Solely based on the moves OEMs are making, electric vehicles (EVs) are the future of the industry. It would be difficult to find a car manufacturer that doesn’t feature at least one electric vehicle in its lineup or that isn’t planning to include one soon.
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.
There’s no doubt that the automotive specialty-equipment industry has entered a transformative era. The internet and social media have revolutionized marketing communications and commerce. Manufacturing and supply chains stretch across the globe as never before. Electrification, automation and other emerging vehicle technologies are reshaping vehicle platforms and the way we modify them. CAD and additive manufacturing techniques have forever changed how we design, develop and speed products to market. And through it all, more and more Baby Boomers are retiring as the Millennial generation matures into management positions. How will the industry embrace these advances, and who will be its leaders?
Getting youth involved in the automotive industry is a major strategic focus for SEMA. The association invests in the future of the automotive industry through programs such as the SEMA Scholarship Program, the SEMA High School Build Program, SEMA Young Guns, SEMA Show and PRI Trade Show Student Programs, and the SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN)—all of which help develop the industry’s next generation of leaders and innovators. The following are articles that have been recently written about SEMA’s dedicated efforts to encourage youth to be a part of the aftermarket industry.
SEMA eNews highlights new products from industry companies when available. To have your product considered for upcoming issues, send product press releases to editors@sema.org.
In the early months of the pandemic, as state after state began to lock down, SEMA News examined the advantages that social-media content creators (aka “influencers”) could bring to enthusiast and consumer engagement. Our article entitled “The New Media Landscape” asked: “Can tapping social-media influencers promote business recovery?”
SEMA’s Washington Rally looked a lot different in 2021 than in years past. It marked the first time SEMA members met with their lawmakers and their staffs in Congress remotely rather than in person. While the goal was to have everyone come to Washington, restrictions on meetings in the U.S. Capitol complex made it impossible. Nevertheless, the virtual meetings were focused, beneficial, and helped to build support for top industry legislative priorities.
A lot was at stake when drag racers from around the country converged at the brand-new Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) for the NHRA’s seventh annual National Championship Drags in 1961. More than 900 competitors from some 40 states turned out to win races, set records, cement championships and build reputations during that humid Labor Day weekend.
Having weathered more than a year of global pandemic and with the 2021 SEMA Show now clearly on the horizon, I want to draw your attention to recent SEMA research that yields some clarity on how the industry has managed during the pandemic and what we can expect moving forward.
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.