Winners Announced at the SEMA Show International Happy HourNearly 160 SEMA Show exhibitors were notified on Wednesday morning of the recent 2014 SEMA Show that one or more of their products were Global Media Award winners. Twenty-six international journalists sitting on an elite panel from 15...

Introductions From the New Products Showcase at the 2014 SEMA ShowOne of the most common adages in the automotive specialty-equipment industry is that the quickest and easiest way to change the character of an automobile is to change its wheels. As anyone who toured the displays in the lower South...

Law and Order is an update of some of the most recent federal and state legislative and regulatory issues that could potentially impact the automotive specialty-equipment industry. These include issues affecting small-business owners and their employees.

Market Forces and Technology May Change the Shape of the IndustryThe wheel and tire market has improved over the past year, according to a widely held consensus among professionals in the automotive specialty-equipment industry. New offerings, technology and an improving economy bode well for sales...

YEN Launch Pad Helps Propel Young EntrepreneursFew automotive specialty-equipment veterans doubt that the industry’s future rests in identifying potential young entrepreneurs and igniting in them the sort of passion and bold innovation that will create a fresh new generation of market leaders. The...

A Wave of New Tire Products Hits the 2014 SEMA ShowHeld in conjunction with the recent 2014 SEMA Show, the annual Global Tire Expo (GTE)—Powered by the Tire Industry Association (TIA)—continued its reputation as a world-class “show within a show,” highlighting the tire niche’s tremendous...

Key Contract ProvisionsWhile untold numbers of businesses are saving money by moving to the cloud, IT experts say that these companies need to ensure that their cloud contracts include ironclad security protections or they’ll suffer an uncertain future.“Look at the news on any given day,” said Ron...

For the first time in its long history, the 2014 SEMA Show ended with an “after party” called SEMA Ignited, where the general public viewed hundreds of cars and trucks from the trade-only event. Thousands of enthusiasts came out to get up close with one-of-a-kind cars, trucks and SUVs. Reporters...

Over the course of his career, Rich Barsamian has forged an impressive list of accomplishments while working for some of the industry’s most recognized companies, including Grant, Edelbrock, GT Performance Products and Advanced Clutch Technology. Along the way, he has also served on SEMA select...

The Los Angeles Auto Show has developed a reputation as a “green” show that strongly focuses on alternative fuels and novel forms of propulsion. This may have been the case in prior years, but the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show had more to offer enthusiasts than in recent years, as a burst of “track...