A Look to the Future With SEMA Council Leaders

SEMA News annually turns to the leaders of the association’s councils and networks for the January issue to seek their views about how the industry is shaping up for the coming year. The chairs of each group provide responses based on what their organizations and companies are seeing within their marketplaces. Their responses provide helpful insights for businesses in every segment of the marketplace.

This year’s SEMA Show included a specially designed, purpose-built headquarters for the tire industry. A show within a show, the Global Tire Expo—Powered by Tire Industry Association (TIA) was created to focus attention on tire-industry innovations and opportunities. Judging by the positive reactions of all involved, the Expo concept turned out to be a great idea.
The economy and the environment have been the major drivers for many markets over the last three years, and they have also been consistent topics of conversation among tire and wheel experts. The tire industry underwent a sort of accordion buckling in inventory as the economic slowdown led consumers to balk at anything other than critical expenditures and then pent-up demand caused a sudden resurgence.
The entire automotive landscape has changed over the past two years, but the effects of higher fuel prices and a deep recession may be most evident in the truck, sport utility and off-road segments of the industry.
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