| If you are in the auto after market business | | | | for; Specialty Equipment Market Association |
| then you will not want to miss the SEMA show, | | | | and you can check out their web site at; . |
| which is the world fifteenth largest show. | | | | Why is this important to those of us in the |
| What an incredible week we had at the SEMA | | | | auto aftermarket biz? These are all the |
| show which beat all previous records. This | | | | people who make everything that is attached |
| years show had 88,000 pre-registrations | | | | to the modern and antique automobile. If it |
| before October 15 on the Internet as well as | | | | was made for a car, it was at the show. If it |
| 90,000 during the show. There was an | | | | is a service for a car, it was at the show. |
| estimated 250,000 daily visitors from almost | | | | If it was product for a car or the industry |
| every country in the world, 4 countries on | | | | it was at the show. The only thing not at the |
| the planet did not have any guests. The show | | | | show was, people and companies who are |
| of course was great for my company, Detail | | | | posers.AAPEX stands for; Automotive |
| Guys. as well as the 1400 exhibitors. This | | | | Aftermarket Products EXPO. For more |
| years show included passes to AAPEX which had | | | | information check out; . Between these shows |
| over 500 exhibitors. Who did not attend? Well | | | | everyone who was anyone as well as nearly all |
| anyone who is not really in the running, we | | | | of our vendors were also there on display.We |
| guess?The SEMA Show is now ranked 15th in the | | | | discussed our purchases and group buying |
| World for size and that includes every | | | | economies of scale with Mother's Waxes, Auto |
| Industry and even the World Fair and Oshkosh | | | | Magic, Turtle Wax, Simonize, Pro, Eagle 1, |
| annual flyin. It is larger than Comdex now by | | | | Beauty Shine, Maguire's, Production and at |
| another third the size and is the second | | | | least 20 other brands which are new to the |
| largest show in all of Las Vegas as of 2002 | | | | market. We also discussed our product |
| and appears it will possibly break the record | | | | purchases for equipment with at least as many |
| in attendance, however there are two more | | | | companies. Was there anything new? Yes about |
| large shows coming still this year in Las | | | | 15 things we had never seen or heard of |
| Vegas, which might come close.Every year my | | | | before from companies that no one really ever |
| company sets up and attends trade shows to | | | | heard of. We are able to help our team to the |
| keep our team updated on new technologies, | | | | best prices and services through these |
| service issues, vendors, new products and | | | | relationships with our vendors to make us |
| industry contacts. It is not easy to go to | | | | number one and to beat the competition. Boy |
| all these shows and know the automotive | | | | are we tired after standing on our feet for |
| aftermarket industry so well. It is a lot of | | | | nearly a week straight. But all in all there |
| hard work. We believe it is vital for anyone | | | | is no place we would have rather been. I |
| in the industry to stay informed and not be | | | | guess we will see you there next year along |
| left in the dust. We are the dust makers, not | | | | with some 1,000,000 other folks filling up |
| the dust eaters.For those of you who may not | | | | all the hotels in Vegas.Lance Winslow - |
| be familiar with SEMA or AAPEX; SEMA stands | | | | Online Think Tank forum board. |