part, consumers discount fuel economy and they’re not willing to pay extra dollars for fuel economy. Data, over time, shows that instead of buying advanced, new technologies for fuel economy, the trend is for people to purchase a much more efficient small car rather than buy a fuel-efficient midsize car with an expensive technology.

To hear more results from Phase II of the SEMA CAR report, including more news on the future of diesel and the outlook for battery electric vehicles, download the entire webinar session.

About the study results: This survey of the report presents results of a targeted survey of powertrain experts from vehicle manufacturers, powertrain suppliers, powertrain engineering services firms and non-Government organizations. The survey was conducted during the second quarter of 2009. Seventeen individuals participated in the survey. The majority of the interviewees had engineering backgrounds and currently held positions of director or above, They were selected based on their wide range of expertise in both technical and market issues. This topic is highly complex in nature. As such, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) believes there is only a very small group of individuals who are capable of responding to the specific questions asked. The data is presented as the mean of all responses. Statistical analysis of such a small sample is not helpful. All respondents had the opportunity to compare their estimates to the survey mean and make additional comments. There was generally minimal disagreement from the respondents upon review.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

The future direction of vehicle powertrains can be hard to gauge. While electric vehicles, hybrid electrics and the current gasoline engine are all part of the future, there are many factors that impact the production for automakers. The decisions that OEMs make in regard to vehicle powertrains significantly impact the specialty-equipment industry.

“Gasoline prices, no matter what anyone says, are what drives powertrain technologies,” said Brett Smith, assistant director of manufacturing, engineering and technology for the Center of Automotive Research (CAR). He made the comments during a recent SEMA webinar that revealed the findings of a multi-phased series of specialty-equipment forecasting reports conducted by SEMA and CAR.

Through the session, moderated by John Waraniak, SEMA vice president of vehicle technology, Smith explained that the fluctuation in gasoline prices has been a major challenge for automakers. What used to be considered seasonal spikes in gas prices have become more detrimental given the extreme change that gas prices are experiencing from season to season.

“The important and challenging thing for the auto industry is that the spikes in process have become exaggerated,” said Smith. “It is important to understand that [future] gas prices could be $2.00 a gallon or $7.00 a gallon, and as a vehicle manufacturer, that’s a real challenge.” 

Here are a few key findings from the study outlined by Smith.

The gasoline engine is not going away. Because of the fluctuation of gas prices and the impact they have on OEM plans for vehicle production, the study shows two projections for the total percent of light vehicles sold in 2015 with gasoline engines—one percentage for a gas price of $2.50 per gallon and another for a gas price of $6.00 per gallon. If gas is near the $2.50 per gallon, the total percent of vehicles powered by gasoline engines on the market is projected at about 95%. If gas increases to $6.00 per gallon, that percent of vehicles powered by gasoline engines declines to about 89%.

Diesel is not the current technology of choice. Smith says that diesel shows a lot of potential and real positive attributes, but it is not the technology of choice for the current administration. There still remain concerns regarding diesel emissions. And some of the attitude against diesel is due to the administration’s connections with California—a state that has been against diesel technology for decades.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles are part of the solution. The study’s forecast shows that by 2015, if gas prices were to near $6.00 per gallon, about 20% of the total number of light vehicles sold would be hybrid electric. However, if the price per gallon is about $2.50, that number falls to about 6% of the total number of light vehicles sold. Smith says that the increase in gas prices make a strong case for the consumer to actually invest in hybrid technology. He also says that a current concern for vehicle manufacturers is, for the most part, consumers discount fuel economy and they’re not willing to pay extra dollars for fuel economy. Data, over time, shows that instead of buying advanced, new technologies for fuel economy, the trend is for people to purchase a much more efficient small car rather than buy a fuel-efficient midsize car with an expensive technology.

To hear more results from Phase II of the SEMA CAR report, including more news on the future of diesel and the outlook for battery electric vehicles, download the entire webinar session.

About the study results: This survey of the report presents results of a targeted survey of powertrain experts from vehicle manufacturers, powertrain suppliers, powertrain engineering services firms and non-Government organizations. The survey was conducted during the second quarter of 2009. Seventeen individuals participated in the survey. The majority of the interviewees had engineering backgrounds and currently held positions of director or above, They were selected based on their wide range of expertise in both technical and market issues. This topic is highly complex in nature. As such, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) believes there is only a very small group of individuals who are capable of responding to the specific questions asked. The data is presented as the mean of all responses. Statistical analysis of such a small sample is not helpful. All respondents had the opportunity to compare their estimates to the survey mean and make additional comments. There was generally minimal disagreement from the respondents upon review.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

SEMA News - September 2009

By Annie Kang

New Programs and Updates Added to Help Attendees Walk Away With the Best That the Show has to Offer

New Products Showcase

One of the staple features of the SEMA Show, the New Products Showcase highlights the industry’s most recent innovations in performance, function and style. The Showcase featured nearly 2,000 newly introduced parts, tools and components at the 2008 Show.

For the 2009 Show, the Showcase is moving to a larger and more prominent location, nearly double the size of its previous footprint in the Grand Lobby area of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Showcase will be newly positioned in the upper South Hall in front of the Trucks, SUV & Off-Road and Powersports & Utility Vehicles sections.

As in the previous year, buyers will be provided with scanners that read a bar code associated with each product. Buyers will receive a customized printout of the products they swipe and will also receive a post-Show e-mail containing additional product information. Exclusive this year, the product display cases will be redesigned to improve scanning reliability.

The New Products Showcase featured approximately 2,00 newly introduced parts, tools and components at the 2008 SEMA Show. This year the Showcase will be held in a space nearly double the size it occupied the previous year.

Read SEMA eNews, the association’s electronic newsletter, for developing information about the New Products Showcase. Sign up for your copy of SEMA eNews.

Online Matchmaking Service

Jobber/retailers who are registered for the 2009 SEMA Show will be able to effectively and efficiently connect with exhibitors before, during and after the Show through the use of an online matchmaking service. The program will make it easier to identify prospective business partners by linking buyers’ product interests with exhibitors’ products. The tool also facilitates scheduling meetings in advance of the Show, providing a platform where individuals can communicate with one another.

“The online matchmaking program is a valuable tool for SEMA Show exhibitors and buyers who want to optimize the use of their time and make their Show experience as productive as possible,” said Gary Vigil, SEMA trade shows director.

Paint, Body & Equipment and Powersports & Utility Vehicles Sections

A new feature for the 2009 Show includes the addition of a Powersports & Utility Vehicles section. Designated for scooters, ATVs, motorcycles, pocket bikes, mini-bikes, golf carts, two- and three-wheel personal vehicles, accessories and services, the section is sure to attract a new segment of qualified buyers.

The Show will also feature a new Paint, Body & Equipment section to create additional opportunities for specialty-equipment and aftermarket companies. Located in the North Hall, this new section will highlight manufacturers of vehicle paint, prep stations, paint booths, body work, frame machines, spray guns and safety/filtration/breathing apparatus. It will also include related accessories, equipment, systems, coating/refinishing products, services and publications.

At the 2008 SEMA Show, more than 3,700 buyers were registered as paint/body repair/reconditioning/restoration buyers. Another 3,600+ with related interests were registered as body and collision parts buyers. “Locating the new section between the Tools & Equipment and Restyling & Car Care Accessories sections in the North Hall makes perfect sense with all of the related products from the three sections providing savvy buyers with additional sales and profit opportunities,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events.

Education Days

The SEMA Show provides a unique platform where jobber/retailers can meet one-on-one with the industry's leading and upcoming manufacturers all in one location.

Check out the complete Education Days schedule and a description of each session.

The new updates and additions to the 2009 SEMA Show have been designed to help jobber/retailers maximize the many resources that are available to them.

“Nowhere else are buyers able to meet with so many manufacturers and talk with principal owners in one location and at one time,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “Since the SEMA Show first began in 1967, it has been the single best place to find what’s new and hot in the market. Those who are there will have a huge advantage and be well positioned for when the economy turns around.”

Register for the 2009 SEMA Show and learn more details.