“I was about 26 years old at that time and didn’t know very much about the area,” laughed Batanian. “I soon found out that within a block there were at least a hundred mechanics. There are really no customers in El Monte. They’re all mechanics and workers here. You can’t even do an oil change on a...

What’s Driving the Industry’s Young Entrepreneurs?A lot has been said and written lately about the “aging” of the automotive specialty-equipment industry. Built over roughly six decades by hands-on parts and hardcore speed and performance innovators, the automotive aftermarket is now an industry...

The Trade Event’s Continued Growth Bodes Well for the Tire IndustryEach year, SEMA teams up with the Tire Industry Association (TIA) to present the Global Tire Expo Powered by TIA—a unique “show within the SEMA Show” that focuses exclusively on the needs of the tire-business community. Targeted to...

Thousands of reporters and journalists attend the SEMA Show each year with the goal of sharing new products and trends with consumers who are unable to see what’s happening in person. Many of the journalists represent automotive publications. However, as vehicle customization becomes more mainstream...

2015 Nissan Murano Prototype and 2015 Ford F-150.

The wheel segment continues to be among the most robust in the automotive specialty-equipment industry, as evidenced by the dozens of wheel manufacturers that exhibited at the recent SEMA Show. Wheel builders continue to refine manufacturing techniques such as laser cutting for high-quality surface...

For the tenth year, a panel of 29 journalists from leading international media outlets served on the Global Media Award panel. Journalists from 14 countries participated, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Honduras, Mexico, Norway, Russia, South Africa, United...

Breaking news from SEMA members, including Remington Industries, Petersen Automotive Museum, CRP Automotive, WyoTech, LKQ Corporation, Toyo Tire North America and more.

Keeping an Eye on the Evolving MarketplaceDozens of companies displayed tire, wheel and related products at the 2013 SEMA Show, providing concrete proof that the tire and wheel segments are among the most prolific within the automotive specialty-equipment industry. As always, however, evolution is...

The SEMA Education Institute (SEI) released the first set of 2014 SEMA Webinars. The program provides representatives of SEMA-member companies with interactive sessions that cover best business practices, industry trends, sales and marketing and much more. Here’s brief a look.