2012 ARMO New Product Showcase

ARMO-member companies go to great lengths to produce or reproduce parts that are no longer available from the OEMs. Many times the products are not flashy or even visible but are nonetheless necessary to complete a worthy restoration. A good example is this accessory fuel filter for ’53–’65 GM cars from Shafer’s Classic Reproductions, which was on display in the New Product Showcase tent at Spring Carlisle.

More than 50 products from 25 ARMO-member companies were on display at the 2012 ARMO New Product Showcase. The annual event is held as part of Spring Carlisle, one of the largest restoration events in the country. The Showcase was open this year on Thursday through Saturday, April 26–28.

“Carlisle is the natural venue for this event,” said ARMO Chair-Elect Dennis Roberts of Distinctive Industries. “Upward of 100,000 restoration enthusiasts come to Spring Carlisle, and these are the people who use our products. East Coast dealers and distributors who don’t get to the SEMA Show also attend this event, and the New Product Showcase gives them a chance to see our latest offerings.”

“Carlisle Events is a fantastic partner,” added ARMO Chairman Alex Tainsh of Parts Unlimited Inc. “They give us prime real estate for the display, receive and store the products and take care of shipping the products back after the event. They also promote the New Product Showcase in all of their event marketing efforts before and during the event. We couldn’t ask for a better relationship.”

In addition to having products on display, ARMO provides a photographer who takes professional macro photographs of each product. The images are then used in a looping video shown at the SEMA Show in the ARMO booth and during the ARMO reception, and they are also housed in a gallery on the ARMO webpages. Signage is prepared for each product, providing descriptions and contact information.

“This is a tremendous value to our members,” said Roberts. “All of the exposure provided is included in the annual $100 ARMO dues. As good as that value is, we are updating the program next year to make it even more valuable.”

Plans for next year include working with each presenting company to provide contact information for any dealers or vendors on the property at Spring Carlisle who sell the product. Attendees will be able to see the product in the tent and be directed to a vendor space on the grounds at Spring Carlisle, where they can learn more and possibly purchase the product.

More Than a Display

ARMO also hosts an industry mixer each year in conjunction with Spring Carlisle. Becoming an ARMO tradition, the mixer is held on Thursday evening in the New Products tent. Hot hors d’oeuvres and drinks are provided, courtesy of ARMO.

	The ARMO mixer at Spring Carlisle on Thursday, April 26 attracted more than 70 industry representatives.

“The event happens in spring, and it’s really the first time many of us have seen each other since the SEMA Show in November,” said Tainsh. “The restoration community is very social, and gathering like this among tables full of parts just makes for a great networking atmosphere. The mixer is open to anyone in the industry, not just ARMO members or displaying companies. Of course, if you’re not a member, we’ll be sure to convince you to become one! If you missed us this year, mark your calendar for 2013. It’s always a good time.”

Roberts Is New Chair-Elect

ARMO is pleased to welcome Dennis Roberts of Distinctive Industries as the new chair-elect of the council. A long-time enthusiast and classic-car collector and restorer, Roberts has been professionally involved in the industry for 25 years.

Beginning in 1987, as a resource expert for Atlanta-based Year One, he assembled a four-man team to travel the southeast, attend swap meets and scour salvage yards to satisfy requests from Year One customers. During his tenure, Roberts played a key role in product-line expansion, implementation of corporate processes and procedures and catalog improvements, which contributed to the company’s growth. In 2003, he received the ARMO Industry Recognition Award for his accomplishments.

“I am honored and humbled to serve as chair-elect of ARMO,” Roberts said. “The restoration community has been my hobby and my profession for most of my adult life. My first term on the Select Committee has shown me how rewarding it can be to get engaged and serve as a volunteer on behalf of the industry. I thank the Select Committee for approving me as chair-elect, and I look forward to working with everyone, giving a little back to the industry that has given me so much.”