Make the most of your SEMA Show experience

Two million square feet of business opportunities make the SEMA Show the best bet in Vegas.

Upholstery Journal | August 2008

by Brianna Bowne

This November, something will happen in Vegas that you’ll want to bring home from Vegas.

The annual Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Show, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Nov. 4–7, is expected to attract more than 125,000 industry professionals from all over the world. Attendees get a jump start on the latest trends, new products and customizations, as well as take advantage of revved up educational and networking opportunities.

The automotive specialty equipment sector is now a $36.7 billion industry, focused on giving drivers and enthusiasts the opportunity to improve, alter and enhance their vehicles in every aspect, from performance and safety to appearance and fun. The SEMA Show brings all of these customizable facets together under one roof, creating an active snapshot of the industry.

“People are hanging onto their vehicles longer,” says Peter MacGillivray, SEMA’s vice president of marketing and communications. “There has been a big shift in the auto business because of the struggles the auto makers are going through. While that has a huge impact on the economy, it also represents an opportunity for the specialty equipment industry. People are more likely to upgrade or customize where they would have traded in a vehicle in the past.”

Because of this industry shift, the SEMA Show provides valuable experience for anyone involved in—or looking to get involved in—the auto industry. But with more than 2 million square feet of exhibits, 2,000 exhibitors, 1,500 new products and 100 conferences, the SEMA Show can be overwhelming.

“Go in with a plan,” says Ryan Summerill of AAA Top Shop in Ogden, Utah. “Plan what you want to see, what booths and projects you want to visit. There is so much out there that if you’re not going for something specific, it’s easy to get sidetracked.”

To help plan your trek around the SEMA Show, SEMAshow.com has a “My Show Planner” feature that allows attendees to create personalized schedules to help them navigate the show. The web site also has a comprehensive listing of show exhibitors that includes their booth number, a brief description of the company and its contact information. The convention center floor plans with exhibit locations are also available on the site. All of these tools are going to make it easier to network, make new contacts and find the products and information helpful to your business.

“The show is a great place to meet new and existing distributors,” says Summerill. “Several of the vendors make it a point to display the new products they carry. They have information that hasn’t been published, and previews of things up and coming.”

Attending the SEMA Show is a great way to keep an eye on the trends moving in and out of the industry. The New Product Showcase displays thousands of new parts and accessories so you can get an idea of what consumers will be after in the next year.

New products aside, there are plenty of other opportunities at the SEMA Show, including seminars and educational workshops to help improve your business. There are also hands-on events. The West Coast Custom crew, featured in MTV’s “Pimp My Ride,” is back again this year. The WCC crew, along with other industry leaders, will be teaching classes on customization, including upholstering using the newest techniques and technologies.

Much of the work the WCC guys are famous for makes a vehicle as glitzy as the Vegas Strip. They focus on the fun and the fancy when it comes to custom design. And maybe that’s because specialty accessories and appearances have taken more than half of the specialty-equipment market share.

Summerill will be the first to admit that the upholstery industry is not reliant on fast changing, fancy technology. “We learned, after our first year, that upholstery isn’t quite as cutting edge (no pun intended) as some other segments in the specialty industry. But it’s important to go and see the new products that are available. There are always new fabrics and new trends in customization.”

The huge number of manufacturers represented at the SEMA Show, and the tremendous number of people in attendance is what keeps upholsterers, including Summerill, coming back. The show offers the opportunity to talk face to face with industry innovators and leaders.

“The networking that goes on at the show, in an economy that is struggling, makes this the best business trip you’ll make this year,” says MacGillivray. “You’ll be connecting with more people on this one trip than a dozen business trips.”

The opportunities the SEMA Show offers draw a varied attendee profile. Retailers, manufacturers, buyers, engineers, designers, analysts and many others all make the annual trip. It’s hard to argue with 125,000 attendees. The knowledge you’ll leave the show with makes the money you spend Vegas’ only sure bet.

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