Dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows and activities have been announced. Details are:

SEMA Webinar, "The Specialty-Equipment Automotive Company of the Future: Guideposts for Strategic Planning (Phase I)," January 15, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PDT)

SEMA MPMC Media Trade Conference, January 20–22, 2009, El Segundo, California

SEMA Webinar, "Best Ways to Increase Your Web Traffic," January 22, 2009, 10:00 a.m. (PDT)

SEMA Technical Skills & Training Conference, March 27–28, 2009, Orlando, Florida

Aftermarket eForum, July 13–15, 2009, Chicago, Illinois

PAACE Automechanika Mexico, July 15–17, 2009, Mexico City

SEMA Show, November 3–6, 2009, Las Vegas, Nevada

For association-related travel, contact Manya Petropaki (manya.p@travelstoreusa.com) at Travel Store USA, 949/930-9268.

Looking for Some Extra Publicity for Your Industry Event?
Publicize your events through the SEMA Online Calendar of Events located at www.sema.org/calendar. The calendar is stocked with information on events taking place throughout the year, broken down by month. Examples of events featured in the calendar include consumer shows and club events, educational and training workshops, conventions and trade shows, races and more.

To submit your event details for the calendar, e-mail company name and the date(s), location and name of the event to Shirley Presecan at shirleyp@sema.org.

As the global automotive economy curtails spending to adjust to current market conditions, many motorsports programs and sanctioning bodies have been caught in the wake. Factory-backed teams from the highest rungs of motorsport are being scaled back or eliminated entirely. Those in grassroots and enthusiast-based circles, however, are stepping up for a return to exciting competition in 2009. One such sport is drifting.

Drifting's heritage series, the D1 Grand Prix (D1GP), is returning to the United States. After a year-long absence, the sanctioning body has reformulated their objective and racing format to include a focus on entertainment. Driven Media, the U.S.-based management team for D1GP, is targeting facilities and locations that will make the events more appealing and accessible for a larger audience. This approach mirrors the overall pulse of the performance and racing market, and a perspective needed in times of economic uncertainty: refocusing on the consumer.

Formula Drift, and amateur organizations such as Just Drift (www.justdrift.com), have fueled the movement to encourage the growth and participation of young drivers through their growing schedules. With additional series, events and venues next year, the room for expansion is reasonable. 

 
SEMA has tapped into the lifestyle data of individuals active in the drifting community. During the third quarter of 2008, more than 250 individuals surveyed indicated that they regularly attend or participate in drifting events. 

For more original market research, visit www.sema.org/research.

Global tire sales were $127 billion in 2007, according to Tire Business Magazine.

Modern Tire Dealer reported that nearly 241 million units of replacement tires were sold in the United States for light vehicles in 2007, and recent innovations, such as tire-pressure monitoring systems, self-sealing tires and run-flat tires, are expected to fuel additional growth in a global tire market that reached $127 billion in the same year (as estimated by Tire Business magazine).

The Freedonia Group, an international business research company, is forecasting that U.S. tire sales will increase to 375 million units by 2010 (see chart below).

In addition to new products shaping the market, shifts in tire sizes are also expected due to high fuel prices and the vehicles that U.S. consumers are buying as a result.

There are 1,740 recognized tire sizes on the market today, with more expected. Growth in such a diverse segment also brings challenges. In 2007, specialty installation shops and tire dealers accounted for 48% of all the performance tires sold in the United States. Their closest competitor was mail order with 15.6%, followed by wholesale clubs with 7.6%. It will be important to observe over the next several years how the various retail outlet types adapt to the changing performance-tire environment. 

For the full SEMA News article on wheel and tire trends, click here.

For more original market research,visit www.sema.org/research.

The 2009 list of global consumer and trade shows compiled by SEMA is now available. To access a PDF of the list, click here. 

The database includes 75 shows in 23 countries complete with contact information and websites.   

A show missing from the list? Please e-mail stacieh@sema.org with the details.

Each year, SEMA produces a tremendous amount of educational content through its webinar series, SEMA Show seminars and regional conferences. We record much of this content, allowing members to access it online anytime after the event. With a computer and (preferably) broadband connection, you'll have access to sessions covering industry issues such as making the most of your online marketing, MAP policies and intellectual property rights.

You'll also find tools for success, including how to take advantage of media opportunities and maximize your trade show experience.

To access all previously recorded SEMA webinars, visit www.SEMA.org/webinars and click on "View All Archived Webinars" (bottom right). To take advantage of this great content, you'll need your SEMA member ID and password. If you need assistance, please contact SEMA at 909/396-0289 or member@sema.org.

Not a SEMA member? Click here to join!

As reported earlier, SEMA has funded an in-depth study which reveals that the U.S. market is seeing a decreasing number of platforms and a rising number of nameplates, presenting a challenge for SEMA-member companies to produce a broad array of products with distinct features, while using more common platforms and parts.

The study, entitled "The Specialty-Equipment Automotive Company of the Future: Guideposts for Strategic Planning (Phase I)" and prepared by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), indicates that the existence of multiple platforms would allow member companies to develop and produce the wide selection of products the market will call for in the near future. The OEMs, however, face the need to reduce costs by using fewer platforms and maximizing the use of common components.
 
The trend by the OEMs to cut back on their build combinations and trim offerings presents both challenges and opportunities for member companies. Those who successfully adapt their products to a specific platform will have a greater potential for increased sales since the sales forecast for future platforms shows growth. Member companies that are not able to adjust their products to a specific platform, however, will find a share of the market closed to them.

Those whose products are related to the vehicle body or trim will find the wider number of nameplates a challenge, as they will be forced to customize their products to fit on a broad array of vehicles. Significantly, member companies must become aware of what build combinations will be eliminated.

“That's where SEMA’s lean customization principles are having an increased impact on OEM vehicle-engineering processes and offer new-product development opportunities for both OEMs and SEMA-member companies,” said John Waraniak, SEMA vice president of vehicle technology. “The OEMs are being driven to reduce vehicle complexity while simultaneously having the flexibility to build more models and top-hat variants off of fewer platforms.

"SEMA companies can help take the complexity out of the assembly plants by collaborating with OEMs. They can develop product plans and vehicle architectures with simplified and cost-effective bills of material that can be profitably customized with factory and SEMA-member parts and accessories at dealers, customization centers and independent installers.”

Changes in vehicle types include the market’s shift away from body-on-frame vehicles to those with unibody structures, which correlates with the decline of the SUV segment and the rise of the passenger-car-based CUV. As a result, member companies that specialize in truck-based products will face an obvious challenge, as well as those whose products use the vehicle's frame as an attachment point, including manufacturers of suspension, steering and brake products.

These member companies will eventually have to either abandon obsolete product lines or adapt their product range to include components for CUVs and the passenger cars on which they’re based.

“At the recent SEMA CEO Roundtable, Dave Cole, CAR chairman, commented that the industry is in a crisis environment due to the speed of change,” said Waraniak. “The instinct is to run to the back of the cave during a crisis and come out after the storm is over. But as Cole said, that is the wrong strategy in this case. Now is the time to play, to do big things, to challenge conventional wisdom with non-traditional thinking.”

To gain further insights from the CAR report, participate in the "The Specialty-Equipment Automotive Company of the Future: Guideposts for Strategic Planning (Phase I)" webinar, presented by Brett Smith, CAR assistant director of the manufacturing, engineering and technology group, and Richard Wallace, CAR senior project manager.

Both Smith and Wallace authored the CAR study and will present findings from the report. Waraniak will moderate the session.

The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2009, from 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (PDT).

For further details on the webinar, send your name, company, e-mail and phone number to ingai@sema.org. 

Now more than ever, the specialty-equipment industry needs strong, visionary leadership. SEMA's 2009 Board of Directors Nominating Committee is asking you to identify the industry's most talented leaders and nominate them for a seat on the SEMA Board of Directors.

Take a few minutes to tell us about a potential nominee and their leadership background. Self-nominations are also welcome; often the best background and experience information comes from the source.

Nominations for the 2009 SEMA Board of Directors election are due Tuesday, January 27, 2009. Please complete the nomination form, and submit it to Nominating Committee Chairman Mitch Williams at mitchwilliams@pilotautomotive.com or liaison Christine Papavero at chrisb@sema.org.

Be sure to include background information and qualifications to the Nominating Committee.

Click here to access the 2009 SEMA Board of Directors nomination form. The form is a writeable PDF; please follow the instructions below to complete and return it. 

1: Place your mouse cursor over the text fields and type in your responses as required.

2: When complete, got to File and select Save As...

3: You can keep the same file name or rename it, then save it to your computer

4: Open your email program (Outlook, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, etc.), compose an email to Mitch Williams or Christine Papavero, and locate and attach the file before sending.

Filler for eNews

Filler for eNews