Tabla de contenidos para December 2024 en SEMA Magazine

This issue includes an article examining some noteworthy 2024 trends poised to reshape our industry in 2025 and beyond. But December is also an ideal time to recap some important 2024 association benchmarks as well. All are part of our quest to better serve you, the SEMA member. As this went to press, the annual SEMA Show was on track to meet and perhaps exceed 2019 participation levels. Moreover, the 2024 additions of a new Industry Night @SEMA party and enhancements to SEMA Fest promised to make the Show more relevant than ever for our industry. This is important because the Show supports everything we do for members—and we have good news to share on many levels. Industry advocacy remains a major priority, and we racked up several victories in…

December is the traditional time to look back on the momentous events and achievements of a past year and forecast how the new year might build on them. The specialty-equipment industry not only racked up some major wins in 2024, but saw several trends emerge and accelerate that will have broad implications for SEMA member businesses going forward. To help make sense of the changing landscape, we turned to the heads of several SEMA departments—each experts in their field—for their assessments of last year’s more noteworthy developments. Here they are, in no particular order… “[THE CHEVRON DECISION] WAS A MAJOR DECISION IN TERMS OF HOW THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES CAN ACT… IT OVERTURNED 40 YEARS OF PRECEDENT…” THE POST-COVID REALIGNMENT Yes, we’d all like to permanently consign COVID…

STATE UPDATE CONNECTICUT—INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES: The Connecticut legislature shelved SEMA-opposed plans to adopt California’s ban on selling new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. This decision came amid concerns about the feasibility of such a drastic transition, particularly regarding the readiness of the state’s electric grid and charging infrastructure. Meanwhile, lawmakers also abandoned plans to establish a commission to address infrastructure challenges. CONNECTICUT—EXHAUST NOISE: Lawmakers in Connecticut considered legislation that would have allowed towns and cities to use noise cameras to enforce exhaust noise laws while implementing a 30% tax on the sale and installation of aftermarket mufflers that cause a vehicle to violate applicable noise laws. However, in response to testimony from SEMA and overwhelming opposition from automotive enthusiasts, lawmakers amended the bill to remove the unenforceable tax. While the noise…

The Specialty Equipment Market Association is governed by a Board of Directors who volunteer their time to provide leadership and guidance to the organization. Board members are nominated and elected by the association’s membership at large. They represent the organization’s key membership categories: manufacturers, distributors/retailers, manufacturers’ reps and services. Directors serve a three-year term, while the chairman serves for two years immediately after completing a two-year term as chairman-elect. The current Board was introduced at the SEMA Leaders & Legends Gala held on July 19, 2024, with four newly elected members inaugurated during the event. Melissa Scoles took her place in the open Manufacturers category, joining Kim Pendergast who was re-elected to another term. Also, Doug Lane and Kelle Oeste joined the Board under the distributor and retailer category, with…

All created things follow a cycle. Take us, for example; we are born, go through school, work and then retire. Even cars and trucks, the canvases of our industry, have a lifecycle we can track. A vehicle is manufactured, sold at a dealer, spends its golden years as a daily driver and then retires as a classic or scrap. This timespan varies depending on the vehicle class. It increases over time, but lately, the average U.S. vehicle lifecycle has been growing slightly faster. SEMA Market Research sought to learn why and came back with the “2024 Vehicle Lifecycles Report.” Gavin Knapp, SEMA director of market research, went into this research to verify the causes of an aging vehicle population and how they might affect the automotive aftermarket industry. When asked…

Fusing the runaway popularity of web video with the irreplaceable allure of the personal touch, webinars have become one of the most powerful ways to promote your B2B brand—and also one of the most cost-effective. In fact, 73% of B2B marketers agree that webinars are the best way to generate quality leads, according to Luisa Zhou, CEO, LuisaZhou.com, a digital marketing consultancy (luisazhou.com). And 95% of those same marketers see web seminars as key to their marketing efforts, she adds. It’s no wonder: “If you focus on delivering content that is beneficial, educational and engaging, your webinars are bound to please and deliver high-quality leads long-term,” Zhou says. Even better: You can ensure your webinar maximizes the myriad opportunities for lead generation inherent in the medium by employing these tried-and-true…

XDP XDP DIFFERENTIAL COVER xtremediesel.com Constructed of thick A356.0-T6 aluminum to provide enhanced durability, a reinforced center bar with load bolts that tighten against the bearing caps to reduce deflection and increase durability, a smooth internal back for consistent fluid flow over the ring gear, and a magnetic drain plug that helps protect your differential by capturing ferrous metal particles. HELLA AUTOMOTIVE SALES X-TREME LED CUBES myhellalights.com Introducing the HELLA X-TREME Driving Lamp Cube Sets, available in 4.3-in. and 3.6-in. with 7,000 lumens from four high-output LED modules, these lamps redefine road visibility. The innovative “X” position light design offers white or amber illumination, while the 4.3-in. model features a lateral light that serves as a side turn signal. 1-800 EVERYRIM OEM WHEELS RIM TEXT SYSTEM 1800everyrim.com Match and replace…

Within the aftermarket, professional restylers occupy a unique position at the nexus of automotive dealers, consumers and specialty-equipment manufacturers. Although normally invisible to the end consumer, restylers are often influential in enticing new-vehicle buyers and moving metal off the car lot. They likewise move product for parts manufacturers and have a keen eye for popular trends in enhancing vehicle appearance, comfort and value. “Our retailers really have evolved over the years,” explains Trim Illusion President Colby McLaughlin, who chairs the SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) council. “Whether it’s trends or new technology, they’re always the ones that are on the front line right at the dealership level, hearing directly from the dealerships what consumers are wanting and making those changes to vehicles.” Of course, evolution can take an unpredictable path,…

The saying “Don’t try and reinvent the wheel” is usually synonymous with avoiding redundancy. Yet within the automotive industry, tire and wheel companies constantly try to reimagine and create new wheel designs, tire molds, color schemes and sizes. Each time they succeed, the industry grows. This sector is constantly reinventing tires and wheels because it follows consumer demand and, going forward, manufacturers may have to do so out of regulatory cooperation. While the market is supposed to move trends, government intervention and regulations have influenced shifts in the automotive world regarding internal combustion engines (ICEs), emissions and even backup cameras. Now, it seems that government regulators have their sights on tire compounds and the pollutants they release—but more on that soon. CHASING THAT RETRO LOOK For this article, we reached…

Auto Meter GUARDIAN 360 4-CAMERA DASH CAM The Guardian 360 4-Camera Dash Cam offers a generous viewing coverage featuring 1080p resolution and 150° wide-angle lenses capturing front, rear and cabin views with clarity. Integrated GPS provides real-time tracking of location and speed while advanced night vision ensures crisp footage even in total darkness. With loop recording, emergency locks and a battery-free design, it’s built for reliable performance. autometer.com Calvert Racing Inc. SPLIT MONO LEAFSPRINGS Calvert’s Split Mono Leafsprings are designed to control and reduce excessive body separation in rear suspension, planting the rear tires without unloading. Unique parabolic rear-half design (spring is thicker in the middle and overlaps for maximum strength) distributes the spring pressure point through the length of the half, reducing spring breakage and virtually eliminating spring wrap.…