The recent pandemic upended so many aspects of people’s daily lives, it’s nearly impossible to list them all. Among the most glaring is the transformation of the American workplace. In many ways, the COVID-19 disruptions accelerated several employment trends already taking shape. But they also forced companies to make unexpected adjustments that may be with us for years to come.

Light trucks (pickups, SUVs, CUVs and vans) have long been a cornerstone of the specialty-equipment aftermarket. Pickups and Jeeps in particular are key enthusiast market segments. But a newer segment, CUVs, has emerged as the most common vehicle type for Americans to purchase. While many of these crossover utility vehicles are used strictly as the default family vehicle, some enthusiasts see their potential to support their outdoor and even off-road hobbies. This opens up a new area of opportunity for the industry to provide accessories and upgrades for the growing CUV community. For more information on the industry, visit www.sema.org/research.

The U.S. government estimates that less than 1% of U.S. small businesses currently export, even though there’s a huge demand for high-quality American-made products. SEMA members appear to fare better as a percentage of those that engage in exporting, yet many overseas markets are still underserved and are eager to connect with and do business with executives of SEMA-member companies.

In February, SEMA introduced a new program that makes it possible for automotive aftermarket parts manufacturers to meet the legal requirement for emissions compliance under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Tampering Policy. The program, called SEMA Certified-Emissions (SC-E), gives manufacturers the ability to verify that a product meets the EPA’s “reasonable basis” criteria and is therefore legal for sale in 49 states.

The products featured below are from SEMA Data member companies that have attained Gold- or Platinum-level data, which means that their product data is robust and complete—likely to drive customer purchase decisions. SEMA Data members meeting data scorecard requirements are invited to submit product releases for consideration to enews@semadatacoop.org.

As the SEMA News Team’s SUV hit Boone Rd. from Highway 247, you could feel the energy and the excitement that comes to Johnson Valley just once a year. The King of the Hammers (KOH) is an off-road Mecca, and everyone who loves leaving the pavement comes to this event. For these passionate pilots nothing compares to opening up the throttle across the dessert, or navigating surgically through rock obstacles. The SEMA News Team spent four days looking to connect with drivers, manufacturers and enthusiasts. And for 2022 one word sums up KOH—biblical.

Kansas—Restoration: The Kansas House of Representatives Transportation Committee passed SEMA-supported legislation to allow the full restoration of antique vehicles, including temporary removal of the vehicle identification number (VIN) when necessary. This bill changes existing law to allow for the removal and reinstallation of a VIN if the removal and reinstallation is reasonably necessary for repair or restoration. Currently, restorers who intentionally remove or alter a VIN, regardless of reason, are guilty of a felony, and the vehicle is subject to seizure and destruction by law enforcement. The bill awaits consideration on the House floor.