The SEMA Show is shaping up this year to be one of the strongest in the event's 47-year history, a good sign the business of vehicle personalization, customization and preservation is rebounding.
Some 130,000 professionals from more than 130 countries are expected to attend the 2013 SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center Nov. 5-8, to see the newest products, keep up on the latest trends and learn the best business practices the $31B automotive specialty equipment industry has to offer.
More than 2,500 exhibitors will cover more than 1 million square-feet of floor space. The vast majority of SEMA Show exhibitors and attendees are small business owners looking to network and find new opportunities to help them increase sales and profitability.
"We expect to fill every nook and cranny at the Las Vegas Convention Center this year," said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA VP of events and communications. "We've even contracted for exhibitor space at the LVH (Hotel) next door." MacGillivray notes that the association makes every effort to accommodate new exhibitors who typically bring new, innovative products to the industry.
The SEMA Show is primarily about doing business, but it's also fun and offers opportunities not found anywhere else, such as:
New Products: Nearly 2,000 never-before-seen products have already been entered in this year's SEMA New Product Showcase. About 60% of 2012 attendees said they planned to buy something that was newly introduced at the Show. Exhibitors will continue to enter the Showcase by visiting www.semashow.com/new-products.
Special Appearances: Dozens of heroes, celebrities and one-of-a-kind cars will be making appearances at the 2013 SEMA Show. To name a few, master builders Troy Trepanier and Chip Foose, West Coast Custom’s Ryan Friedlinghaus, NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon and Danica Patrick, Vin Diesel’s 1969 Dodge Challenger from The Fast and the Furious and the 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning Audi R18 LMP1. A full list and schedule is available at www.semashow.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/celebrities.pdf.
Special Events: A big part of the SEMA Show are the Special Events, where industry professionals are able to spend personal, face-to-face time with one another. Gatherings like the Exhibitor Appreciation Party and SEMA Industry Awards Banquet offer unique opportunities to network. New for this year is Cars and Coffee SEMA Edition, where all SEMA Show attendees can start each day networking over cool cars and fresh coffee. For a full schedule, visit www.semashow.com/special-events.
Education: The industry's most successful and knowledgeable experts will be sharing their wisdom at the SEMA Education Institute's SEMA Show Education Days. Free and "Pay-to-Attend" courses provide an unparalleled opportunity to learn first-hand what trends will affect business. Highlights include seminars on how to leverage the SEMA Data Co-op, the definitive, industry owned and operated centralized data repository that helps drive sales. To see available sessions, visit www.semashow.com/education.
