This article focuses on the Australian automotive specialty-equipment market and, more specifically, on the vehicles on the road in Australia that provide the greatest opportunity for U.S. manufacturers.
As the industry gets ready to reconnect in person at the 2021 SEMA Show, the excitement and pace of both domestic and international buyer registrations are building. This article focuses on the international buyer—those residing outside the United States seeking products to meet local demand, whether it be in Sweden, the United Arab Emirates or South America. What follows are some top tips for attracting international buyers to your booth. After all, SEMA members’ products have great overseas appeal.
U.S. suppliers selling over the internet to European consumers need to comply with new regulations regarding the collection, reporting and payment of value-added taxes (VAT). Starting July 2021, sellers located outside the European Union (EU) and shipping orders to consumers located in any of the 27 EU states are required to collect and pay VAT taxes through a new platform known as the Import-One-Stop-Shop (IOSS). These new requirements cover all individual sales of up to €150 (approximately $178 USD) but do not include sales overseas suppliers make through third-party platforms such as Amazon. The following are frequently asked questions regarding requirements for overseas suppliers.
Mexico’s expected economic growth rate in 2021 has just been revised upward as Latin America’s second-largest economy, along with the surrounding region, has begun to recover from the sharp downturn caused by COVID-19. While experts predict that the regional economies won’t fully recover until 2022, the quickening pace of the upturn is good news. As the region begins to reopen, U.S. suppliers looking to connect with Mexican and Latin American trade buyers can do so at two upcoming events: the 2021 SEMA Show in Las Vegas in November, and the INA PAACE Automechanika Show in December.
International travel restrictions are beginning to ease, and trade buyers from all parts of the globe are finalizing their plans to attend the 2021 SEMA Show. These global buyers join U.S.-based resellers and SEMA Show exhibitors eagerly awaiting the opportunity to meet face to face once again and see up close all the latest products and trends the nearly 2,000 SEMA Show exhibitors will have on display in Las Vegas.
The Rainforest Challenge (RFC) India will be held again this year in July 2021 following a hiatus last year due to COVID-19. The Indian edition of the series, which began in 2014, is a grueling seven-day off-roading event for professional drivers.
The European drag-racing season is set to finally get underway, with May kick-off events scheduled for both the sportsman division—the Summit Racing EDRS Series—and the FIA European Drag Racing Championship.
Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark are collectively known as the Nordic region, and its population of approximately 27 million citizens is passionate about all forms of wheeled competition, including rally racing, drag racing, drifting and circuit racing.
As SEMA News continues its periodic series on promising global export markets for U.S. manufacturers, this month the focus is on Indonesia.
SEMA-member companies seeking to sell their products globally most often do so through the establishment of a network of distributors in overseas markets. While there are multiple additional methods to getting your products to international buyers—including selling online through e-commerce or do-it-for-me (indirect) methods to market, such as working with export management companies, manufacturers reps or U.S.-based warehouse distributors—this article focuses on the distributor route.