News from SEMA

By Lee Clark, VP Business Development, Nye & Associates

It’s good to be home. SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) was very exciting, and action-packed but WOW is it a lot to take in over a few days! There were more than 100,000 people who attended SEMA in Las Vegas and more than 2,000 exhibitors, ranging from car audio to performance products to automotive aftermarket accessories. There were B2B companies and consumer-direct companies, and many who were both! We had two clients exhibiting this year, both are international manufacturers/distributors of automotive accessory products to help protect your vehicle. We also made some new friends. The good news is our clients are up in terms of annual revenue compared to this time last year. And more good news - many marketing directors and company owners admitted their sales revenue was either up, or flat. Most companies were not down. Not to say there weren’t a few. Overall, the auto industry is seeing a comeback that has been working its way up the ladder the past couple years. This is a good thing. For all of us. It means jobs and a more stable economy. While SEMA offered new concept vehicles, celebrity appearances and some of the coolest vehicles in the world - the best part for me was hangin’ with our clients and watching them succeed!!