SEMA Show to Spotlight ‘First-Time Exhibitors’

The “First-Time and Featured Exhibitors Section” that debuted at last year’s SEMA Show will return in 2012, according to a press release.

With nearly 2,000 manufacturers exhibiting throughout the SEMA Show, the area serves as an easy and convenient location for buyers to hone in on hundreds of new and emerging manufacturers who are exhibiting at the show for the first time. The section is alongside the New Products Showcase at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the upper level of South Hall.

“Last year’s ‘First-Time and Featured Exhibitors Section’ proved to be successful at connecting attendees with new exhibitors,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of Events and Communications. “Buyers will again be able to meet with new exhibitors quickly and easily, while conveniently stopping by the new products showcase at the same time.”

The New Products Showcase is among one of the most visited attractions at the SEMA Show. With hundreds of products featured in display cases, the area helps attendees to get an overview of what’s new and debuting at the Show.

“Buyers and media often make the New Products Showcase their first stop, visiting the area even before the show opens on Tuesday morning,” said MacGillivray. “Visitors will note the products that interest them in the Showcase and create a list of exhibitors that they want to visit. This often becomes their plan for the week.”

The “First-Time and Featured Exhibitors Section” includes hundreds of exhibitors representing a variety of market categories. To view a complete list of exhibitors and their booth locations, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

The SEMA Show is a trade-only event not open to the general public. This year’s event takes Oct.30-Nov. 2, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

SEMA Show Drew Huge Throngs to Las Vegas

Crowded aisles at this week's SEMA Show

The SEMA Show, which ran from  Nov. 2-5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, drew more than 110,000 trade-only attendees from 100 countries – well ahead of last year — to what is widely held as the “premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world.”

And the general atmosphere on the street, according to those walking those streets last week in Las Vegas in search of new business in the automotive, truck and SUV and RV markets represented by the sponsoring Specialty Equipment Market Association, is decidedy positive.

“This place has been humming,” says Terry Thompson, vice president of sales for Affinity Media/RV, which includes RVBusiness and RVBUSINESS.com as well as Trailer Life, MotorHome and Highways magazines. “The crowd’s are big and guys that we talk with are taking orders. As compared to last year and the year before that, they say it’s really been terrific.”

Adding to the draw of the 43-year-old SEMA Show, the leading venue bringing together manufacturers and buyers within the automotive specialty equipment industry, was the dual impact of AAPEX 2010 – Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo. AAPEX, a separate but overlapping convention organized by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, is located a shuttle bus drive away at the Sands Expo Center.

All things considered, it all made for a huge week in Las Vegas, a resort/convention destination that has taken some serious hits in the recession.

The massive SEMA Show’s displays – including a wide variety of companies that sell into the recreational vehicle market — were segmented into 12 sections while a “New Products Showcase” features thousands of newly introduced parts, tools and components. In addition, the SEMA Show provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events and networking opportunities.

Among the numerous RV industry-related exhibitors were Hopkins Mfg. Corp., Emporia, Kan.; Blue Ox, Pender Neb.; Aqua-Hot Heating Systems Inc., Fort Lupton, Colo.; CURT Mfg. Inc.. Eau Claire, Wis.; Roadmaster Inc., Vancouver, Wash.; Cequent Performance Products, Tekonsha, Mich., Livin’ Lite Recreational Vehicles LLC,  Wakarusa, Ind., and BD Diesel Performance, Sumas, Wash.

Livin’ Lite’s Jeep Camping Trailer, a photo of which is featured with this story, is a private-label, all-aluminum Jeep-branded popup — manufactured by Wakarusa, Ind.-based Livin’ Lite — that Chrysler Group LLC began marketing in August through its Mopar division.

Livin' Lite trailer shown at last week's SEMA Show in las Vegas.

“I’m real happy with it,” said Blue Ox President Jay Hesse of his experience as a SEMA exhibitor this year, having brought a staff of five. “In fact, we’re going to maybe expand our role next year. I’m just extremely pleased in the results, a lot of new prospects, a lot of people to close on.”

SEMA’s New Products Showcase Awards, presented earlier in the week at the New Products Awards Breakfast, which served as a kickoff just prior to the official opening of the show, recognizes the most cutting-edge automotive products either on the market or about to hit the market. This year, there were more than 2,000 new products, largely in the automotive performance arena, submitted for consideration.

Criteria that ranked high on the judges’ selection for the New Product Showcase Awards included superiority of innovation, technical achievement, quality and workmanship, consumer appeal and marketability.

The 2010 New Product Award Winners include:

Best Engineered New Product:

Winner: LOKAR Performance Products, Drive-by-Wire Electronic Throttle Control (ETC)

Runner Up: ISIS Power, ISIS inTOUCH Max Touch Screen System

Runner Up: QA1 Motorsports, Wireless Remote Adjust System

Best New Exterior Accessory Product:

Winner: Pro Comp/Smittybilt, M1 Truck Bumper

Runner Up: Stainless Showworks Inc., 2010-2011 Mustang V6 and GT Mirrored Polished Stainless Steel Engine Compartment Dress Up Kit

Runner Up: MBRP Inc., Mega Tips

Best New Interior Accessory Product:

Winner: Omix-Ada/Rugged Ridge, Rugged Ridge Interior Trim Kit for the 2007-2010 Jeep JK Wrangler

Runner Up: B&M Racing and Performance Products, Hurst HardDrive Stick

Runner Up: Spectre Performance, ProFab Door Panels

Best New Merchandising Display:

Winner: Directus, Prodigy One

Runner Up: Cobra Electronics, Cobra iRadar Detection System

Runner Up: Dynojet Research, Power Vision

Best New Mobile Electronics Product:

Winner: Directus, Prodigy One

Runner Up: Cobra Electronics, Cobra iRadar Detection System

Runner Up: Dynojet Research, Power Vision

Best New Off-Road/4-Wheel Drive Product:

Winner: Timbren Industries Inc., Axle-Less Trailer Suspension

Runner Up: Omix-Ada/Rugged Ridge, Tire Carrier Linkage for 1976-2011 Jeeps

Runner Up: Advance Adapters Inc., Deluxe TJ Cable Shifter

Best New Packaging Design:

Winner: Bubba Rope, Bubba Rope

Runner Up: Meguiar’s Inc., Brilliant Solutions Wheel Polishing Kit

Runner Up: AMP Research, AMP Research Bed X-Tender

Best New Performance-Racing Product:

Winner: COMP Performance Group, COMP Cams Phaser Adjustable Locks for the 2011 5.0L Mustang

Runner Up: Holley Performance Products, Holley LS3/L92 Hi-Ram Modular Intake Manifold System, Carb & EFI

Runner Up: BD Diesel Performance, Big Daddy Race Turbo/Diverter Valve

Best New Performance-Street Product:

Winner: McLeod Racing, Mustang Master Cylinder Retro Kit

Runner Up: Painless Performance Products, GM Gen IV Tach Driver

Runner Up: COMP Performance Group, TCI 6X Six-Speed Transmission Package for Ford, Chrysler and Pontiac Applications

Best New Powersports Product:

Winner: AMSOIL, AMSOIL Quickshot SE

Runner Up: Axia Alloys, Modular Roll Cage Clamping System

Runner Up: SSV Works, BM-175S/B

Best New Street Rod/Custom Car Product:

Winner: Dakota Digital Inc., VHX Hybrid Analog/Digital Instrument Systems, GM Tri-Five Applications

Runner Up: Billet Specialties Inc., Billet Deck Lid Hinge

Runner Up: Danchuk Manufacturing, 1957 Front One-Piece OE-style Bumper

Best New Tire and Related Product:

Winner: Continental Tire, Continental ProContact With EcoPlus Technology

Runner Up: Continental Tire, General Grabber

Runner Up: Coker Tire, Excelsior Stahl Sport

Best New Tools & Equipment Product:

Winner: AAC, The Filler Detective

Runner Up: TecMate North America, OptiMate 6-TM-181

Runner Up: Auto Meter Products, BVA-260

Best New Van/Pickup/Sport-Utility Product:

Winner: Fastway Trailer Products, Fastway Flip-Self-Retracting Jack Foot

Runner Up: Shin Shield, Shin Shield

Runner Up: RBP/Rolling Big Power-A Division of Lexani, RBP Logo Mud Flap

Best New Wheel and Related Product:

Winner: The Ultimate Wheel & Tire Plus Sizing Guide, Bolt Pattern Pro

Runner Up: Kyowa Designs/Concept One, Concept One Executive RS-55

Runner Up: IForged Performance Alloys/Forgestar Wheels, Forgestar CF5