SEMA News—July 2020

BUSINESS

By Douglas McColloch

Restyling and Car-Care Market Trends

New Parts, Products and Applications for a Growing Marketplace

Each November, North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the annual SEMA Show is ground zero for the car-care and restyling industries. Show attendees can see the latest restyling products, learn about the newest car-care technologies, meet their favorite celebrities and observe product demonstrations.

For most builder-enthusiasts, car-care and restyling products are among the most indispensable tools for customizing a vehicle. They can provide added measures of protection for paint, glass and chrome. They can lend upgrades to interior comfort and optimize exterior shine. Many of the most popular products can be purchased without breaking the bank. They’re available nearly everywhere that auto parts are sold—and even some places they’re not, such as in neighborhood car washes or convenience stores.

It’s no surprise that these products are found at so many retail points of sale. According to the 2019 “SEMA Market Report,” fully two-thirds of car-care products are still purchased at traditional brick-and-mortar retail stores.

Altogether, the disparate products of the car-care aftermarket comprise a $1.8 billion segment in annual sales, and the market is poised to expand worldwide in the coming decade. Global market value is estimated to rise from $11.8 billion in 2019 to $16.8 billion by 2027, according to a recent survey published by market-research firm Research and Markets.

For this report, we contacted a number of experts in the car-care products industry representing manufacturers of car-care treatments and related products. The following is a compilation of their insights and observations on the current state of the market and its outlook going forward.

Vinyl wraps have long been popular with enthusiasts in that they allow the owner to personalized a vehicle with minimal shop time and at comparatively low expense versus the cost of a custom paint job, plus they have an average shelf live of five to 10 years.

Products and Processes: What’s Moving the Market

Two of the strongest consumer preferences that were mentioned by a number of our sources can be summed up by the phrases “quick and easy” and “all in one.” Bo Kessing, senior brand manager for Rust-Oleum, said that consumers want “a quick, easy and inexpensive way to transform their vehicles with premium, high-gloss finishes.”

A number of our industry sources pointed to paint-protection film (PPF) and related products as future market drivers.

“We still see a lot of traditional restyling products—leather interior, heated seats, remote start,” said Auto Additions Vice President Josh Poulson, “but the film business—window tint, clear matte protection and vinyl wrapping—has really started taking off. Blackout packages are also huge, where you maybe just wrap the roof of the car or the hood of an SUV more in the form of ‘accent’ wrapping rather than a whole body.”

For restylers, the ascendance of overlanding presents an opportunity to expand into a new market niche, as ICD Design President and CEO Paul Ghany explained.

“The SUV market is a good one for us because of the new push to make these vehicles more rugged and oriented toward outdoor adventure with more of an ‘off-road’ look,” he said. “That’s the direction everyone’s going right now, especially for SUVs. Everyone’s looking for camping gear and products for the outdoor lifestyle market.

“Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are a growing part of the business,” Poulson adds, “but they’re not going gangbusters the way everyone was predicting. A lot of that is because we work on newer vehicles, and a lot of those models are coming with that stuff. But we still do ADAS installations on a daily basis, whereas a year or two ago we were doing it on a weekly basis.”

Car-care and cleaning products—creams, coatings, polishes, waxes and accessories with numerous interior and exterior applications—comprise a $1.8 billion market, according to the 2019 “SEMA Market Report.”

Into the Future: Challenges and Opportunities

One challenge facing the restyling industry in particular is the proliferation of ADAS on original-equipment vehicle platforms and the need to maintain compliance after modifications are made.

“We constantly have to think about, ‘Are you covering up a sensor that now can’t function properly, or are you lifting a truck so that now the sensors don’t work?’” Poulson noted. “The learning curve is steep, and a lot of it comes down to in-house testing on our end because the manufacturers haven’t always been able to get the R&D out to installers.”

On the other hand, Poulson noted that improvements in aftermarket product quality allow for greater amounts of freedom for installers.

“Manufacturers have done a great job of making products that we can do more with,” he said. “We might wrap a chrome bumper now, whereas we would never attempt that for warranty reasons years ago. The product has gotten better, installation has gotten a little easier, and it’s allowed us the opportunity to do more creative things.”

Poulson also sees continued growth in the PPF sector—in particular, new products that provide protection for increasingly large original-equipment infotainment screens.

“We protect our cell phones, but we’re not protecting this $5,000 screen that can easily get scratched or damaged over time,” he said. “There’s the opportunity now for dealerships to do a lot of preloading and install them ahead of time.”

More than one source felt that ceramic coatings and other paint-protection products would continue to gain strength in the marketplace, with Poulson forecasting that “a lot more ‘protective’ restyling products like those are going to be big over the next three to five years.”

The continued popularity of the truck/off-road market, the perceived increase in consumer demand of electric vehicles, and the continued proliferation of ADAS systems all hold opportunities for future growth among restylers.

“For the future, we are looking at the electric vehicle market—in particular, the electric pickup trucks that are coming,” Ghany said. “More truck models give companies like ours more opportunity to expand into that market. We’re also looking at technology. Everybody wants everything in the car computerized now, so we are looking at new products for that market as well.”

“The rapid escalation in ride sharing and self-driving vehicles illustrates consumers’ desires to simplify their lives as it relates to automobiles,” Kessing concluded. “That leads to the need for easier-to-apply, longer-lasting products.”

SEMA News—July 2020

INDUSTRY NEWS

By Douglas McColloch

The SEMA Garage offers a number of member services that can help companies continue to develop new products even when “shelter-at-home” orders are in place.

How Manufacturers Can Continue to Develop New Products While Sheltering at Home

Aftermarket manufacturers seeking to develop products can take advantage of several exclusive SEMA-member benefits that lend themselves to physical distancing. Available throughout the year, these benefits may prove even more valuable given the prospect of current or future “shelter-at-home” orders. These benefits include:

Vehicles in Operations (VIO): The SEMA-member VIO program helps companies make informed decisions by understanding the number of targeted vehicles currently on the road for any make or model. This is key to helping members identify the vehicle platforms that have the greatest available opportunities, and target their marketing.

Tech Transfer/CAD Data: CAD data from automakers is available exclusively to SEMA-member manufacturers to assist with developing products. Through the program, members may be able to eliminate the need to source and digitally create CAD models.

Rapid Prototyping/3-D Printing: When members have completed their product designs, they may want to create a low-cost prototype pre-production, and SEMA’s 3-D printing is available. Use of the machine and labor are available free of charge, and members simply pay for the cost of materials.

CARB EO Preparation/Advocacy Services: The SEMA Compliance Center can assist members with performance products that may impact a vehicle’s emissions and are in need of an Executive Order (EO) from the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

To learn more about how manufacturers can tap into resources to help with product development and other benefits, visit www.sema.org.

The Las Vegas Convention Center is undergoing expansion for 2021, but all operations, halls, exhibit spaces and sections will remain unchanged for the 2020 SEMA Show.

Las Vegas Construction Update: No Changes for 2020 SEMA Show

SEMA Show management has announced that the Las Vegas Convention Center’s (LVCC) operations, exhibit space, halls and sections for the 2020 SEMA Show will remain the same as last year (2019).

The LVCC is currently in Phase II of its planned expansion, which is scheduled to be complete by January 2021; the newly expanded hall, located adjacent to the LVCC, will contain 600,000 sq. ft. of new exhibit space.

For more information about the 2020 SEMA Show, taking place Tuesday–Friday, November 3–6, visit www.SEMAShow.com. To exhibit, visit www.SEMAShow.com/buyabooth.

The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is among several hotels located within one mile of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Book Your Rooms Now—Closest Hotels to the SEMA Show

SEMA Show attendees are encouraged to make reservations at these hotels near the Las Vegas Convention Center while rooms are still available. With a quick look on the SEMA Show homepage
(www.SEMAShow.com), Showgoers can see a list of hotels available, along with the rate per night, the distance from the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the hotel star rating. Here are four hotels that are close to the SEMA Show:

• Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, 1.4 miles
• Hilton Grand Vacations—Las Vegas Convention Center, 0.7 miles
• Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, 0.2 miles

Showgoers booking through the SEMA Show housing partner receive guaranteed low rates on a wide range of hotel properties at locations on and off the Strip.

When making your hotel reservations through the SEMA Show website, you are receiving the most affordable and convenient hotel options through the association’s partnership with onPeak, the only official hotel provider for the 2019 SEMA Show. All negotiated rates provided by onPeak include resort fees and will allow you to change or cancel your reservation without any financial penalties.

More information about the 2020 SEMA Show, to be held Tuesday–Friday, November 3–6, is available at www.SEMAShow.com.

SEMA has partnered with Stratasys to produce 3-D-printed visors, which will attach to face shields to assist doctors, nurses and other health-care workers.

SEMA Garage Turns on 3-D Printers to Battle COVID-19

Manufacturers and service providers worldwide are responding to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The SEMA Garage is proud to announce that it will assist Stratasys (www.stratasys.com) by providing 3-D-printed visors, which will attach to face shields and assist those who are working in healthcare facilities.

While SEMA Garage services continue to be designated to aid the automotive aftermarket with product development, times like these call for assistance to those in need and making a difference in the community. Stratasys has designed and publicly shared the CAD model of its visor as well as the specifics for the face shield for any additional suppliers to join and be a part of this initiative. That information is available at go.stratasys.com/lp-face-shield.html. If you have the capability to provide 3-D-printed visors or protective shields, or if you are in need of any of those items, register through this link: go.stratasys.com/lp-stratasys-helps.html.

To see what other SEMA-member companies are doing to help in the fight against COVID-19, visit SEMA eNews at www.sema.org/sema-enews.

SEMA Member News July 2020

By Ellen McKoy

Youth Engagement: Planting a Seed

Young children learn their ABCs most often through fun activities and songs. Next come the Three Rs—Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic—a phrase first attributed to an article that appeared in an 1818 edition of The Lady’s Magazine. Flash forward 200 years and the talk among today’s educators is all about STEM.

An acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM is aimed at helping students acquire skills related to those four fields of study. Curriculum not only focuses on subject-specific learning but also on refining various skill sets, such as engaging in logical reasoning, working collaboratively as a team, and applying problem-solving strategies—proficiencies that will serve students well as they prepare for future careers.

From SEMA and the industry’s perspective, it’s vitally important to cultivate and inspire a future workforce, but with fewer than 20% of high-school students expressing interest in STEM careers, according the U.S. Department of Education, what could the aftermarket industry do to plant seeds and encourage youngsters to engage in the industry?

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund has long provided tuition assistance and loan forgiveness to eligible students and graduates pursuing automotive careers. More recently, SEMA and member companies have collaborated with high schools on student-led custom-vehicle builds designed to strengthen pupils’ skills and interest in pursuing automotive career pathways.

Another leg of SEMA’s youth-engagement outreach was centered on introducing middle-school students to the aftermarket industry. The SEMA CuSTEM program—geared to children in the sixth through eighth grades—was focused on engaging the youngsters through firsthand and hands-on educational experiences at car shows and other industry events.

In putting the program together, SEMA partnered two years ago with two outside groups: Championship Auto Shows, producer of Autorama and World of Wheels, and Ten80 Education, an organization devoted to inspiring youngsters to engage in innovative thinking.

“There are a lot of natural applications with STEM and cars, and SEMA recognized that Ten80 is an expert in STEM education with an automotive focus,” said Katie Hurst, SEMA’s youth engagement program manager. “SEMA partnered with both organizations to help produce events for middle-school students. We worked very closely with Ten80 to help them understand our goals and develop curriculum for the events. We wanted to spark interest and have the students walk away from our events understanding what the aftermarket is and what could be done to a car to either serve a purpose or come up with something new and creative.”

Connecting Cars and Kids

From January through mid-March, SEMA hosted six CuSTEM programs around the country in conjunction with Championship Auto Shows and Ten80. The events were attended by more than 2,400 middle-school students, plus faculty. A seventh event was cancelled in the fallout from the COVID-19 epidemic.

In describing Ten80’s approach to education, company President Terri Stripling said, “We call it project-based learning. Our specialty is not just STEM—it is math modeling and data fluency, which is something that employers are identifying as the one skill set they wish more college students would have.”

When developing grade-appropriate approaches, one of Ten80’s techniques relied on using radio-controlled cars to encourage problem solving.

“Through a grant from the National Science Foundation, we discovered that using radio-controlled cars was a tool that allowed us to bring students together on a project,” Stripling said.

“Cars and racing work for a lot of reasons. Every kid has been in a car, and our research showed that most students want a car. It’s not abstract. There’s a tangible, personal connection to the subject matter, so we have developed a lot of our educational programming around the theme of racing, automotive development and entrepreneurship.”

Aligning Education and Industry

Most youngsters relish the prospect of a field trip—a chance to break free of the classroom and experience something new—but while a car show on its own can be fun, both SEMA and Ten80 recognized that the events had to include an educational element.

“In working with Ten80, our goal was to engage middle-school-age children by bringing them out for a car experience,” Hurst said. “At the same time, we had to have a formalized event that incorporated STEM education as a way to get the schools to approve a field trip to a car show.”

From Ten80’s perspective, it was also important to secure parents’ buy-in.

“Parents always ask why they should send their kids to a car show, so we educate them on the fact that it’s a STEM event hosted within a car show,” Stripling said. “That’s when they know that the kids are going to benefit from the experience.”

Ten80 developed a program that allowed students to experience car culture up close while engaging in interactive activities. For instance, at previous CuSTEM events, SEMA provided the kids with laptops to create their custom cars.

“We used the event to introduce Excel spreadsheets,” Stripling said. “That was a big takeaway, and the teachers loved it. This year, we gave students a quick orientation and engaged them with SEMA- and car-related trivia. Then they went onto the show floor to look for inspiration, talk with owners, and learn about different ways cars are customized.”

To encourage collaboration and creative thinking, students were paired in teams of three. Each team was responsible for modifying a 2-D balsawood car into a 3-D custom creation and presenting the finished concept along with a price tag. SEMA staff and member volunteers were on hand to assist in facilitating the activity.

“I felt like an ambassador for our industry,” said Josh Poulson, owner of Auto Additions, who attended the event in Cincinnati. “Even though the kids may not have understood what I do on a day-to-day basis, they knew I work with cars and were intrigued by that idea. Most of the students did very well on the activity and showed a lot of creativity.”

Fellow volunteer Amy Fitzgerald agreed. Fitzgerald is a co-owner of Cool Hand Customs.

“I was excited about the CuSTEM program and thrilled to attend the Pittsburgh event,” she said. “The kids were excited to be there and eager to participate in hands-on activities. I was empowered by the interest the kids showed in basic automotive engineering principles.”

“The industry volunteers played an integral role in communicating what they do—owned a small business, customized cars or sold parts,” Stripling noted. “Through aligning the goals of education and industry, we were able to show the kids a variety of career paths and help them realize that STEM is relevant to their lives while also getting them excited about cars.”

“When we got into this space, we aimed to create a spark of interest,” Hurst added. “Because the next step in their school career is high school, if their school offers an auto shop program, we hoped they would remember they had a good experience at the SEMA event and would take their own steps to move toward a really cool pathway.

“As I’ve walked around and talked to students over the last two years, it’s been fun to see the collaboration and teamwork. The students didn’t have any preconceived notions about cars. To see them use terminologies that we put in front of them and apply what they learned on the car-show floor was very rewarding. The students really enjoyed working hands-on, and I’m proud that we were able to provide those experiences.”

SEMA Member News July 2020

By Ellen McKoy

Youth Engagement: Planting a Seed

Young children learn their ABCs most often through fun activities and songs. Next come the Three Rs—Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic—a phrase first attributed to an article that appeared in an 1818 edition of The Lady’s Magazine. Flash forward 200 years and the talk among today’s educators is all about STEM.

An acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM is aimed at helping students acquire skills related to those four fields of study. Curriculum not only focuses on subject-specific learning but also on refining various skill sets, such as engaging in logical reasoning, working collaboratively as a team, and applying problem-solving strategies—proficiencies that will serve students well as they prepare for future careers.

From SEMA and the industry’s perspective, it’s vitally important to cultivate and inspire a future workforce, but with fewer than 20% of high-school students expressing interest in STEM careers, according the U.S. Department of Education, what could the aftermarket industry do to plant seeds and encourage youngsters to engage in the industry?

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund has long provided tuition assistance and loan forgiveness to eligible students and graduates pursuing automotive careers. More recently, SEMA and member companies have collaborated with high schools on student-led custom-vehicle builds designed to strengthen pupils’ skills and interest in pursuing automotive career pathways.

Another leg of SEMA’s youth-engagement outreach was centered on introducing middle-school students to the aftermarket industry. The SEMA CuSTEM program—geared to children in the sixth through eighth grades—was focused on engaging the youngsters through firsthand and hands-on educational experiences at car shows and other industry events.

In putting the program together, SEMA partnered two years ago with two outside groups: Championship Auto Shows, producer of Autorama and World of Wheels, and Ten80 Education, an organization devoted to inspiring youngsters to engage in innovative thinking.

“There are a lot of natural applications with STEM and cars, and SEMA recognized that Ten80 is an expert in STEM education with an automotive focus,” said Katie Hurst, SEMA’s youth engagement program manager. “SEMA partnered with both organizations to help produce events for middle-school students. We worked very closely with Ten80 to help them understand our goals and develop curriculum for the events. We wanted to spark interest and have the students walk away from our events understanding what the aftermarket is and what could be done to a car to either serve a purpose or come up with something new and creative.”

Connecting Cars and Kids

From January through mid-March, SEMA hosted six CuSTEM programs around the country in conjunction with Championship Auto Shows and Ten80. The events were attended by more than 2,400 middle-school students, plus faculty. A seventh event was cancelled in the fallout from the COVID-19 epidemic.

In describing Ten80’s approach to education, company President Terri Stripling said, “We call it project-based learning. Our specialty is not just STEM—it is math modeling and data fluency, which is something that employers are identifying as the one skill set they wish more college students would have.”

When developing grade-appropriate approaches, one of Ten80’s techniques relied on using radio-controlled cars to encourage problem solving.

“Through a grant from the National Science Foundation, we discovered that using radio-controlled cars was a tool that allowed us to bring students together on a project,” Stripling said.

“Cars and racing work for a lot of reasons. Every kid has been in a car, and our research showed that most students want a car. It’s not abstract. There’s a tangible, personal connection to the subject matter, so we have developed a lot of our educational programming around the theme of racing, automotive development and entrepreneurship.”

Aligning Education and Industry

Most youngsters relish the prospect of a field trip—a chance to break free of the classroom and experience something new—but while a car show on its own can be fun, both SEMA and Ten80 recognized that the events had to include an educational element.

“In working with Ten80, our goal was to engage middle-school-age children by bringing them out for a car experience,” Hurst said. “At the same time, we had to have a formalized event that incorporated STEM education as a way to get the schools to approve a field trip to a car show.”

From Ten80’s perspective, it was also important to secure parents’ buy-in.

“Parents always ask why they should send their kids to a car show, so we educate them on the fact that it’s a STEM event hosted within a car show,” Stripling said. “That’s when they know that the kids are going to benefit from the experience.”

Ten80 developed a program that allowed students to experience car culture up close while engaging in interactive activities. For instance, at previous CuSTEM events, SEMA provided the kids with laptops to create their custom cars.

“We used the event to introduce Excel spreadsheets,” Stripling said. “That was a big takeaway, and the teachers loved it. This year, we gave students a quick orientation and engaged them with SEMA- and car-related trivia. Then they went onto the show floor to look for inspiration, talk with owners, and learn about different ways cars are customized.”

To encourage collaboration and creative thinking, students were paired in teams of three. Each team was responsible for modifying a 2-D balsawood car into a 3-D custom creation and presenting the finished concept along with a price tag. SEMA staff and member volunteers were on hand to assist in facilitating the activity.

“I felt like an ambassador for our industry,” said Josh Poulson, owner of Auto Additions, who attended the event in Cincinnati. “Even though the kids may not have understood what I do on a day-to-day basis, they knew I work with cars and were intrigued by that idea. Most of the students did very well on the activity and showed a lot of creativity.”

Fellow volunteer Amy Fitzgerald agreed. Fitzgerald is a co-owner of Cool Hand Customs.

“I was excited about the CuSTEM program and thrilled to attend the Pittsburgh event,” she said. “The kids were excited to be there and eager to participate in hands-on activities. I was empowered by the interest the kids showed in basic automotive engineering principles.”

“The industry volunteers played an integral role in communicating what they do—owned a small business, customized cars or sold parts,” Stripling noted. “Through aligning the goals of education and industry, we were able to show the kids a variety of career paths and help them realize that STEM is relevant to their lives while also getting them excited about cars.”

“When we got into this space, we aimed to create a spark of interest,” Hurst added. “Because the next step in their school career is high school, if their school offers an auto shop program, we hoped they would remember they had a good experience at the SEMA event and would take their own steps to move toward a really cool pathway.

“As I’ve walked around and talked to students over the last two years, it’s been fun to see the collaboration and teamwork. The students didn’t have any preconceived notions about cars. To see them use terminologies that we put in front of them and apply what they learned on the car-show floor was very rewarding. The students really enjoyed working hands-on, and I’m proud that we were able to provide those experiences.”

SEMA Member News July 2020

By Ellen McKoy

YEN Leverages Technology to Deliver Learning Experiences

YEN select committee member Jeremy Headlee of Icon Vehicle Dynamics.

With more than 1,000 members—all younger than 40—who work and reside across the United States and beyond, the Young Executives Network (YEN) strives to deliver resources to help young professionals sharpen skills and advance their careers.

From regional meets-ups and Lunch and Learn events to the SEMA Launch Pad competition presented by YEN at the SEMA Show and the annual awards networking reception, also held at the Show, there are various ways in which network members can stay connected and expand their knowledge throughout the year. One resource in particular has proven especially beneficial: YEN’s Live Chats with industry notables.

Using the Power of Technology

Young people in general and Millennials in particular often lead the way in adopting and using technology and in being able to use technology for work wherever and whenever. So it’s not surprising that YENsters, as they are known, would be the first group within SEMA to have utilized technology in the form of Facebook Live Chats to deliver information and inspiration.

“The Live Chats are a way for our network to leverage Facebook’s live video-chat technology to invite industry icons and industry standouts to share their knowledge, insights and experience with our general membership,” said Jeremy Headlee, who heads up YEN’s social-media and Live Chat initiatives. “Our members are all over the country, so this is our opportunity to bring some very experienced folks in front of our audience and allow them to share their stories with everybody, because we don’t get to see or talk to each other outside of the SEMA Show and a couple of other events throughout the year.”

When the Live Chats were first launched, each interactive session was limited to 20 minutes. More recently, YEN expanded the window.

“When we started the Live Chats, we put on a cap of 15 to 20 minutes,” Headlee said. “Since I’ve been involved, the select committee has seen the value in letting them run longer. But we also try to be cognizant of our audience. Most people watching are young professionals on their lunch break, so 20 minutes to an hour is our sweet spot.”

Prior to each Live Chat, the members of the select committee put their heads together to craft questions for the scheduled guest presenter.

“We’ll come up with a handful of questions to help get the talent comfortable and get the conversation rolling,” Headlee said. “We’ve had great success with the audience accelerating the conversation from there.”

Delivering Value With Every Session

From the outset, YEN has attracted some standout talent. Early guests included Wes Buck, editor-in-chief of Drag Illustrated; Matt Beenan of BuiltRight Industries, who won the 2018 SEMA Launch Pad competition; Formula Drift driver Vaughn Gittin Jr.; and members of the SEMA staff.

Episode topics vary depending on the industry talent’s background and expertise. Some sessions center on general business and career advice, others on the SEMA Show and member benefits.

“We’ve also talked about how to improve brand awareness, especially with social media and new technologies,” Headlee noted.

During his time in the spotlight, drift driver Gittin Jr. talked about sponsorships and partnerships between companies and racers or enthusiasts. Beenan, on the other hand, shared advice for entrepreneurs trying to get a business off the ground.

“We got more and more successful with the first few Live Chats that we did,” Headlee said.

To build on YEN’s early success, the select committee has expanded the program.

“We decided to do one Live Chat each month in 2020, and we’ve been successful so far,” he said.

This year’s lineup reads like a veritable who’s who. Performance industry legend Gale Banks was the headliner for the January Live Chat. The February session spotlighted time-attack driver Sally McNulty, who drives a modified Subaru STi for Snail Performance and also races for Honda Performance Development. In March, Tate Morgan, founder of the Gambler 500 Rally, provided what Headlee described as “a very interesting Live Chat” on the unique and environmentally friendly off-road rally. The April session featured YEN member Joe Opperman, director of public affairs and marketing for the IOLA Car Show and Swap Meet, whose chat sparked conversation on engaging youth to help perpetuate the aftermarket industry.

Going forward, YEN has lined up YouTube sensation and car guru TJ Hunt for the May broadcast. The select committee is also preparing for future Live Chats beyond that, and Headlee expects that members will continue to derive value from every episode.

“Seeing the success of the Live Chats we’ve done and the ability to talk to a large group of people across the country at one time, I think we’ve just scratched the surface,” he said. “Live Chats will continue to be polished, evolve and get better and better.

“In my opinion, the topics we cover—whether it’s business advice, technology or how to navigate SEMA as a whole and take advantage of some programs and benefits—offer great advice for the YEN membership. The ability to put industry standouts on our Live Chats to share their knowledge is amazing. The advice, insights and experience-sharing of some very successful people in our industry is infinitely beneficial to our members.”

SEMA Member News July 2020

By Ellen McKoy

YEN Leverages Technology to Deliver Learning Experiences

YEN select committee member Jeremy Headlee of Icon Vehicle Dynamics.

With more than 1,000 members—all younger than 40—who work and reside across the United States and beyond, the Young Executives Network (YEN) strives to deliver resources to help young professionals sharpen skills and advance their careers.

From regional meets-ups and Lunch and Learn events to the SEMA Launch Pad competition presented by YEN at the SEMA Show and the annual awards networking reception, also held at the Show, there are various ways in which network members can stay connected and expand their knowledge throughout the year. One resource in particular has proven especially beneficial: YEN’s Live Chats with industry notables.

Using the Power of Technology

Young people in general and Millennials in particular often lead the way in adopting and using technology and in being able to use technology for work wherever and whenever. So it’s not surprising that YENsters, as they are known, would be the first group within SEMA to have utilized technology in the form of Facebook Live Chats to deliver information and inspiration.

“The Live Chats are a way for our network to leverage Facebook’s live video-chat technology to invite industry icons and industry standouts to share their knowledge, insights and experience with our general membership,” said Jeremy Headlee, who heads up YEN’s social-media and Live Chat initiatives. “Our members are all over the country, so this is our opportunity to bring some very experienced folks in front of our audience and allow them to share their stories with everybody, because we don’t get to see or talk to each other outside of the SEMA Show and a couple of other events throughout the year.”

When the Live Chats were first launched, each interactive session was limited to 20 minutes. More recently, YEN expanded the window.

“When we started the Live Chats, we put on a cap of 15 to 20 minutes,” Headlee said. “Since I’ve been involved, the select committee has seen the value in letting them run longer. But we also try to be cognizant of our audience. Most people watching are young professionals on their lunch break, so 20 minutes to an hour is our sweet spot.”

Prior to each Live Chat, the members of the select committee put their heads together to craft questions for the scheduled guest presenter.

“We’ll come up with a handful of questions to help get the talent comfortable and get the conversation rolling,” Headlee said. “We’ve had great success with the audience accelerating the conversation from there.”

Delivering Value With Every Session

From the outset, YEN has attracted some standout talent. Early guests included Wes Buck, editor-in-chief of Drag Illustrated; Matt Beenan of BuiltRight Industries, who won the 2018 SEMA Launch Pad competition; Formula Drift driver Vaughn Gittin Jr.; and members of the SEMA staff.

Episode topics vary depending on the industry talent’s background and expertise. Some sessions center on general business and career advice, others on the SEMA Show and member benefits.

“We’ve also talked about how to improve brand awareness, especially with social media and new technologies,” Headlee noted.

During his time in the spotlight, drift driver Gittin Jr. talked about sponsorships and partnerships between companies and racers or enthusiasts. Beenan, on the other hand, shared advice for entrepreneurs trying to get a business off the ground.

“We got more and more successful with the first few Live Chats that we did,” Headlee said.

To build on YEN’s early success, the select committee has expanded the program.

“We decided to do one Live Chat each month in 2020, and we’ve been successful so far,” he said.

This year’s lineup reads like a veritable who’s who. Performance industry legend Gale Banks was the headliner for the January Live Chat. The February session spotlighted time-attack driver Sally McNulty, who drives a modified Subaru STi for Snail Performance and also races for Honda Performance Development. In March, Tate Morgan, founder of the Gambler 500 Rally, provided what Headlee described as “a very interesting Live Chat” on the unique and environmentally friendly off-road rally. The April session featured YEN member Joe Opperman, director of public affairs and marketing for the IOLA Car Show and Swap Meet, whose chat sparked conversation on engaging youth to help perpetuate the aftermarket industry.

Going forward, YEN has lined up YouTube sensation and car guru TJ Hunt for the May broadcast. The select committee is also preparing for future Live Chats beyond that, and Headlee expects that members will continue to derive value from every episode.

“Seeing the success of the Live Chats we’ve done and the ability to talk to a large group of people across the country at one time, I think we’ve just scratched the surface,” he said. “Live Chats will continue to be polished, evolve and get better and better.

“In my opinion, the topics we cover—whether it’s business advice, technology or how to navigate SEMA as a whole and take advantage of some programs and benefits—offer great advice for the YEN membership. The ability to put industry standouts on our Live Chats to share their knowledge is amazing. The advice, insights and experience-sharing of some very successful people in our industry is infinitely beneficial to our members.”

SEMA News—July 2020

INTERNET

By Joe Dysart

Shame Police

Google Toys With Penalizing Slow Websites

Google may begin warning web surfers about slow-loading websites.

Essentially, a “Usually Loads Slow” splash screen served up by Google would pretty much be the kiss of death to any website, encouraging a web surfer to move along to an alternative site with better performance.

“Internet users are less tolerant of slow websites than they’ve ever been,” said Marcus Taylor, founder of Venture Harbour
(www.ventureharbour.com), a digital marketing firm. “And the shift toward internet-enabled mobile devices means that you’re not going to be seen if you’re not fast.”

While Google was careful to word its shame-police intentions as a possibility rather than an inevitably, it’s no secret that the search giant has been campaigning hard for a faster web for decades. Moreover, the search titan has demonstrated that it has no qualms about stepping in as the officer on the beat when it comes to exposing poorly performing sites.

Indeed, since summer 2018, Google has been branding websites exhibiting poor security by displaying an “Insecure Website” icon in a browser’s address bar. (Secure sites are rewarded with a green padlock icon—the sign of a correctly secured website.)

No one asked Google to do that, and more than a few website owners have been vexed by the branding. But like it or not, Google set itself up as the arbiter of website security, and now it’s looking to expand that role to include rating the speed performance of specific websites.

Bottom line: Many Google watchers see the Google post on shaming slow websites as a trial balloon—a probe to see if there is significant backlash to the idea or widespread acceptance. Either way, the prudent move is to up your game on your website’s download speed now. As many of us have learned over the years, what Google wants, Google gets more often than not.

Here’s a game plan for protecting your site from the splash screen of death:

Get a quick look at how fast your website downloads: Given that Google has a vested interest in a fast web seeded with its advertising, it’s no wonder that it offers free tools you can use to quickly assess the speed of your website. Simply type in your site’s web address at Google’s Page Speed Insights (https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights) and you’ll see in a matter of seconds how fast your website’s home page downloads.

Besides offering you an instant rating, Page Speed Insights also offers you extremely detailed, specific suggestions for speeding up your site, such as changing the format of your images or eliminating unnecessary coding. Similar tools you can use to quickly analyze the speed of your site include Lighthouse (https://developers.google.com/web/tools/lighthouse), Yslow (http://yslow.org) and Google Analytics Site Speed Page Timings (https://tinyurl.com/analytics-answer).

Pay extra for faster hosting: Investing in premium web hosting is one of the easiest ways to speed up a large website. While smaller websites may be able to get away with cheap hosting, larger sites often benefit from premium hosting on a virtual private server or dedicated server.

Unlike cheap hosting, which houses numerous websites on a single server, a virtual private server solution actually uses multiple servers to distribute your site content across the web. For the highest priced, potentially most powerful alternative, consider a dedicated server that features a single website on a server that is maintained by a dedicated system administrator.

Ask your web host for help: Web hosts have a number of simple, free solutions that they can use to speed up a website, such as clearing the site’s cache. Plus, they can advise you on a number of actions you can take to increase download speed in other ways.

Chances are, your web host will also try to pitch you on additional services and options that cost money. But it’s worth calling and sorting through what’s free, what costs and what makes sense for you.

Use low-resolution images wherever possible: Bloated, extremely high-resolution images are one of the major causes of slow-loading sites, and they’re completely unnecessary in most cases. Generally, low-resolution versions of images look exactly the same on the web as high-resolution versions of the same images.

“One of the biggest drains on your site’s resources is its images,” said Ellice Soliven, content and social marketing manager for Dreamhost (www.dreamhost.com), a web hosting company. “They’re great for making your site look amazing and for supplementing your text content, but they also require server space and bandwidth. That is especially true if your site contains high-quality images, such as in a portfolio, gallery or online store.”

You can use a photo editor such as Adobe Photoshop (www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html) or Adobe Photoshop Elements (www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-premiere-elements.html) to change an image from high resolution to low resolution with one click.

Or you can use other tools such as TinyPNG (https://tinypng.com), Microsoft Paint (https://tinyurl.com/supportmicrosoft-help-windows), Microsoft Picture Manager (https://tinyurl.com/experts-exchange-com-articles), Pixlr (www.pixlr.com), Shrink Pictures (www.shrinkpictures.com) and Smush for Wordpress (www.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-smushit).

Host your company videos on YouTube: Hosting your business’s videos on YouTube enables you to offload all the heavy lifting involved when someone clicks a video link on your site to view a video. Why draw resources from your own web server (which may be hosting hundreds of other websites) when you can have YouTube’s ridiculously fast servers handle the same job?

To use YouTube as your free video hosting provider, the easiest solution is to simply post a link at the appropriate spot of your website to your company video. Or you can embed a YouTube player (www.youtubevideoembed.com) in your website that will display your video on your website while YouTube’s servers handle all the processing.

Consider using a caching plugin: Websites based on PHP code (e.g., Wordpress) need to convert that programming to HTML before displaying a webpage in a browser. A caching plugin eliminates that conversion wait by generating an HTML version of each page of your website ahead of time in a cache so that it’s there for your visitor’s browsers to access as soon as he/she arrives.

There are risks to using a caching plugin: Some plugins you’re already using on your website may not be compatible with a caching plugin. That can lead to less-than-desirable performance or a complete crash of your website.

Caching plugins are also sometimes vulnerable to hackers, and caching plugins can sometimes store older versions of your website pages longer than you’d like. In those cases, someone visiting your site might not see the latest updates you’ve made. (That problem can be solved by simply clearing your website’s cache.) Even so, caching plugins can speed up your website considerably, so they may be worth
the risk.

For more info, search for “caching plugin” along with the name of your content-management system (such as Wordpress, Drupal, etc.).

Minimize your use of plugins: While extremely handy, any plugin you add to your website to perform a specific function (such as analyzing your websites data, creating a firewall for your website and the like) represents a drain on your system’s resources.

Expertly coded plugins generally mute speed loss, but some less-than-artfully coded plugins are written so inefficiently that they really slow down your site.

Rule of thumb: Take a few minutes to inventory all of the plug-ins on your website and completely delete any plugin that is not crucial or truly beneficial to your site’s operation.

Compress your site’s files with Gzip: “Gzip works by compressing your files into a zip file, which is faster for the user’s browser to load,” said Venture Harbor’s Taylor. “The user’s browser then unzips the file and shows the content. That method of transmitting content from the server to the browser is far more efficient and saves a lot of time.”

Use a premium Domain Name System (DNS) provider: Basically speaking, DNS providers help computer browsers quickly navigate to website addresses. Premium DNS providers offer faster connections.

For large sites, consider a Content Delivery Network (CDN): If you have a lot of content to move around the web—especially to distant points on the globe—a CDN will help speed up your site significantly. CDNs essentially store copies of your website on various servers around the world. The result is that someone from Hong Kong typing in your website address will be served your site’s content directly from a server in Hong Kong, for example, rather than waiting for the same content to be served from, say, Milwaukee.

“Using a CDN can help you create a consistent and faster experience for visitors, regardless of their geographic location,” said Dreamhost’s Soliven.

Consider using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP): Heavily promoted by Google, AMPs are near replicas of regular website pages that are specially designed to download quickly on mobile devices. Essentially, you create a page for your website and then you create an extremely mobile-friendly, near replica of that webpage in AMP format.

The result is that when people visit your website with mobile devices, their smartphones or similar mobiles are served faster-loading AMP pages.

Many popular content-management systems such as Wordpress (https://wordpress.org/plugins/amp) and Drupal (www.drupal.org/project/amp) offer plugins to help easily create AMPs. For a complete rundown on how AMPs work and how to get started with them, check out Google’s free tutorial on AMP (https://developers.google.com/search/docs/guides/enhance-amp).

Check out still other techniques: There are scores of other ways to speed up your website. Type “website speed optimization” into any search engine for more ideas.

Search goliath Google is toying with the idea of shaming slow-loading websites by displaying a “Usually Loads Slow” splash screen in place of a homepage when someone is trying to visit the website. The move, which Google detailed in a recent blog post (https://tinyurl.com/movingtowards2019), would have a chilling effect on any website Google deems slow-loading.

Joe Dysart is an internet speaker and business consultant based in Manhattan.

646-233-4089

joe@joedysart.com

www.joedysart.com

SEMA Member News July 2020

By Ellen McKoy

Undaunted by Challenges, SBN Works on Keeping Members Engaged

SBN Chair Lana Chrisman.

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry,” wrote the Scottish poet Robert Burns, which aptly describes many of the plans the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) had put in place for 2020 but which came to an abrupt halt as a consequence of the COVID-19 epidemic. First to go was an SBN Meet Up set for the Keystone Big Show. Plans for four regional Lunch and Learn events for mid-level female employees were also put on hold, and two CEO retreats for executive-level women and business owners, originally slated for summer and fall, may have to be rescheduled.

Despite the setbacks, though, the SBN remains focused and, in fact, is working diligently to keep its members informed and connected.

“While face-to-face events are on hold right now, we’re trying to fill in with some online activities,” said SBN Chair Lana Chrisman.

Ideas in the works at press time included replacing in-person Lunch and Learn activities with interactive webinars on a variety of career-development and other topics. The SBN was also working with SEMA staff to develop Tip of the Day postings on the network’s social-media platforms. Postings will likely touch on ways to cope with pandemic-related professional and personal concerns as well as inspirational ideas on leadership and moving forward in times of stress and uncertainty.

The SBN has also expanded its popular SheIsSEMA online profiles to biweekly instead of monthly. The network also recently held a successful general membership meeting via teleconference to further help members stay connected.

“I’m really excited that our select committee is dialing in on what our members need,” Chrisman said. “We are still in the process of figuring out how we can do virtual events successfully through our social-media presence. Our goal is to help our members stay engaged and informed.”

Maintaining Momentum

Industry women at the annual women-only Gear-Up Girl networking mixer.

With some activities still in flux, the SBN is moving ahead with its event lineup for the SEMA Show to be held in Las Vegas November 3–6. In keeping with tradition, the annual women-only Gear-Up Girl networking mixer will kick off the week Monday, November 2, the day before the Show opens.

The event, part of the SEMA Education Student Program at the Show, is designed to connect female students with industry-leading professional women. Now in its 10th year, Gear-Up Girl has continued to grow in popularity, last year drawing a standing-room crowd of more than 600 industry women and
female students.

According to Chrisman, the select committee is exploring ways in which to enhance engagement and spark conversation among attendees. One idea on the table is speed-dating-style roundtables facilitated by female industry leaders and influencers. Two awards will also be presented: the Jessi Combs Rising Star Award recognizing SBN’s scholarship winner, and the all-new SheIsSEMA Award, with the honoree to be chosen from among this year’s SheIsSEMA profiles.

On Tuesday, November 3, both men and women are encouraged to attend “Earning Her Business,” powered by the SBN. The interactive and informative session, to be presented by experience expert Katie Brand, will explore the impact women have on purchasing decisions and how men and women can use the information to change the way they deliver consumer brand experiences to positively influence customer satisfaction metrics, increase retention and improve a company’s bottom line.

To wrap up the event schedule, the annual SBN reception is on tap for Wednesday evening, November 4. The popular reception, also open to men and women, will afford guests an opportunity to connect with members of the SBN select committee as well as hobnob and network with other industry leaders.

“We have a lot to focus on between now and the Show,” Chrisman said. “But with all we have been going through with the COVID crisis, I’m really excited about what we are planning. I can’t wait to get ready for the SEMA Show—to just see everybody again. I hope everyone stays safe so that we can get together in November."

SEMA Member News July 2020

By Ellen McKoy

Undaunted by Challenges, SBN Works on Keeping Members Engaged

SBN Chair Lana Chrisman.

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry,” wrote the Scottish poet Robert Burns, which aptly describes many of the plans the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) had put in place for 2020 but which came to an abrupt halt as a consequence of the COVID-19 epidemic. First to go was an SBN Meet Up set for the Keystone Big Show. Plans for four regional Lunch and Learn events for mid-level female employees were also put on hold, and two CEO retreats for executive-level women and business owners, originally slated for summer and fall, may have to be rescheduled.

Despite the setbacks, though, the SBN remains focused and, in fact, is working diligently to keep its members informed and connected.

“While face-to-face events are on hold right now, we’re trying to fill in with some online activities,” said SBN Chair Lana Chrisman.

Ideas in the works at press time included replacing in-person Lunch and Learn activities with interactive webinars on a variety of career-development and other topics. The SBN was also working with SEMA staff to develop Tip of the Day postings on the network’s social-media platforms. Postings will likely touch on ways to cope with pandemic-related professional and personal concerns as well as inspirational ideas on leadership and moving forward in times of stress and uncertainty.

The SBN has also expanded its popular SheIsSEMA online profiles to biweekly instead of monthly. The network also recently held a successful general membership meeting via teleconference to further help members stay connected.

“I’m really excited that our select committee is dialing in on what our members need,” Chrisman said. “We are still in the process of figuring out how we can do virtual events successfully through our social-media presence. Our goal is to help our members stay engaged and informed.”

Maintaining Momentum

Industry women at the annual women-only Gear-Up Girl networking mixer.

With some activities still in flux, the SBN is moving ahead with its event lineup for the SEMA Show to be held in Las Vegas November 3–6. In keeping with tradition, the annual women-only Gear-Up Girl networking mixer will kick off the week Monday, November 2, the day before the Show opens.

The event, part of the SEMA Education Student Program at the Show, is designed to connect female students with industry-leading professional women. Now in its 10th year, Gear-Up Girl has continued to grow in popularity, last year drawing a standing-room crowd of more than 600 industry women and
female students.

According to Chrisman, the select committee is exploring ways in which to enhance engagement and spark conversation among attendees. One idea on the table is speed-dating-style roundtables facilitated by female industry leaders and influencers. Two awards will also be presented: the Jessi Combs Rising Star Award recognizing SBN’s scholarship winner, and the all-new SheIsSEMA Award, with the honoree to be chosen from among this year’s SheIsSEMA profiles.

On Tuesday, November 3, both men and women are encouraged to attend “Earning Her Business,” powered by the SBN. The interactive and informative session, to be presented by experience expert Katie Brand, will explore the impact women have on purchasing decisions and how men and women can use the information to change the way they deliver consumer brand experiences to positively influence customer satisfaction metrics, increase retention and improve a company’s bottom line.

To wrap up the event schedule, the annual SBN reception is on tap for Wednesday evening, November 4. The popular reception, also open to men and women, will afford guests an opportunity to connect with members of the SBN select committee as well as hobnob and network with other industry leaders.

“We have a lot to focus on between now and the Show,” Chrisman said. “But with all we have been going through with the COVID crisis, I’m really excited about what we are planning. I can’t wait to get ready for the SEMA Show—to just see everybody again. I hope everyone stays safe so that we can get together in November."

SEMA Member News July 2020

By Ellen MCkoy

ETTN Stays a Steady Course During Pandemic With Focus on Continuing Education

Caption: ETTN Live Chat Host Tom Burden, inventor of Grypmat.

ETTN Chair Ian Lehn.

When the United States was put on a nationwide lockdown, SEMA councils and networks had to put some programs on hold while also moving forward with other initiatives to help keep members informed, motivated and involved. The Emerging Trends & Technology Network (ETTN) was no exception. According to network Chair Ian Lehn, ETTN is still open for business.

“One of the points we have been trying to make is that just because things are shut down doesn’t mean ETTN is shut down,” he said. “We’re trying to get all of our ducks in a row so that everything is cued up at the starting line and we can hit the ground running.”

For example, ETTN’s vehicle-sharing program—designed to enable member manufacturers to borrow project vehicles from one another for product development and prototyping—is currently on ice.

“With everything that’s going on, no one is sharing vehicles,” Lehn said. “We were in the process of successfully onboarding a group of companies, and we are still actively looking for businesses to be part of the program once things open back up, even though we’ve suspended vehicle sharing.”

The same reasoning applied to temporarily sidelining ETTN’s program to connect advanced-level engineering students who compete on SAE Formula teams with SEMA-member manufacturers.

“The student competition program is a great way for companies to engage with schools and continue R&D at the academic level,” he said. “But for now, it’s on the back burner until things open up.”

At the same time, ETTN is in fast-forward mode with its Facebook Live Chats.

“The big thing we are stressing right now is continuing education,” Lehn said.

Live-Stream Broadcasts Deliver Value-Added Learning Experiences

“During this period when we’re forced to stay within our own walls and not allowed to go out, focus on sales or go to car shows, we want to provide members with an educational series they can binge watch and that gives them a roadmap on how to get product into the market,” Lehn said.

The Live Chats are designed as a series, with each episode focused on a different topic.

“The ETTN series is built around product development and going to market, from idea inception all the way to presenting the product at the SEMA Show,” he noted.

Each Live Chat session lasts one hour and is led by an expert on the designated topic. Advance notice is posted on ETTN’s social-media channels, in “Member Updates” and in SEMA eNews. The video sessions are archived on ETTN’s Facebook page, so those who cannot tune in during the live presentations can access them at any time, day or night.

The first session was held in March. It was presented by design consultant, industrial engineer and brand strategist Mark Moneypenny, who centered his talk on ideation, innovation, resources and processes needed to create successful products.

The second Live Chat took place in May. It was led by Tom Burden, the inventor of Grypmat—a flexible material that keeps tools in place on any type of curve and surface. Burden won the 2017 SEMA Launch Pad competition and also sealed a deal on the “Shark Tank” TV show. He talked about the importance of relying on research and competitive analysis in the product-development process.

Other sessions are in the pipeline, with ETTN currently lining up additional presenters.

“Our main focus is to reinforce to our base that we’re still out here and still trying to provide value to them while staying cognizant of everything happening around us,” Lehn said. “With so many people sitting at home feeling as if the world is passing them by, it really helps if they’re given an opportunity to learn something new and stay ahead of the curve.

“The Live Chats were well received, and we expect that they will continue to grow as more of them happen. Because it’s a series that lives on our Facebook page, if someone watches one session on product development and realizes there were episodes before that on product ideation or market research, we anticipate that people will go back and watch more of them.”