SEMA 2013 Largest On All Fronts
The $31B Specialty Equipment industry’s growth shown at Las Vegas trade show; 2,300 exhibiting companies good indicator of growing strength of automotive aftermarket
by Bruce W. Smith
When the ProPickup staff rolled the Surveyor 1 sweepstakes truck into our booth at the 2013 SEMA Show inside the massive the Las Vegas Convention Center, there was an air of excitement everywhere.
Manufacturers were chatty, new products filled displays, and new areas were filled with booths. SEMA 2013 looked and felt strong. And it was.
SEMA organizers report early numbers indicate more than 126,000 credentials were issued prior to the event, with thousands more processed onsite. The numbers represented a 7 percent increase over the previous year, and the highest in SEMA Show history.
On the Show floor were 2,381 exhibiting companies, representing all facets of the automotive specialty-equipment market – from accessory and appearance products, performance products, wheels, tires and suspension – basically anything and everything anyone could want to personalize the more than 200 million cars, trucks, SUVs and power-sport vehicles on and off the road.
“A trade show is a reflection of the industry it serves,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA President and CEO. “The unprecedented participation levels this year indicate the industry is moving into growth mode. This was a record-breaking year and we’re seeing companies ready and eager to do business.”
The SEMA Annual Market Report estimates there were $31.32B in retail sales in 2012, up from less than $28B during the height of the recession in 2009.[youtube k4L5F4YVuaQ nolink]
