Business

SEMA Show’s Collision Repair & Refinish Section Grows

The collaboration between the automotive specialty-equipment industry and the collision repair segment continues to increase, a fact that is reflected in the growing footprint of the newly branded Collision Repair & Refinish section of the 2011 SEMA Show. The new section—an expansion of the previously established Paint, Body & Equipment area—is one of 12 sections that will house exhibitors during the event at the Las Vegas Convention Center over November 1–4, 2011. The name change more accurately reflects the growing presence of the collision repair market, and more companies had already committed to exhibiting in the new section at press time for this issue than were present in the Paint, Body & Equipment section in 2010.

Media Methodology

How effective are your advertising and media campaigns? More important, how are you measuring your return on investment (ROI)? When marketing pros speak of “tracking media,” they’re really referring to tracking promotion, which—along with product, price and place—is one of the four P’s of marketing.

Car Care Tech

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To paraphrase a well-worn Oldsmobile ad, today’s vehicles are not your father’s paint and trim. If you think modern consumers are left scratching their heads over how to maintain the appearance of their vehicles, imagine what the companies that formulate car care products go through.

“From the last century, all the way up through the last five to 10 years, finishes have changed dramatically,” said Mike Pennington, product expert for Meguiar’s, the century-old car care product company acquired by the 3M Corp. in 2008. “With all of today’s newer vibrant colors, pearls and metallics, the paints have actually gotten a lot more resilient from a longevity standpoint, so you really don’t see the paint oxidizing like you used to. The challenge now is the way a lot of clear coats really magnify defects.”

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8 Steps for Smart Sales Hiring

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Few things are more critical to the health of a company than the ability of its salespeople to bring in profitable business, yet too many companies in the automotive specialty-equipment industry consider sales traits and skills last when hiring salespeople. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. This article is focused on helping you hire salespeople for the right reasons—and in the right way.

The aggregate level of selling skills in the specialty-equipment industry is low in comparison with other industries of similar types and compensation.

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Restyling Rebound

The restyling market experienced a steady decline in sales at the retail level from 2007 through 2009, according to SEMA research, going from $4.23 billion in 2007 to $3.79 billion in 2009. The main factor contributing to the fall in the market was the recession, which led to a major decline in vehicle sales. With available vehicle inventory on the downturn, a factor that may not adversely affect the more traditional specialty automotive markets, the decline changed the landscape of the restyling market. For OEMs, assembly lines were streamlined, factories were closed, trim levels were reduced or reconfigured, and the once lengthy list of available accessory options was scaled back.

Building a Better Restoration Market

The bedrock of the automotive specialty-equipment industry is the parts that are used to build, restore and modify vehicles of all types. Every segment of the industry counts on parts that are properly designed, engineered and manufactured to operate as promised. Within the restoration segment, however, those standards are complicated by the fact that the vehicles involved are anywhere from two decades to nearly a century old.

Expand Your Brand

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Adapting to a need to deploy troops anywhere in the world, U.S. military forces find themselves requiring trucks and transportation equipment more than ever before. This trend has created a steady opportunity for businesses in the automotive aftermarket to expand their customer base, while helping to supply the military with quality specialty-equipment products. High-performance brakes and engine equipment, blast-attenuating seats and specialized equipment for vehicles operating at high altitudes and in challenging terrain are among the parts in demand.

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New Study Examines Pickup Truck Market

The U.S. light-truck market is incredibly broad. Used for general transportation, commercial applications and recreation, light trucks comprise the single largest category for businesses in the automotive specialty-equipment industry. Indeed, trucks and the accessories built for them are so popular that they have laid claim to their own exhibit hall at the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas. While the light-truck market encompasses vans, crossovers, SUVs and some specially constructed vehicles, pickups make up the lion’s share of the market for SEMA members. The nation’s first and second top-selling vehicles are—and have been for years—the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado pickup lines.

What’s in the Box?

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Packaging is about more than protecting a product during shipping, handling and storage. It’s an extension of the product itself. When properly executed, good packaging reduces costs while branding and promoting the company and the product to consumers. Ultimately, it’s all about promise and performance to the buyer.

Packaging has evolved significantly over the past four to five decades. According to Diana Twede, Ph.D., a professor at the Michigan State University School of Packaging, one of the greatest contemporary trends can be summed up in a single word: Plastics.

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