Speed to market for new products has been the bane of our industry since its beginning, and it’s an all too familiar story. Hard-earned money is spent on product research and development, WDs stock the shelves and then things just seem to slow down, often leaving new products laying on the shelves for weeks or months waiting to be “discovered.” Even in today’s digital age, we just can’t seem to get everything in sync to provide a seamless path of information from product inception to the warehouse shelves to the reseller and consumer… until now.

About 18 months ago, the SEMA Data Co-op launched its online Product Information Management System, a data-management interface that equips a manufacturer to load product data into the system directly, automatically validates that data to industry standards and...

Winners Announced at the SEMA Show International Happy Hour

Nearly 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 countries chose the products.

Receiving three Global Media Awards was “probably the biggest highlight out of a week full of highlights for WipeNew,” commented first-time SEMA Show exhibitor Wipe New’s Vice President Nick Naylor.

Key Contract Provisions

While 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 Zalkind, chief technology officer at CloudLock, a service provider that helps companies secure public cloud accounts, such as Google Apps and Sales Force. “You’ll clearly see that the number of risks and data breaches is accelerating.” Moreover, getting from “uncertainty” to “protected” can be more difficult than you might expect, given that many providers of cloud services are reluctant to put their security assurances in writing.

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 committees for the Young Executive Network (YEN), the Motorsports Parts Manufacturer Council (MPMC), the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) and the SEMA Scholarship Committee.

Hot Rod magazine’s LeRoi Smith took this photo in the spring of 1963 outside of Barr’s Muffler Shop in Studio City, California, for an article on building a cost-effective exhaust system for an Olds-powered hot-rod roadster. That’s Bobby Barr in the foreground talking to Jerry Eames by the tube bender. This photo is an outtake from the shoot; in the photo that appeared in the magazine, Barr and Eames are far more intent on their work.

According to Smith, the whole exhaust system—the open headers plus cut-outs to glasspack-filled pipes running under the car—cost just $150.

Breaking news from SEMA member companies, including Wes-Coast Marketing, Truck Accessories Group, Air Lift Co., VP Racing Fuels, Challenger Lifts and more.

Nissan Maxima and Scion iM

Not Too Early to Reserve Space for the 2015 SEMA Show

Manufacturers looking to get a jump on planning for 2015 can reserve booth space for next year’s SEMA Show at...

6th Annual Collector Car Appreciation Day to Be Celebrated July 10

SEMA’s Automotive Restoration Market Organization and Hot Rod Industry Alliance have announced that the next Collector Car Appreciation Day will be celebrated on July 10, 2015.

The Hottest Vehicles of the 2014 SEMA Show

SEMA annually recognizes four vehicle models that specialty-equipment manufacturers believe are the best platforms for accessorization and that showcase the year’s coolest products. The awards are presented on the first day of the SEMA Show based on the total number of vehicles chosen for display in exhibitor booths at the annual event. Each booth vehicle represents a vote by the exhibitor. The SEMA Award honors are presented in the categories of Hottest Car, Hottest Sport Compact, Hottest Truck and Hottest SUV.

The banner at the top of the RCTS Canada website reads, “Technology is the only substitute for cubic inches.” It’s a saying that the retail performance outlet has lived by since owner Reg Riemer founded it in 1996. Over the years, RCTS has worked closely with factory shops ranging from TTE-Toyota Team Europe to HKS to boost its technical and R&D credentials. In fact, RCTS has carved out a specific niche as the only licensed, fully supported HKS Pro Dealer in all of Canada.

“Reg actually started by selling HKS products out of his garage way back,” explained shop foreman Antony Ray. “Soon he had to get a building to sell them out of, and things grew.