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

>> SEMA Webinar: Making the Most of Your Media Moments at the SEMA Show, Thursday, October 11, 10:00 a.m. (PST)
>> SEMA Webinar: Lean Thinking—The Toyota Way of Doing Business, Friday, October 19, 10 a.m. (PST)
>> SEMA Show, October 30–November 2, Las Vegas
>> MPMC Media Trade Conference, January 22–24, 2008, Los Angeles
>> SEMA Spring Expo/SEMA OFFROAD, February 8–9, 2008, Indianapolis
>> SEMA National Education Conference, April 10–11, 2008 Nashville
>> SEMA Washington Rally, May 14–15, 2008, Washington, D.C.
>> PAACE Automechanika Mexico, July 9–11, 2008, Mexico City

SEMA-member companies have posted several new listings for job opportunities at www.sema.org/classifieds. Working for a SEMA-member company has many advantages. In addition to working for a company that supports and contributes to the success of the overall industry, being employed by a SEMA-member company enable the employee to participate in webinars, access free market research, join SEMA committees and more. The newest classified listings posted under Positions Available include:

Sales of specialty-equipment parts and accessories reached $36.7 billion at the retail level in 2006, marking a 7% jump from 2005 sales. Regionally, enthusiasts in Pacific states purchased $6.68 billion in parts and accessories, slightly more than 18% of the total U.S. market share. South Atlantic state enthusiasts bought parts at nearly the same rate, accounting for 17.4% of market share. Enthusiasts in this part of the United States also purchased more performance parts than consumers in other regions.

In order to uncover the top accessory and appearance, performance and suspension and handling purchases by specific product, SEMA conducts an annual Automotive Lifestyles Survey of automotive magazine subscribers and website visitors. Results from the 2007 survey, which garnered nearly 3,000 complete results, showed that the top performance parts purchased nationwide included performance air filter replacements (43%), exhaust kits (42%) and cold air intake conversions (34%).

On the accessory & appearance side: polish (40%), performance fluids (36%) and custom floor mats (25%) topped the list. Enthusiasts surveyed indicated that the top suspension & handling products purchased included performance tires (35%), custom wheels (33%) and custom springs/shocks/suspension/sway bars (31%).

SEMA publishes market studies and reports on yearly and quarterly intervals, each designed to provide SEMA members with information on current market trends. For more information, visit www.sema.org/research.

Exhaust kits, air intakes/filters and polishes/waxes are among the products most purchased by light-truck owners, according to SEMA research. Of enthusiasts queried for SEMA’s 2007 Automotive Lifestyles Survey (chosen from subscribers to popular automotive magazines and website visitors), 39% of the 3,000 respondents said they owned a light truck.

Of three key light-truck market segments—accessory/appearance, performance and suspension/handling parts—accessory and appearance products dominate, comprising 62.6% of market share, a 9% increase from 1996 to 2006. During the same period, both performance and suspension/handling segments declined 5%, suspension/handling comprising 27.3% and performance parts by 10.1%.

In the performance segment, light-truck owners reached for exhaust kits, air filters and cold air intakes most often. Nearly 46% of respondents had purchased some kind of exhaust system modification.

Polish and wax top the accessory/appearance wishlist, with performance fluids (oils and lubricants) and window tinting/lamination following. 

The top suspension/handling mods are, perhaps not surprisingly, plus-size tires, custom wheels and hard suspension parts, including springs, shocks and sway bars.

For a deeper look into the preferences of pickup owners, visit www.sema.org/research and download the 2006 Light Truck Report Update and 2006 Light Truck Accessorization Report, available exclusively to SEMA members as another membership benefit.

Manufacturer sales in the specialty-equipment market’s street-performance segment have grown from $438 million in 1993 to $717 million in 2006, a 64% increase, according to SEMA research. Within the segment, performance parts have recorded some of the steadiest growth, up 16% from 2000 to 2006 ($262.4 million last year, third only to performance parts sold in the compact-performance and light-truck segments, respectively).

Suspension components and accessories in the street-performance segment grew with less fire than performance parts, although suspension did experience the single greatest spike in sales over the 13-year period. In 2001, suspension sales peaked at $290.6 million before dropping down to $194.3 million the following year.

For more on the street-performance market, read the Racing & Performance Market Update prepared by the SEMA Research & Information Center in the October 2007 issue of SEMA News.

Toyota recently announced plans to release 13 new model variations of the fullsize Tundra pickup for the 2008 model year. The automaker says the biggest change will be increased availability of the two most popular cab styles—Double Cab and CrewMax—in the newly-named "Tundra Grade," aimed at price-conscious customers. The new additions are set to hit dealerships in mid-October.

The Double Cab is the top-selling Tundra configuration, Toyota says, accounting for 68% of non-fleet sales, while the larger CrewMax accounts for 26% of Tundra sales. The Tundra's 381-hp, 5.7L V8 is chosen by 72% of customers, making it the most popular engine choice and helping push new Tundra sales to double-digit growth through September 2007, compared to the year prior.

From January to September 2007, consumers purchased 144,480 new Tundras, a 57.9% jump from the 91,525 sold during the same 2006 period. The Cadillac Escalade EXT was the only other fullsize truck to experience a double-digit gain.



Results from SEMA’s 2007 Automotive Lifestyles survey of enthusiasts, which garnered nearly 3,000 complete responses, showed that the Tundra and Tacoma topped the list of Toyota models owned and accessorized. Bedliners, trailer hitches, air intakes, exhaust kits, tonneau covers and side steps ranked among the parts and accessories most purchased by this small sample (0.5% of the entire survey sample) of Tundra owners.

SEMA is cosponsoring with the U.S. government to conduct a webinar on Thursday, November 15, to educate SEMA members on improving their bottom line by minimizing regulatory problems associated with exports. Learn how to avoid typical problems encountered in automotive exports, including common Harmonized Tariff Schedule misclassifications, NAFTA compliance issues and export-compliance issues. Find out how to research duty and tax rates around the world, how to use Free-Trade Agreements and other related topics. During the Q&A session, participants will be able to interact and ask questions through the computer or via telephone. To register, visit www.buyusa.gov/auto/webinar.html or contact Ed Roytberg, U.S. Commercial Service Automotive Team, at eduard.roytberg@mail.doc.gov, 909/466-4138. 

Hundreds of international buyers are going to be looking for new suppliers at the SEMA International Happy Hour on Wednesday, October 31, in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Where will you be? For more information and a registration form, contact tradeleads@sema.org and request document #8004. The deadline to RSVP for the SEMA International Happy Hour is Tuesday, October 16.

More than 7,000 international buyers are pre-registered to attend the SEMA Show/AAIW. See what products they are seeking and invite them to visit your booth by using the online International Buyer Locator available free of charge to all 2007 SEMA Show exhibitors. Download the free database, and contact the buyers now to invite them to visit your booth. To get started, visit  www.semashow.com/tradeleads.