A lot of people may have heard of SEMA but may not realize its scope or know its history. SEMA, or the Specialty Equipment Market Association, was established in 1963 to help organize and give a voice to the automotive aftermarket parts business and, in doing so, became the source for market information, research, and data. When someone wants to know how large the auto aftermarket is, it's SEMA they ask.
In 1967 SEMA held its first convention (at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles) but in 1976 moved its show to Las Vegas. It's grown considerably since (the first show had 98 manufacturer display booths, this year's had 9,800!) and now covers over 1 million square feet of space and draws more than 100,000 attendees. What's more remarkable is the show isn't open to the general public-you have to be "in the business" to get through the door. How big is SEMA nowadays? One way to measure is they now boast that there are 5,727 member companies involved with the organization.
Over the years, trends in the aftermarket have played out at the SEMA show, especially when a hot car debuts. Last year, you had to step over all of the Chrysler PT Cruisers that were fixed up in one way or another; this year it was the new Mustang from Ford (there were more than 2,000 other cars on display this year, too).
But the main focus of the show is to see what is new, and the SEMA carves out a special spot so manufacturers can show off their latest wares. America's love for speed and performance is evident as more than 1,000 new products, from coilsprings and wheels to injection systems and racing seats were all displayed to catch eyes. The show is really an exercise in a sensory overload of flashy cars, products, promotional giveaways, calendar girls, seminars, catalogs, and brochures. Plus, you will always walk away from the SEMA show with some good information and contacts.
Several kit companies, such as Shell Valley Companies, not only participate in the show by having a display booth (the company is also a member of SEMA), but owner Rich Anderson also recognizes the value of an organization that helps its members with fighting unjust state laws (SEMA has helped legislators write the laws in many states that define what a kit or replica vehicle is).
Armond Caprio, who owns California Cobra in El Cajon, California, has been a SEMA member for four years and also had a booth at the show. Armond says the event was good for his company, which is the West Coast U.S. dealer for Backdraft Racing, as he's already sent out hundreds of company info packets based on requests from the show, had eight visits to his shop from folks who wanted to test drive a car, and sold three vehicles.
You can find out more about SEMA (based in Southern California), their annual show (the 2005 show is set for Nov. 1-4), and what SEMA can do for you or your business by visiting www.sema.org or calling (909) 396-0289.