Not many years ago, the term automotive restoration typically conjured images of vintage vehicles lovingly restored and brought back to life true to their original condition. Recently, modern technology and innovation have made inroads into the restoration marketplace, spawning a growing interest in restomods upfitted with modern-day modifications yet still retaining their classic look.
A quick search of the SEMA website (www.sema.org) reveals an abundance of member benefits covering a range of business resources and solutions. In fact, no matter a company’s membership category—manufacturer, distributor, manufacturers’ rep, retailer or installer—there are tools and resources to help companies make smarter business decisions; be more strategic; save money; and expand their network among like-minded colleagues and industry leaders.
Manufacturers’ representatives are key channel partners. They are in the unique position to connect with virtually every aspect of the supply chain. From sales calls to warehouse distributors, retailers and installers in the territories they represent to their in-depth product and industry knowledge and sales expertise, reps provide valuable professional services to the manufacturers they represent.
Walk around the SEMA Show or attend any industry meeting or event anywhere, and you’ll cross paths with scores of businesswomen engaged in all aspects and at all levels of the automotive specialty-equipment industry. That wasn’t always the case.
Vehicle technology is evolving at lightning speed. For the automotive aftermarket, revolutionary new technologies such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) present both challenges and opportunities.
Over the years, the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC, formerly known as the Wheel Industry Council, WIC) has not only brought together two related industry segments for the common good but has also centered its sights on the collective technical and educational needs of its members.
It’s official. Against an awe-inspiring backdrop of towering red rock formations for which Moab, Utah, is renowned, the light-truck and off-road communities celebrated the rebranding of the Light Truck Accessories Alliance (LTAA) into the more inclusive Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA) at an official launch party on April 18.
Members of the Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) are not just part of a community of like-minded professionals. Membership in PRO also gives employees of member companies a voice on matters that influence and impact the restyling market—and that can help to effect change.
In today’s ever-evolving market, it’s critical that SEMA members have a chance to weigh in on issues that influence and impact the specialty-equipment market, and one of the most effective ways to have a voice is through participation in a SEMA council. For companies engaged in the motorsports segment, the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC) provides that opportunity, but the success of any SEMA council or network is reliant on volunteers—industry pros who raise their hands and express their willingness to become actively involved.
From its early days as the Street Rod Marketing Alliance (SRMA) to what is now the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), the hot-rod industry has been a formidable force within the specialty-equipment market. In keeping with its efforts to provide business-building resources, the council has always ranked education as a top priority. Nowhere is the focus on learning experiences more in evidence than at the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) Street Rod Nationals.
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