It may be the worst economy seen in several generations, but companies are still spending money marketing their brands in motorsports.

SEMA is continuing in its goal to help the specialty-equipment industry pave the way forward with a recently added member benefit: MySEMA, a social networking tool available on the SEMA website.

Other than powertrain components that have to coexist with vehicle on-board computers, mobile-electronics components can often be the most complex specialty-equipment accessories added to a vehicle.

Opportunity. Diversity. Confidence. Profits. Those are a few of the keys that lock in the continuing partnership between the automakers, the vehicle dealers and SEMA-member companies.

ProPledge is a program targeted to overcome the traditional barriers associated with specialty aftermarket products sold during the new-vehicle sales process—namely warranty and customer satisfaction scores (CSI).

Spy Shots: Toyota FT-86, BMW M5, Lexus LF-A, Mitsubishi cX

As part of a comprehensive communications plan, SEMA partners with various media outlets on a regular basis.

The laws and regulations that govern how SEMA members do business have an increased and growing impact on the way automotive specialty-equipment products are made, distributed and marketed.

SEMA News is interviewing top distributor/retailers in China in a series of monthly articles to introduce the larger players in the evolving specialty-equipment market in China to the magazine’s readers.

Thirteen SEMA-member companies recently traveled to Beijing, China, for a firsthand look at the developing Chinese market for specialty products—or, as referred to in Chinese, Gaizhuang.