Nearly halfway into 2021, the disruptions of last year’s COVID-19 pandemic are still having a pronounced influence on the current economic climate. The questions on everyone’s mind are when we might finally return to a sense of normalcy and what that “new normal” will look like. Released early this year, the “2021 Future Trends” report from SEMA Market Research offers a much-needed barometer as the economy recoups its momentum.
Once again in May, SEMA-member companies will be communicating directly with their elected representatives about the issues that concern our industry. Only it will be different this year—and, in certain ways, better.
INDUSTRY NEWS
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The products featured below are from SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) 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. SDC members meeting data scorecard requirements are invited to submit product releases for consideration to enews@semadatacoop.org.
The Georgia House of Representatives introduced SEMA-supported legislation that would allow the use, sale, alteration or installation of car mufflers that meet a 95-decibel noise limit. Under the current law, no person can sell, alter or install a muffler that “causes excessive or unusual noise.” The bill currently awaits consideration in the House Motor Vehicles Committee.
Among the councils and professional networks that SEMA members can join (visit www.sema.org/councils-networks) is one that represents women in the automotive aftermarket industry. The SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) is comprised of a dynamic group of professionals whose mission is to provide networking, education and recognition opportunities for professional women in the industry to enhance their careers and positively impact the growth of the entire automotive aftermarket. The following are publications that have documented SBN programs and the successes of some of the network members.
Industry news from SEMA-member companies, including Jegs High Performance, Lucas Oil Products, Kelford Cams and more.
Performance Racing Industry (PRI) has announced the return of the world’s premier event for motorsports professionals—the PRI Trade Show—to the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis on December 9—11, 2021.
California appears to be doing everything in its power to burnish its reputation as the least business-friendly state in the union. Exhibit A is California’s Proposition 65 (Prop. 65), a California law that gives consumers and attorneys the ability to sue businesses that do not include warning labels on products containing certain chemicals. Prop. 65 has been a boondoggle for plaintiffs’ lawyers, a burden on businesses nationwide that manufacture, distribute or sell products that go to California, and is of little use to California consumers—its intended beneficiary. Now, California is proposing regulations that would make Prop. 65 even more onerous on SEMA-member companies. Enough is enough!
The powersports UTV market seems to get better and better each year, not just in terms of the vehicles themselves but also in terms of the increasing number of consumers flocking to the side-by-side lifestyle. It’s a phenomenon that not even a pandemic can stop.