2012 SEMA Show Floorplan Live

SEMA News—July 2012

INDUSTRY NEWS

2012 SEMA Show Floorplan Live

	The new floorplan for the 2012 SEMA Show is now available online.

The floorplan for the 2012 SEMA Show is live and available on the SEMA Show website. More than 1,800 exhibitors recently participated in the Priority Space Selection process, which concluded on June 22.

Exhibitors committed to the Show earlier this year when compared to the same time period in 2011, yielding a 12% increase in total number of exhibitors, as well as a 13% increase in the Show’s net square footage. As of the end of May, the sections that helped contribute to the growth included the Wheels & Accessories section, with a 68% increase of exhibitors; the Tools & Equipment section, with a 35% exhibitor increase; and the Racing & Performance section, with a 16% increase.

“It’s encouraging to have so many exhibitors supporting the Show earlier, and it points to the value that these companies see in the SEMA Show,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of events and communications. “One of the accommodations we have made for the increase of exhibitor activity is a new and improved Show floorplan, which will include additional features to make it easier for buyers to locate and connect with exhibitors.”

Companies that would like to exhibit at the 2012 SEMA Show can still secure booth space through the “Buy A Booth” link located at www.SEMAShow.com. Companies signing up now will be able to select space on a first-come-first-served basis, subject to availability.

Prominent Custom-Car Crafters Join HRIA Builders Challenge

	This is last year’s SEMA Pinewood Drag Races entry from Street Vizions. Check out all of the vehicles from the 2011 HRIA Builder’s Challenge at www.SEMA.org/builders-challenge.

Some of the nation’s best hot-rod and custom-car builders are set to create fabulous pinewood race cars as they participate in the annual SEMA Pinewood Drag Races presented by eBay Motors. Builders applying their considerable talents to this charity endeavor include such luminaries as Troy Ladd, Jesse Greening, Troy Trepanier, Dave Lane, Rich Evans and Tim Strange, with more to come.

These selected hot-rod builders will create one-of-a-kind miniature custom cars to be raced and then auctioned to benefit the Childhelp and Victory Junction children’s charities as part of the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Builder’s Challenge. The rules guiding the HRIA Builder’s Challenge race are very liberal, allowing the builders to apply all of their fabrication skills and legendary ingenuity to create the miniature hot rods.

After the Pinewood Races at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Convention Center in Pomona, California, to be held July 27, the cars will be put on display in the SEMA Cares booth at the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, which will be held from October 30–November 2.

You can actually own one of these collectible cars by bidding on them on eBay, November 1–10. For more information on the SEMA Cares Pinewood Drag Races presented by eBay Motors, visit www.SEMA.org/pinewood.

SCRS Repairer Driven Education Series Returns to the SEMA Show

	The Repairer Driven Education Series, presented by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), includes nearly two dozen sessions that will take place during the 2012 SEMA Show.

The Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, presented by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), is returning to the SEMA Show for the third consecutive year. With courses individually selected or crafted by the SCRS, the program includes nearly two dozen sessions taking place during the SEMA Show in Las Vegas from October 30–November 2, 2012.

The headline session, “Game Changers–Innovation Forum,” takes place November 2 and features industry leaders discussing what innovation can look like in the collision repair business and how it is becoming core to business strategy. Additional sessions explore how digital marketing, social media and related tools can increase customer retention and loyalty, and others examine how new metals used in the construction of today’s vehicles impact the repair process.

“As more and more collision repair businesses attend the SEMA Show, SCRS is pleased to partner with SEMA Show organizers to enhance the overall experience for our segment of the industry,” said Aaron Schulenburg, SCRS executive director. “The RDE series is a tremendous educational opportunity for the collision industry, providing accessible and affordable education on topics that address issues that truly matter to those working in repair facilities. We were fortunate to be able to present the series at the last two SEMA Shows and look forward to expanding the program this coming year.”

SCRS partnered with Show organizers to present the RDE program at the 2011 SEMA Show. The annual trade show, which saw nearly 30% more attendees from those representing collision repair facilities compared to the previous year, brings manufacturers of automotive parts and accessories together with industry buyers from all over the world. Manufacturers represent every segment of the automotive specialty-equipment market, including restyling, hot rod, trucks and SUVs and racing and performance.

“The SEMA Show features products from every automotive niche, which makes it the ideal venue for buyers to discover new markets,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “Because the collision market is so closely related to many of our traditional market segments, it’s become one of the fastest-growing areas and is of huge interest to our attendees.”

In addition to the SCRS RDE series, the SEMA Show will feature nearly 60 educational seminars throughout the week. To learn more about the SEMA Show, its seminars, or to see a list of exhibitors, visit www.SEMAShow.com.