SHREVEPORT, LA (11.15.2021) – The SEMA Show 2021’s 4-Day run, November 2-5, was certainly unlike others in recent memory. The world, along with the 12volt industry, is approaching 2 years since the COVID 19 Pandemic turned most things upside down.

Current conditions certainly impacted SEMA 2021 as major brands choose not to exhibit. Thus many retailers, without their top brands exhibiting, made the decisions to skid SEMA 2021. Business across the 12volt retail industry has been strong in spite of many companies dealing with staff shortages. Overall product shortages is on the minds of all across the 12volt industry.

Let’s not forget travel nightmares and mask mandates.

With all of the above, SEMA 2021 was reported to be the largest automotive aftermarket trade show in the last 2 years with over 100,000 in attendance. The 12volt portion of the North Hall has been declining over recent years and that decline, affected by conditions noted above, continued in 2021. In addition, the new West Hall opened with 1,400,000 square feet of exhibit space. Obviously, when the size of the dance hall increases and the number of dancers stays close to the same, the floor and aisles will be less crowded.

Let’s highlight 5 12volt retailers who looked at the big long term picture and chose to attend SEMA 2021.

Team Nutz, Pittsburgh PA, was in Vegas for the entire event with staff of 3. Owner Ed Nuttall, Ben Bjerke and Mike Gosnick flew to Vegas on Sunday with a solid plan for the week that included over seeing the presentation of the All Ways Safe Flag Truck project they completed. The vehicle was loaded with Memphis Audio products and was showcased in the Feature Vehicle area at SEMA. Also in their plan was to see other businesses in Vegas and network to the hilt. As it turned out they lended a big hand to setting up the new Nakamichi booth in the North Hall. Many flights were cancelled out of Miami which delayed the arrival of Nakamichi staff members.

Team Nutz also contributed a large number of images and info for coverage from the 12volt Central Studios. A big Thank You to Team Nutz.

ST Mobile Audio traveled from Texarkana TX with owner Mike Stewart and his wife Shanda. Josh Hover and wife Hanna also made the trip. ST Mobile Audio is widely known across several states for creative work in the PowerSports category. To that end ST Mobile Audio completed an amazing 2021 RZR Turbo S Crew that was spotlighted in the Memphis Audio North Hall booth. A Memphis MOJO enclosure was needed to climb into the driver’s seat. Also, a big Thank You to Michael Stewart for sending images and observations from the SEMA floor. The Tesla Tunnel too!

Wayne Holton, with wife Tina, traveled from the Jackson MS area to attend SEMA. “This was my 11th SEMA Show and I could not miss attending. Our Audio Solutions 49 business is very strong and my new ground up build new store is rocking. In addition, our PowerSports store is going strong. That said, I could not miss SEMA 2021.”

Cody Landis, Code Zero Customs in Tulsa OK, related “This was my first SEMA and I am so glad I went. We had 2 vehicles on site displayed by companies that we created. Seeing them on display in Vegas was amazing. In addition I was able to meet Ryan Friedlinghaus the Founder of West Coast Customs. I watched him on TV and he was definitely an important factor of my decision to make a career in the 12volt industry.”

AudioKing from Yakima WA attended SEMA 2021 with their entire crew. Seeing a post of them, all with a big Thumbs Up, in the AudioControl booth with Matt Palumbo was a very nice surprise to see on Instagram.

Great to see the dedication of the above 5 12volt retailers as well as all others that attended SEMA 2021.

Visit semashow.com for more.

DIAMOND BAR, CA (11.12.2021) – SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) , the trade association representing the $47.8 billion automotive specialty equipment industry, concluded its annual SEMA Show on Friday, Nov. 5, noting the end of the Show represented the successful conclusion of the largest North American automotive trade show since the pandemic shut everything down in 2020.

“The industry was clearly excited to be back in-person at the SEMA Show, both to capture business opportunities and to network and celebrate the world’s greatest collection of innovation on wheels,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “Our industry was waiting to reconnect, and the SEMA Show was a welcome homecoming after nearly two years apart.”

More than 100,000 attendees, exhibitors, and media participated in the first full-facility event at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which includes 4.6 million square feet of convention space and an additional 2.2 million square feet of outdoor space.

“We were excited to see our old friends and colleagues after being apart for so long,” said Kathryn Reinhardt, director of retail marketing, 4 Wheel Parts. “We did a lot of business at this year’s SEMA Show. It was clear that our industry was ready to meet and had two years of innovations to show off.”

As the first, large automotive trade show in North America since the pandemic, automotive manufacturers launched new vehicles, celebrities unveiled high-profile restyles, and exhibitors showed off their latest innovations. Celebrities and their vehicles were out in force at the SEMA Show, including Ant Anstead, host of Celebrity IOU: Joyride , showcasing a custom 1962 Buick that has been converted into an electric car in collaboration with American actor James Marsden. Comedian Jay Leno helped unveil a 1969 Ford Mustang restoration for singer Keith Urban in the Ford exhibit, and actor Sung Kang unveiled his Datsun 240z “Safari” in the Nissan booth. Not to be outdone, Toyota introduced its “TacoZilla” Tacoma truck camper, Chevy brought its “Chevy Beast” (a concept vision of the ultimate in high-performance desert running), Mopar debuted two customized concept trucks, and Lexus had the North American show premier of the new LXF Sport at the SEMA Show.

The trade-only show brought manufacturers and buyers back together to experience the latest vehicle customization innovations to bring to customers in 2022.

Trending at this year’s SEMA Show was electrification and electrified vehicles. Whether it was a modification for a new electric vehicle (EV) or the ability to modify an ICE vehicle with a new electric motor, exhibitors and builders demonstrated that the EV market is a growing segment for the aftermarket. A new area inside the SEMA Show, SEMA Electrified, included electric vehicles and products designed for modifying electric vehicles or converting vehicles to electric power.

“Our industry has embraced electrification,” said Tom Gattuso, vice president of events, SEMA “We saw electric vehicles and electrified vehicles in every hall at the SEMA Show. Our industry is on the cutting edge of technology. Products you see at the SEMA Show often become standard and mainstream five to 10 years after it debuts at the Show.”

Other SEMA Show highlights included the largest collection of Chip Foose-built vehicles featured in a special corral that highlighted some of the most influential and important vehicles created at Foose Design, a display of over 50 off-road racing vehicles ranging from motorcycles to trophy trucks in SCORE’s Baja 1000 Experience, an exclusive West Coast Customs Edition wide body kit on a Dodge Charger and a Dodge Challenger in the West Coast Customs Experience, and interactive driving demos in the Hoonigan Burnyard Bash and the Ford Out Front experience.

For more information about the Nov. 2-5, 2021, SEMA Show, visit www.semashow.com.