By SEMA Editors

Join  the industry  on November 2-6, to connect and conduct business with top companies in the specialty-equipment market.

Register for SEMA360

By SEMA Editors

Join  the industry  on November 2-6, to connect and conduct business with top companies in the specialty-equipment market.

Register for SEMA360

By SEMA Editors

As a 100% online event, SEMA360 will be available  from any  computer  with internet access. Join  the industry  on November 2-6, as the industry connects and conducts business.  

Register for SEMA360 today.

Get the most out of the experience through the following tips: 

• Get your  work space  ready for five days focused on new products and feature vehicles.  
• Make sure you have a reliable computer. 
• Prepare a spot on your hard drive to download brochures and sell sheets from manufacturers. 
• Check your Internet connection. 
• Have a camera,  microphone  and speakers on your computer so you can participate in optional video chats. 
• Consider getting blue light glasses to ease the strain on your eyes. 
• A comfortable chair will make the experience much more enjoyable.  
• Have a plan. Remember to schedule breaks when you get up and walk  around, and  stretch your hands and fingers. Also, block times on your calendar to participate in the seminars you  don’t want to miss, and for browsing the New Products Showcase, Builder Showcase and Manufacturer Showcase pages.  

By SEMA Editors

As a 100% online event, SEMA360 will be available  from any  computer  with internet access. Join  the industry  on November 2-6, as the industry connects and conducts business.  

Register for SEMA360 today.

Get the most out of the experience through the following tips: 

• Get your  work space  ready for five days focused on new products and feature vehicles.  
• Make sure you have a reliable computer. 
• Prepare a spot on your hard drive to download brochures and sell sheets from manufacturers. 
• Check your Internet connection. 
• Have a camera,  microphone  and speakers on your computer so you can participate in optional video chats. 
• Consider getting blue light glasses to ease the strain on your eyes. 
• A comfortable chair will make the experience much more enjoyable.  
• Have a plan. Remember to schedule breaks when you get up and walk  around, and  stretch your hands and fingers. Also, block times on your calendar to participate in the seminars you  don’t want to miss, and for browsing the New Products Showcase, Builder Showcase and Manufacturer Showcase pages.  

SEMA News—October 2020

BUSINESS

Manufacturer Spotlight

Q&A With Dennis Grau, Energy Suspension Sales and Marketing Manager

By Mike Imlay

If there has been a silver lining in the recent business climate, it’s the amazing number of car owners tackling much-neglected DIY and vehicle-restoration projects. This trend has opened new opportunities for suppliers such as Energy Suspension and its resellers.

There has been much concern about the economic ramifications for the aftermarket since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, but ongoing SEMA market research indicates that an increasing percentage of industry manufacturers and retailers have been busy innovating, adapting, meeting and overcoming the challenges the situation presents. In fact, automotive specialty-equipment suppliers and resellers continue to express general optimism about their prospects going into 2021. (See “The SEMA 2020 Market Report,” p. 86.)

Energy Suspension is a case in point. Based in San Clemente, California, the well-known manufacturer of polyurethane suspension and engine-mounting parts is now among the SEMA-member companies reporting significant growth, thanks to tactics adopted early in the pandemic.

As part of SEMA News’ efforts to highlight and share successful business strategies, we conducted a brief Q&A with Dennis Grau, the national sales and marketing manager for Energy Suspension. The following are key takeaways from our interview, edited for clarity and brevity.

SEMA News: A good number of aftermarket companies are reporting steady and even growing business despite the COVID-19 interruptions. How would you characterize Energy Suspension’s situation since March?

Dennis Grau: Business has been robust, and I don’t know how to say it any other way. We’ve had to add a second production shift. Our sales took a dip in March when COVID-19 was first announced and [the country was] shut down and there was a lot of uncertainty. But ever since April, it’s really taken off. We’ve had to add to our customer-service team just to meet the demand and the phone calls. It’s all just short of record-breaking.

Nobody wants to be in the middle of a pandemic, [but] I believe that this has created a new awakening or a renaissance of former pending projects, or just going back to working on our own cars. We don’t sell direct to consumers; we respect the channels. And just based on customer volume, I believe that the fact that people are working on their vehicles again is a trend that we’re going to enjoy for a while.

SN: Can you also tell us about Energy Suspension’s customer mix and what’s selling right now?

Energy Suspension reports that its late-model Chevrolet Silverado master bushing set counts among its top applications. The kit includes control-arm and leaf-spring bushings, along with body mounts and sway-bar and end-link bushings.

DG: I’m going to say classic-car restoration, no matter what part of the line, and that’s based on the customer focus right now. That is doing very, very well. It seems to be where we’re getting the most lift in our sales increase. I think this company is fortunate in that we have a really live mix here. We certainly sell to the enthusiast, restoration, off-road and, with certain customers of ours, yes, we love to brag about our racer customers.

SN: In regard to your facilities, have you had to change anything in your processes and procedures over the past several months?

DG: Yes. We closed for a day to plan, and everybody is taking every precaution that the state requires on social distancing. Every employee has to wear a mask, [use] hand-sanitizing stations, and we take everybody’s temperature three times a day, at beginning of shift, then lunch and after lunch.

SN: How have those changes been received by the employees and staff?

DG: I think it was well received. I mean, like anyone else, I don’t want to stand in line and have my temperature taken, but we are working, and we’re at full capacity. For the production folks and the hourly employees, there’s as much overtime as they want, so I think it’s a minor inconvenience compared to being able to work.

SN: In terms of sales and marketing, even though you don’t sell direct to consumers, have you had to change your messaging or how you market with your sales channels?

DG: We haven’t. I can only assume, based on the volume of orders, that our customers—at least within our categories—are having similar growth. So we haven’t had to change other than to add people, but the messaging is the same.

Other things we’re doing are a little different because we believe it isn’t going to be short term now that people are back turning wrenches on their cars. This is going to be a longer-term opportunity, so our R&D team is working extra hard to identify new SKUs that we can add to the line. The production team is expanding, and we have a second shift now. But it’s identifying where we can grow in the marketplace.

SN: Has anything particularly surprised you as you’ve adjusted to the changing business climate?

DG: Certainly the sales growth was not expected, so that was the biggest surprise, but I spent a lot of years over on the traditional side of the business, and what we’re experiencing now is that people are using Energy Suspension parts on general repair, so we’re starting to see some new interest from over on the traditional side of the business with our polyurethane components. That’s been a really pleasant surprise.

SN: Looking back on the last several months, is there anything that maybe you would like to have done differently? Any interesting lessons learned?

DG: We ran a Facebook promotion that really was just a video contest—send us video of your build. I would like to have planned that better, and I would like to have had several promotions targeting different segments of the market. So now we’re going to split our Facebook efforts into two. One, go after the performance, musclecar crowd, and the other, go after the off-road crowd. Again, for promotions, I think [now] most people have some free time and a little more time to look at Facebook and social media, and we’re going to try to help educate and motivate people using those tools.

Energy Suspension took measures early on in the COVID-19 pandemic to enhance employee safety at its San Clemente, California, headquarters. Best practices have included social distancing, mandatory masks, regular employee temperature checks throughout the day, and compliance with all applicable government pandemic guidelines.

SN: You also mentioned earlier that this situation has been a game-changer for the company. What business changes are likely to become permanent as the company moves forward?

DG: Traditionally, Energy Suspension has been viewed as a classic-car line [for those doing] some serious restoration work putting on a body mount, but I think what we’re going to be forced to do is look at new applications and do a lot more research into replacement rates and percentages of the overall vehicles in operation and then see how we can plan our research and development needs accordingly.

SN: On the industry side, with the SEMA Show no longer an option for 2020, how do you plan to promote your brand in 2021?

DG: The SEMA Show provides us with the perfect venue to display our product line, meet with our customers and catch up with old friends. While we’re disappointed the 2020 Show has been canceled, we understand the health and safety of our employees and the entire aftermarket community must come first. While we speak with our customers on a daily basis, it’s important to address the missed communication opportunity, so we’re implementing several actions to clearly connect our brand and products with the aftermarket.

We’re redesigning our website as an education tool to demonstrate the advantages of polyurethane performance products relative to vehicle performance. Our redesign will include video and robust “About Us” and “Where to Buy” sections. Energy Suspension supports the channels of distribution and doesn’t offer direct-to-consumer sales. Our “Where to Buy” section will include our brick-and-mortar customers and e-commerce customers, and since the installation of some of our products may appear intimidating for some DIY customers, we’re adding a “Where to Install” section, which we will populate with our installer customers.

In addition to our website improvements, we’re planning a series of social-media communications and promotions combined with joint promotions with our warehouse distributor and retail customers.

SN: We also like to ask manufacturers about any advice they may have for retailers. Do you have any tips or best practices that can help the retail side of the industry?

DG: I can tell you, just based on experience—and this is going to be as old as retailing is—it’s what we can do to help educate the retailers and ultimately the consumers.

For example, when doing engine work, have you thought about replacing the motor mounts? If you’re going to be in there, is it something that you’ve overlooked? Just as a reminder, go back and do some selling: If you’re doing some chassis work, are you going to replace the bushings? Because that car is 50 years old and she probably at least needs an inspection.

It’s about [the jobber] suggesting the very best product for a significant job like that and then leaving it up to the consumer to make the decision. But if we don’t provide them with those tools and that margin-building opportunity, shame on us.

It’s just part of the overall education process at the counter level and ultimately the consumer, and that’s going to be a big focus of ours. We’re going to be doing the training videos and again going back to the website. That will be a repository for all kinds of information.

By SEMA Editors

Manufacturers participating in SEMA360 should mark the following important dates on their calendars: 

10/9: Deadline to submit space rental agreement and secure Showcase page.

10/9: Deadline to submit feature vehicle application for the Builder Showcase.

10/9: Deadline for New Products Showcase discount pricing. Until October 9, the first four products are free; additional products are $29. After October 9, the first four products remain free; additional products are $59.

10/13: Deadline to enter New Products Showcase (regardless of price).

10/16: Deadline to complete and finish updating Showcase page.

For assistance, manufacturers can contact the following individuals: 

• Signing up for a Showcase page: sales@sema.org
• Assistance with setting up a Showcase page: kristing@sema.org
• Feature vehicles/Builder Showcase: mauriceo@sema.org
• New Products Showcase: mauriceo@sema.org

By SEMA Editors

Manufacturers participating in SEMA360 should mark the following important dates on their calendars: 

10/9: Deadline to submit space rental agreement and secure Showcase page.

10/9: Deadline to submit feature vehicle application for the Builder Showcase.

10/9: Deadline for New Products Showcase discount pricing. Until October 9, the first four products are free; additional products are $29. After October 9, the first four products remain free; additional products are $59.

10/13: Deadline to enter New Products Showcase (regardless of price).

10/16: Deadline to complete and finish updating Showcase page.

For assistance, manufacturers can contact the following individuals: 

• Signing up for a Showcase page: sales@sema.org
• Assistance with setting up a Showcase page: kristing@sema.org
• Feature vehicles/Builder Showcase: mauriceo@sema.org
• New Products Showcase: mauriceo@sema.org

SEMA News—October 2020

INDUSTRY NEWS

Fast Facts

Centerforce has announced that Harold Menke will join the Centerforce team as its new director of sales. Menke will work to expand Centerforce’s sales, drawing upon his expertise and strong relationships in the automotive aftermarket. Having worked for various auto-parts manufacturers, Menke will utilize his experience to develop key sales strategies and explore new markets as well as strengthen current ones. Menke brings more than 29 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket, specializing in sales through traditional warehouse distributors, retail chains, specialty accounts, performance specialists and export customers. He joins Centerforce following 10 years at brake component manufacturer Centric Parts.

Garrett Motion Inc. announced that Sean Deason was named CFO. Deason will relocate to the company’s global headquarters in Switzerland. Previously, Deason was the CFO of WABCO Holdings Inc., a global supplier of advanced technologies for commercial vehicles. He will assume responsibilities as the principal financial officer of Garrett from Peter Bracke. Before joining WABCO, Deason spent four years with Evraz N.A., a steel products manufacturer, where he served as vice president of financial planning and analysis. Deason also worked 12 years with Lear Corp., where he held finance, treasury and corporate planning roles covering multiple regions.

CRP Industries appointed automotive industry veteran PT Muldoon as the company’s director of engineering. Muldoon will be responsible for all engineering activities and initiatives in the development of new automotive opportunities with OEMs and tier-one suppliers as well as the improvement and expansion of current products and product lines. Prior to joining CRP Automotive, Muldoon served as the director of new product development for electronics remanufacturing for BBB Industries, where he headed the company’s Detroit technical center. Muldoon also spent more than 23 years with FCA Chrysler, where he served as senior product engineer for powertrain electrical and powertrain adaptation, manager of remanufactured product development engineering, and chief engineering lead for MOPAR.

Based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Marx Buscemi Eisbrenner Group, a full-service marketing communications agency focused on the automotive, mobility, trucking, technology and consumer goods industries, promoted Kaleigh Jerzykowski to account executive. Jerzykowski joined Marx Buscemi Eisbrenner Group in 2017 and previously held the position of assistant account executive. In her new role, Jerzykowski will lead initiatives for B2B and B2C clients that include public relations, event management and social-media marketing, as well as continuing to guide advertising campaigns and digital strategies.

Stertil-Koni announced that Carl Boyer was named Midwest regional sales manager. Boyer brings nearly three decades of client-focused sales management, business development and customer-service experience to this key Stertil-Koni role. Boyer will manage a territory that includes Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and parts of Wisconsin, supporting Stertil-Koni’s exclusive distributor network serving those states. Most recently, Boyer served as shop equipment specialist at Stertil-Koni, where he focused on the expansion of the company’s product line and customer base in the heavy-duty equipment field.

Sparta Evolution announced Yoni Kellman as its new sales and marketing manager. Kellman will be responsible for driving revenue, marketing and business strategies. As a member of the aftermarket industry for more than 15 years, Kellman has sales and marketing experience working with various manufacturers, distributors and retailers, including Exedy, Motovicity and DBA USA.

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. announced that Paula Whitesell will join the company as senior vice president and chief human resources officer. Whitesell joins Cooper from Peapod Digital Labs in Chicago, where she served as vice president for human resources and was responsible for human resources, communications and customer care. Prior to Peapod, Whitesell had an 18-year career with Whirlpool Corp., where she most recently served as senior director for global human resources, a position she attained after progressing through a number of diverse leadership roles in human resources and within the business, including finance, customer care and integrated supply chain.

Westin Automotive announced the addition of industry veteran Chris Carr as southern regional sales manager. Carr is a native of Louisiana currently residing in Texas and will operate between his home office and Westin’s Dallas/Fort-Worth distribution center.

Tenneco Inc. announced that its board of directors appointed Kevin Baird as the COO. In that role, Baird joins the executive leadership team and will lead and support critical strategic and operations initiatives that deliver margin-expansion and cash-generation improvements. Baird joins Tenneco from Guardian Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries Inc., where he served since 2014 as president and CEO of its Guardian Glass business. In addition, Tenneco announced that its board of directors appointed Matti Masanovich as its CFO, effective August 10, 2020. He will succeed interim CFO Ken Trammell. Before joining Tenneco, Masanovich was the CFO of Superior Industries International Inc., a global supplier of light-vehicle aluminum wheels for the original equipment and aftermarket.

Energy Suspension hired Dennis Grau as its new sales and marketing manager. Grau has more than 20 years of sales and marketing leadership experience within the automotive and heavy-duty aftermarket. Most recently, he held the position of senior director of sales for K&N Engineering, where he was responsible for the strategic direction and leading the North America team to drive sales with a primary focus on the warehouse distributor side of the business. He gained significant automotive experience during his time with companies such as MAT Holdings, Exide and Honeywell.

Randys Worldwide Automotive, the parent company of Yukon Gear & Axle, announced Ted Caldwell as its new COO and Tim Spiller as its new director of distribution operations. In his new position with the drivetrain products provider based in Everett, Washington, Caldwell will focus on creating a scalable operational structure, optimizing warehouse growth, system automation, supply-chain management and more, according to published reports. Spiller, who has been coordinating distribution and logistics involving mass-market fulfillment for a decade, comes to Randys from Europe-based Funko, where he was responsible for its expansion in the United States.

Quadratec Inc. announced the launch of its newly redesigned digital media channel Torque, which features written and video content that focuses on all facets of Jeep ownership, vehicles, products, trends and lifestyle. The new site offers users a modern design with fresh, engaging information that is searchable by vehicle type or category and includes a navigation bar that highlights topics from a library of information. The site also includes product reviews, how-to advice, Jeep vehicle builds, feature stories, profiles, event coverage, and insights into current trends such as overlanding.

Hypertherm announced its selection as a Business of the Decade winner by Business New Hampshire magazine and the New Hampshire Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Hypertherm earned the top spot for the manufacturing and technology category, joining organizations in eight other categories, including health care, financial services and insurance, retail and wholesale, and tourism and hospitality. Nearly 50 judges participated in scoring applications through two rounds of competition to determine the winners. In considering Hypertherm, judges were impressed by the respect the company has within the fabrication industry and its reputation for technological and manufacturing excellence. In addition, judges cited the breadth and depth of Hypertherm’s work in the community.

Hot Shot’s Secret (HSS) announced that more than 500 trucker appreciation care packages were delivered to truckers working during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep essential medical supplies and groceries stocked. Beginning in April, the company began distributing the care packages that included a bottle of HSS Everyday Diesel Treatment, HSS hand sanitizer, a company decal, LSI magazine, an HSS product guide, and a 15% product discount. The initiative wrapped up with a final giveaway event at the company’s headquarters in central Ohio on July 1–2.

By Della Domingo

As with any event, preparation is essential for success. Manufacturers in  SEMA360, the industry’s new online event that is will provide the industry with a B2B environment in the absence of the in-person SEMA Show, can increase their success by preparing in advance of the event taking place, November 2-6.

Here are a few tips to help  SEMA360  manufacturers:  

1. Include the  SEMA360  logo on your website.
2. Email your customers directly to personally invite them to visit your Showcase page.  
3. Announce your participation in social media using #sema360.  
4. If you have a scheduled product demonstration, guest speaker, expert, special pricing or any plans  from SEMA360 that you want to promote, email Kelly Clancy at kellyc@sema.org  so that we can spread the word to participating buyers.  
5. Enter the New Products Showcase to bring in new buyers who are browsing the showcase (deadline is October 13, and first four entries are free). 
6. Enter vehicles into the Builder Showcase to link visitors to your Showcase page  (deadline is October 9).  
7. Include a good mix of quality photos,  videos  and marketing materials on your Showcase page.  
8. Schedule roundtable meetings so you can interact and engage with buyers.  
9. Designate and promote at least one day and time when you staff your Showcase page beyond the recommended hours of 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (PST) to accommodate and reach international buyers. (About 30% of all buyers signed up for SEMA360 are from outside the United States.) 
10. Set up your Showcase page today. Manufacturers that participated in the recent training on the set up process should have received their login and a comprehensive playbook. Those who did not participate in the training or who did not receive the follow up material should visit www.sema360.com/manufacturer.html.

Dedicated SEMA staff are on hand to assist with setting up the Manufacturers Showcase page. For more information, visit  www.sema360.com  or contact info@sema360.com  or 909-396-0289.  

By Della Domingo

As with any event, preparation is essential for success. Manufacturers in  SEMA360, the industry’s new online event that is will provide the industry with a B2B environment in the absence of the in-person SEMA Show, can increase their success by preparing in advance of the event taking place, November 2-6.

Here are a few tips to help  SEMA360  manufacturers:  

1. Include the  SEMA360  logo on your website.
2. Email your customers directly to personally invite them to visit your Showcase page.  
3. Announce your participation in social media using #sema360.  
4. If you have a scheduled product demonstration, guest speaker, expert, special pricing or any plans  from SEMA360 that you want to promote, email Kelly Clancy at kellyc@sema.org  so that we can spread the word to participating buyers.  
5. Enter the New Products Showcase to bring in new buyers who are browsing the showcase (deadline is October 13, and first four entries are free). 
6. Enter vehicles into the Builder Showcase to link visitors to your Showcase page  (deadline is October 9).  
7. Include a good mix of quality photos,  videos  and marketing materials on your Showcase page.  
8. Schedule roundtable meetings so you can interact and engage with buyers.  
9. Designate and promote at least one day and time when you staff your Showcase page beyond the recommended hours of 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (PST) to accommodate and reach international buyers. (About 30% of all buyers signed up for SEMA360 are from outside the United States.) 
10. Set up your Showcase page today. Manufacturers that participated in the recent training on the set up process should have received their login and a comprehensive playbook. Those who did not participate in the training or who did not receive the follow up material should visit www.sema360.com/manufacturer.html.

Dedicated SEMA staff are on hand to assist with setting up the Manufacturers Showcase page. For more information, visit  www.sema360.com  or contact info@sema360.com  or 909-396-0289.