By SEMA News Editors

BOLT Lock Names Bowdoin Marketing's Mahaney 2024 Sales Representative of the Year

BOLT Lock has named Bill Mahaney of Bowdoin Marketing as its 2024 Sales Representative of the Year. The company presented Mahaney with the award at the 2024 SEMA Show.

Mahaney is based in Elkhart, Indiana, and represents BOLT Lock in northern Ohio, northern Indiana, western Pennsylvania and all of lower Michigan. He has been affiliated with Bowdoin Marketing for 17 years.

"He aggressively works his territory and exhibits excellent communication skills with us, the manufacturer, as well as with his retail customers," said BOLT Lock Sales Account Manager Jason Buckles. "Bill tirelessly promotes our BOLT Lock product line at industry events as well as consumer shows. He has done an exemplary job of supporting our brand."

For more information, visit boltlock.com.

Don Kyatt Group Expands Into North America

The Australian Don Kyatt Group is expanding into North America with its Terrain Tamer and Flashlube brands after opening a new warehouse in Stockton, California.

Georg Esterer, a former operator of Californian business Cruiser Brothers, a Terrain Tamer reseller for the past 10 years, will manage the facility.

Along with Terrain Tamer's four-wheel drive parts, the California warehouse will also stock the company's Flashlube products, offering a range of lubricants, additives, grease and preventative engine maintenance hardware such as diesel pre filters and catch cans.

For more information, visit donkyatt.com.au.

Genesis to Open California Design Studio in 2025

Genesis, the Hyundai-owned luxury brand, is planning to open a new design studio in California in the first quarter of 2025.

Genesis Design California, which will be located in El Segundo, California, will span 80,000 sq. ft. and house 45 employees, the company said.

“Genesis is a leader in automotive design,” said Luc Donckerwolke, chief creative officer of Genesis. “We take pride in always innovating and looking for inspiration in our everyday lives. The climate, cultural arts and automotive scene in Los Angeles has offered us the possibility to create a dynamic and attractive work experience by integrating nature and light into the work and creative spaces.” 

Features of the studio will include:

• A modern tea platform in the lobby space
• Colors, materials and finishes studio 
• Clay modeling workshop 
• Digital design lab 
• Library
• Open workspace featuring a variety of collaborative breakout spaces and flexible seating 
• Large, bright office and conference spaces 
• Private spaces enclosed in soft acoustic felt for a calming experience 
• Outdoor spaces and lounge areas inspired by traditional Korean gardens and the outdoor aesthetic of southern California 
• An upper-level patio that can accommodate various uses, such as events and dining

For more information, visit genesis.com.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) has named Daniel Roethle, mechanical engineer at The Coats Company, as the network's newest spotlight member. 

Get to know Roethle in his interview with SEMA News below. 

SEMA News: What is the best advice you have ever received? 

Daniel Roethle: The best advice I received is that doing nothing or not making a decision is a choice just as much as doing something. And by not acting so you don't make a mistake, the problem will not go away and you're still responsible for making a choice.

SN: What keeps you in the industry? 

DR: I see a lot of opportunities to learn new things and keep growing my skillset as a designer and an engineer.

SN: Where can you be found on a Saturday? 

DR: I'll often be found competing or helping run events in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or hiking outdoors.

SN: How do you prepare for an important meeting? 

DR: For planned meetings, I generally have a fallback of bullet points or focused questions to make sure I stay on track if I forget something in the pressure of the meeting.

SN: If you could go to lunch with one industry leader, living or dead, who would it be? 

DR: Honestly, I would have loved to meet Nikola Tesla and tell him he has a car company named after him, what his impact has been, and just hear all of his ideas for the future and write them down.

Fill out an FLN member spotlight form to be eligible to be featured on FLN's social media, SEMA News and FLN member updates. 

By the SEMA Automotive Restoration Market Organization

The 2024 Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS) in Long Beach, California, was an incredible experience as the SEMA Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) was welcomed by Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) car enthusiasts and Show presenters with excitement. If you're wondering why ARMO chose this event, it's part of our strategy to include all makes and models of cars into our restoration family.

When restoring a car, we can all benefit from what SEMA and ARMO has to offer the industry--high-quality Show experiences, first-class networking, relevant education sessions, marketing opportunities and more. If you know of a JDM parts manufacturer or restorer, we'd love for you to share information about ARMO with them or pass their information along to us and we'll contact them.  

If you're interested in getting more involved with ARMO and the restoration industry, email ARMO Council Director Marcy Yanus at marcy@sema.org. We always need people to help plan events, reach out to members, recruit new members, determine education needs and serve in leadership roles.

By Ashley Reyes

The SEMA Future Leaders Network (FLN) is hosting a virtual General Membership Meeting on Thursday, December 19, at 10:00 a.m. PDT, during which select committee leaders will share important updates about FLN’s member benefits.

The meeting is open to current and prospective members and will enable attendees to discover resources designed to help young aftermarket professionals succeed in the industry. Attendees will hear about upcoming networking events, volunteer opportunities and educational webinars. Additionally, new details will be shared about the FLN Professional Development Program (PDP) which has expanded to include two unique leadership trainings in May 2025.

FLN membership is open to individuals under the age of 40 work for a SEMA member company. If this sounds like you, don’t miss this opportunity to grow your career and network by getting more involved.

Register here.

By SEMA News Editors

For the first time ever, SEMA Magazine is now available to everyone at no cost in a digital format. While previously only available in print to SEMA business members, the publication is now available digitally across the globe. Whether you're an industry member staying on top of trends or an enthusiast interested in learning more about the specialty-equipment market, the digital magazine is available in current and past issues.

Below is a step-by-step guide to claiming your free digital subscription on your phone.

Visit the link below or scan the QR code to claim your coupon voucher:

Claim your free SEMA Magazine digital subscription here.

Fill in the mandatory fields and three questions regarding your automotive interests.
 

Hit subscribe to claim your free subscription. Now, you're able to activate your account by downloading the SEMA Magazine app. Tap the IOS link for Apple devices and Google Play for others.

Download the app and open it to bring you to the home page. On the bottom right, hit "Profile" to sign up using the same email address you used to claim your coupon.

Once you sign up, you'll have full access to a year's worth of valuable industry knowledge and insights. Get to reading!

Be sure to sign up for notifications on the latest issue coming in January, featuring highlights you might have missed from the 2024 SEMA Show and so much more.

Questions? Contact members@sema.org or call 909-610-2030.

By Ashley Reyes

SEMA has issued a call for speakers for the 2025 SEMA Show, which will take place in Las Vegas on November 4–7, 2025. Innovative thought leaders and dynamic presenters who can share new skills and trends targeted to the automotive aftermarket are invited to apply at semashow.com/speakers.

Organizers are seeking experts who can facilitate new ideas, technologies and expertise at sessions that will help industry members take their businesses and careers to the next level.

The educational sessions make up one of the key pillars of the SEMA Show, where thousands of industry professionals convene to learn new business strategies and best practices. The SEMA Show education program provides relevant, engaging and inspiring information on the industry's complex issues and topics.

Topics of focus for 2025 include:

• Aftermarket updates and future trends
• Emerging and executive leadership
• Legislative and regulatory
• Sales and marketing
• Small-business strategy
• Vehicle technology
• Industry segment-specific topics

Speaker proposals for the 2025 SEMA Show must be submitted by January 31, 2025, at semashow.com/speakers.

For more details, contact Gary Vigil, SEMA senior manager of professional development, at garyv@sema.org or 909-978-6738.

By Natalie Simon

The 2024 SEMA Show is done and dusted, but that doesn't mean that we've come off the high yet.

There were so many events and networking opportunities that happened during the week and the SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN) had several touchpoints throughout the show.

North Hall featured the SBN booth, where members and guests could take some time to sit back, relax, charge their phones and get to know more about what SBN has to offer. If you didn't have the opportunity to visit, you missed out! But you still have the opportunity to become a part of SBN. Visit the SBN website, join our socials, and fill out a spotlight! Also, don't forget about the 2025 Women's Leadership Forum in Orlando, Florida, on March 11–13, 2025.

SBN hosted a lot of great events throughout the week at the SEMA Show:

"Empower Yourself: Harnessing the Potential of AI for Women in the Automotive and Specialty-Equipment Market, Powered by SBN" was a beginner's introduction to artificial intelligence (AI) in its many forms and reviewing how it could be tailored to your benefit. In this course, Lauren McCullough, CEO at Tromml, provided real-world experiences and interactive sessions and leaned into the tools that we have available to make AI for our industry and the work that we do!

On Tuesday evening, SBN hosted their reception, which provided a great networking opportunity for people inside and outside of SBN. We also awarded Rebeca Olavarrieta the #SheIsSEMA Woman of the Year Award – an award that is greatly cherished and sought after. Olavarrieta's dedication, leadership and hard work shine through her smile and all that she has done for SEMA and SBN. She's committed to excellence with everything that she does. Congratulations to Rebeca!

The "Network Effect" session, hosted by SBN, provided an area for women in the industry to network and connect with each other. This is always a great opportunity for anyone who attends--opening up paths and opportunities for career expansion, business idea flow and a good old-fashioned conversation.

Lastly, Gear-Up Girl is always an event that we look forward to! This girls-only event is for female automotive professionals to connect with other female students looking to get more involved in the industry--and provides another networking opportunity for professionals to share their words of wisdom, paths to success and any tips of the trade. Best of luck to all of the students who attended! We look forward to hearing from you and what tips and tricks worked for your journey.

We know that the 2025 SEMA Show will be here just as quickly as the 2024 Show passed--and we're all looking forward to another great year. Cheers to a fantastic finish to 2024 and we wish you a great 2025!

By SEMA News Editors

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have unveiled their wearable robot 'X-ble Shoulder,' a device that, just by being worn, can increase workers' efficiency and reduce musculoskeletal injuries.

The X-ble Shoulder is an industrial wearable robot developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia's Robotics Lab. When used in 'overhead work' where the arm is raised, it can assist the user's upper arm muscle strength and reduce the burden on the upper extremity musculoskeletal system.

According to Hyundai, the X-ble Shoulder can reduce shoulder load by up to 60% and anterior/lateral deltoid muscle activity by up to 30%. The device is made from carbon composite and wear-resistant materials used in high-end vehicles.

The companies plan to apply the technology to Hyundai Motor and Kia's production and maintenance departments. Then, from the mid-'20s onward, they plan to expand sales not only to the 27 affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group but also to external companies. In 2026, they aim to enter overseas markets, such as Europe and North America, based on domestic South Korean market sales experience, and plan to expand sales to other industries, such as construction, shipbuilding, aviation, agriculture and automobiles.

For more information, visit hyundaimotorgroup.com.

By SEMA News Editors

Are you hunting for a new job? The SEMA Career Center has a comprehensive listing of automotive-related job openings nationwide. Below are a few of the latest postings, including the following SEMA Garage Detroit listing:

SEMA Garage Detroit

Emissions Lab Mechanic in Detroit, Michigan

This position will be responsible for assisting day-to-day operations of the SEMA Garage Detroit Emission Lab, Product Development/Installation Center and ADAS Research facilities. The mechanic will also be responsible for the installation of aftermarket products, OBD diagnostic scanning among more duties.

Aldan American

Sales Assistant in Signal Hill, California

Aldan American is looking for a professional sales assistant to join its sales team. This person will play a critical role in supporting the sales team by handling daily order entry, customer inquiries and administrative tasks.

By SEMA News Editors

Hoonigan Successfully Completes Financial Restructuring

Hoonigan and Wheel Pros, LLC, has successfully completed its financial restructuring and emerged from its Chapter 11 process following confirmation of the company's plan of reorganization earlier this year.

Through its financial restructuring, Hoonigan has eliminated approximately $1.2 billion of debt and secured access to a $175 million asset-backed loan facility. 

"With a strong financial foundation, Hoonigan is poised to continue delivering innovative and industry-leading products well into the future," the company said in a statement announcing the completed restructuring.

For more information, visit hoonigan.com.
 

Monterey Motorsports Festival Announces Adam Langsbard as Managing Director

Monterey Motorsports Festival (MMF) has announced automotive executive Adam Langsbard as managing director, who will be responsible for numerous facets of the event. Langsbard brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in the automotive and marketing sector.

"Monterey Motorsports Festival is perfectly poised to become the Saturday Car Week destination in Monterey.  In 2024, we secured a foothold in the car culture community with nearly 7,000 in attendance, a fantastic variety of cars on display, music, food, activities for children and more. Our future requires a road map to success, and bringing Adam aboard is going to be key to reaching our goals," said Paolo Manca, founder and CEO of MMF.

Most recently, Adam served as the vice president of sales and marketing at Velocity Invitational, a three-day luxury motorsports festival based in Sonoma, California.

The 2025 MMF is scheduled for August 16, 2025, at the iconic Monterey County Fair & Event Center in Monterey, California.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit montereymotorsportsfestival.com.
 

Automotive Series From Brenton Productions Return to MotorTrendTV, Discovery+ and Max in 2025

Three automotive series from Brenton Productions have been renewed for MotorTrendTV, Warner Bros. Discovery's linear channel dedicated entirely to the motoring world.

The returning series include long-running shows "Two Guys Garage" and "Truck U," as well as a second-season order for "Build for Off Road," which premiered earlier this year. All three automotive how-to shows will also be available to stream on Discovery+ and Max.

"MotorTrendTV looks forward to continuing to work with Brenton Productions in 2025 and having their projects complement our slate of premieres will be a great addition to our lineup" says Rick Holzman, SVP of programming and strategy for MotorTrend.

"We're thrilled to continue our longstanding relationship with MotorTrendTV," says Chuck McGonagle, president of Brenton Productions. "We're already in the process of planning exciting and engaging projects for our viewers to enjoy and get inspired by as they tune in to all of our automotive series in 2025."

"Two Guys Garage" enters its 24th season on the air with expert gearheads Kevin Byrd and Willie B sharing their wealth of technical knowledge through DIY tips, demonstrations and deep dives into the latest aftermarket innovations.

"Truck U" will return for its 21st season on-air with monster truck expert Matt Steele and master mechanic Bruno Massel tackling truck, Jeep and off-road projects with humor and fun.

"Build for Off Road" starring Ian Johnson returns for its second season on MotorTrendTV, continuing to capture the off-road lifestyle with projects ranging from slow-moving rock crawlers to high-horsepower hill climbers and everything in between.

For more information, visit brentontv.com.
 

Mitas TERRA FORCE-EF Tires Chosen as Original Fitment for Sherco Enduro Racing Bikes

Mitas' TERRA FORCE-EF tires in SUPER version, expressly designed for Fast Enduro, were selected as original equipment fitment for the 2025 Sherco Racing models.

The partnership is Mitas' first-ever collaboration with the French motorcycle manufacturer.

"We are proud to be the brand selected by Sherco as their original equipment tire supplier for the racing models," said Gustavo Pinto Teixeria, head of Mitas Motorcycle Tires. "It will be a real game changer in competitions and is a testament to the excellence of our Mitas products. The Mitas TERRA FORCE-EF tires are the perfect choice for riders looking to enhance their riding experience and tackle any off-road terrain."

For more information, visit mitas-moto.com.