As of January 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will limit volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from aerosol cans, such as spray paints, primers and clear coatings. The EPA rule is similar to a standard already established by California and subsequently adopted by Washington...

STAYING PUT: Surprising no one, Speedway Motorsports Inc. Chairman Bruton Smith accepted $80 million worth of incentives from the city of Concord, North Carolina, Cabarrus County and the state of North Carolina, and proudly announced Lowe’s Motor Speedway would remain in Concord permanently.

NEWS NUGGETS

Tim Dietz, account manager and technical sales, Standards Testing Laboratories Inc. (STL), has been named chairman-elect to SEMA's Wheel & Tire Council (WTC). Dietz has been employed at STL for 18 years and holds a degree in Applied Science from Kent State University.

Sport-Compact Council (SCC) SCC is hosting a Jobber Focus Panel on riday, December 7, 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m., during the PRI Trade Show in Orlando. The meeting, open to all SEMA members, will cover the latest compact-performance trends and outline the current direction of the market. The meeting is set...

Dates and locations for several upcoming SEMA-sponsored shows and activities have been announced. Details are:

SEMA-member companies have posted several new listings for job opportunities at www.sema.org/classifieds. Working for a SEMA-member company has many advantages. In addition to working for a company that supports and contributes to the success of the overall industry, being employed by a SEMA-member...

Driven by strong demand for navigation and entertainment, sales in the mobile electronics market grew 10.6% in 2006 to $6.1 billion, up from $5.5 billion in 2005, according to SEMA research. Although audio systems still comprise the greatest share of the segment, navigation and entertainment systems...

From April to June, the percentage of women who planned to purchase wheels, tires or suspension components rose from 10% to 17%, outpacing the purchase plans for men during the same period, according to SEMA research. In April, 16% of male and 10% of female consumers surveyed by research firm...

Consumers say they are changing their driving habits, according to a recent Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) survey, with 90% saying they are driving less, 31% carpooling more and 30% purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles. Another 75% said they are better maintaining their...