WHAT IS THIS SEMA YOU SPEAK OF?
SEMA, known as Specialty Equipment Market Association, all began in 1963 by a man named Roy Richter and his associates Bob Hedman, Willie Garner, Robert E. Wyman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand Jr, Al Segal, Dean Moon, and Vic Edlebrock, Jr. The association has grown significantly and involves 6,383 companies throughout the world. It unites after market manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM), the media, car dealers, retailers and many more. SEMA provides education, professional development and much much more for the employees of its' member companies. SEMA is the largest event that occurs in November in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The event is split into 12 different sections that include first time featured products, collision and repair / car care accessories, racing and performance, Truck and off road power sports and a lot more crazy fun stuff!!
THE HIGHLIGHTS
Unfortunately, this convention is not open to the public. But, that doesn't mean that the consumer won't get a peek at what happens on the inside. There are tons of reviews and pics circulating around the web showcasing the mad frenzy of car buffs on the inside.
Everyone wants to see the what they call the "Wild Rides." This is where everyone does their best to show off their skills to do their best to bring the idea of "custom" to a whole new level of uh-mazing!!
To check out the pics, just click here: Wild Rides.
Following that ride, the next best thing is to check out the jaw dropping high performance cars that make you want to re-watch every single Fast and Furious movie ever made!
The highlights are here: High Performance!
There were a lot of cars that really stood out. The Mazda MX-5 Speedster Evolution, Acura's NSX GT3 and the Chevrolet Camaro 50th Anniversary Special Edition all looked like a dream to get out and tear up the open road! Click on the link above and check them out for yourself.
The Truck / SUV display was another awesome sight! So much potential for off-road adventures just gets the blood boiling for some crazy back country antics! From the Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 to the Kia Sorrento Ski Gondola-Check out Hottest Trucks and SUV's. And, in addition to this, for all you 4x4 enthusiasts, check out the the knobby treads on all the New All Terrain Tires here.
And, with all the excitement comes more excitement! For the U.S. Marshalls, that is. It is always good to know what you are buying and unfortunately some bad apples can slip through the cracks. But, it is always short lived. Omix-Ada is the world's largest Jeep accessory manufacturer who was targeted this time, but they were fully aware of companies trying to counterfeit their products because U.S. Marshalls had raided another event known as APPEX. Due to this, they wanted to be covert about how they were going address this issue at SEMA so to not disturb the guests at the convention. On the second day of the event, two booths representing two Chinese owned companies were served with subpoenas for disregarding copyright and trademark policies by selling fake grilles, bumpers and electronics. All products were seized immediately to protect convention goers, as well as future customers and retailers. SEMA was noted as saying that if these companies are found guilty that they will ensure that they will not be returning to the convention.
So, if you ever aren't sure what you're buying, always ask a professional. Remember, Shige's Premier Auto Service is here for you to answer any questions you may have and if you need anything, let us handle it for you!! We will protect you from the knock offs!!
THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR
SEMA draws the best of the best in the automotive industry from around the world. It is always a success with forward thinkers pushing the industry to all new high levels of innovation and creativity. There are so many seminars, demonstrations, special events and networking opportunities that it seems impossible to absorb everything in just a few days. It is an exciting time and it re-invigorates the minds of the people who strive to make a difference in the automotive world everyday. So much so, that SEMA shows for 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 are all ready scheduled.
We hoped you enjoyed checking out the links above. If this sparked your interest and you would like to see more, you can go to their official Facebook page to check out more exciting pics and videos.