Author: 12VoltNews

CMA Live Podcast Ep. #5 Connected with the Latest in Remote Start

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TORONTO, CANADA (10.23.2020) – The Wednesday evening EP5. Connected CMA LIVE, October 21st, featured some of the biggest brands in the remote car starter business. Brand representatives shared information highlighting the latest and greatest technology available in the marketplace today.

Jeff Bates from Lockdown Security helped co-host the podcast bringing with him over 20 years of experience as an installer and successful retailer.

The remote starter industry was well represented on the podcast by key brands and professionals including Alan Birce from VOXX/Directed Canada, JP Raymond of Fortin, Joe Dentamaro of VOXX Electronics and finally Phil Camirand of Automobility.

“Make sure to check out this episode and stay connected with all things remote starter related” stated Frank Spezzano, President Canadian Mobile Audio.

See this video and more at facebook.com/canadianmobileaudio/live

Visit canadianmobileaudio.com for more.

KICKER Acknowledges its “Top 12” Professionals Vying for MEA Industry Awards

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STILLWATER, OK (10.23.2020) – KICKER watched some of its 24 authorized installers, retailers and sales professionals from the “Top 50” list earn a spot in this year’s “Top 12 Finalists” for the 2020 Industry Awards, as determined by the Mobile Electronics Association (MEA).

According to the MEA press release, some of the award categories are decided solely on industry votes.  The final awards will be announced at the Mobile Electronics Industry Awards celebration during the virtual KnowledgeFest trade show and conference Dec. 4-6.

Winners at this stage also qualify as semifinalists for the top honors of Retailer-of-the-Year, Installer-of-the-Year and Sales Pro-of-the-Year.

Top 12 KICKER Retailer finalists:
Mobile Toys – College Station, TX
Absolute Electronix – Rockville, MD
Car-Tunes – Greenville, MS
Showtime Audio – Chicago, IL

Top 5 KICKER Sales Professionals finalist:
Jim Skaggs – Mobile Toys Inc. – College Station, TX

Top 12 KICKER Installer finalists:
Justin Kush – Mobile Toys Inc. – College Station, TX
Matt Vowell – Mobile Toys Inc. – College Station, TX
Dean Beyett – Five Star Car Stereo – Clearwater, FL
Dalton Trainer – Car-Tunes, Inc. – Greenville, MS

The complete list of winners is posted at the official Industry Awards website, meindustryawards.com.

Visit kicker.com for more.

The Street Sounds and Tint Showroom Is a Standout

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JACKSONVILLE, NC (10.22.2020) – Street Sounds and Tint offers consumers in the area a wide selection of mobile electronics, lighting, wheels and tint with expert installation. When consumers enter the store they immediately see the broad selection of products in the well merchandised showroom.

The Street Sounds building in Jackson NC is slightly elevated and has a lot of visibility from the street.

Nick Baxter, Store Manager, related to 12volt News “Business has been so strong the last several months. When customers come into the store they immediately see our wide selection of products and want to know what will work best in their car, truck, boat or UTV. Inventory availability has been challenging but we stay on top of it and turn our inventory.”

The wide selection of products offered grabs customers attention when they enter the showroom.

Reese Helms, Eastern NC/SC Territory Manager for area distributor Shiflet & Dickson, recently sent several images to the 12volt News showing the Street Sounds showroom. “Street Sounds is doing a great job in their market and are a super partner with Shiflet and Dickson. JVC is a strong line for their store and we work together for inventory during this COVID-19 time. Hurricane Florence did a lot of damage to their building and the showroom was totally remodeled. The Street Sounds showroom layout is one of the best I have seen.”

12volt products and window tint are spotlighted on this wall.

Continuing, Baxter offered “Hurricane Florence in 2018 did so much damage to our building. We were able to remodel and now the showroom and installation areas are better than ever. Resurfacing the parking lot will have to wait until some major street work is completed in front of the store.”

This ‘54 Chevy parked on the lot grabs many eyeballs from the Street.

In addition to showroom images Helms sent an image of a ’54 Chevy parked at the store. Classic vehicles parked on the store lot also grab eyeballs from the street.

A wide selection of detailing products are offered. Check out the diamond plate accents on the wall.

Concluding ,Baxter said “We had a recent cold snap and now remote start interest has joined Apple CarPlay as a hot category in our store.”

Visit facebook.com/Streetsoundsandtint for more.

MES Family Announces Board of Directors and Member Services

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COATESVILLE, PA (10.22.2020) – The MES FAMILY which is the latest association for the mobile electronics & aftermarket industry whose mission is to engage industry members with more education, training and the latest assets to help improve their job duties, business and overall sales performance – announces the current board of directors.

The MES FAMILY Directors of the Board appointed are as follows:

Ata Ehdaivand –Director -Absolute Electronix, Rockville, MD.

Eric M. Carter – President- MES Family & Modern Media Geeks – Formerly of Cartronix, Tinley Park, IL.

Ron Hoser – CEO- Tier One Motoring, West Chester, PA.

Ethan Blau – Director of Media & Member Relations – Sound Wave Customs- Virginia Beach, VA.

Shaughnessy Murley- Technical Director – Visions Electronics, Red Deer, AB.

Jon Dewar – Chairman – Modern Media Geeks, St. Marys, GA.

Contributing Board Members:

Christopher McNulty- Kingpin Car & Marine Audio, Las Vegas, NV. Formerly of Driven Mobile Electronics, Chantilly, VA.

James Smith- Board Member- Act Audio, Vernon, CT.

Andrew Evens- Board Member- FabricatedLV, Las Vegas, NV. Formerly of Industry Auto

Brian Hampson- Board Member- Stereo West Autotoys, Omaha, NE.

Steven Cote’- Board Member- Eastern Regional Sales Manager at JVC Electronics- Stoneham, MA.

Mobile Electronics Syndicate Facebook Group Administrators:

All the above plus the amazing following people:

Christopher Pate- Mobile Toys Inc. & MTI Acoustics, College Station, TX.

Ashley Lampley- ABC Automotive Electronics, Elk Grove Village, IL.

Dean Beyett- 5 Star Car Stereo & Smash Force Productions, Clearwater, FL.

Kevin Juarez- Sonic Sound, Arlington, VA.

“Our new MES family board members are dedicated to our industry and work in it every day. With all of their knowledge and experience it is a winning solution for business owners, salespeople, technicians and of course our amazing vendors who have joined the family.”

Ata Ehdaivand – Director

“Thank you for checking out the MES Family. I am beyond excited to think of where this group came from and where it is going. The growth that we have experienced is largely due to the team that we have surrounded ourselves with. If you have participated in the FB group, you have probably already learned from the broad experience and knowledge that the team brings to the community. But wait… there is more. Expect us to keep delivering new content and services that benefit our members and showcase our sponsors. Be well!”

Ron Hoser- CEO

“We are very pleased with all of the vendors, manufactory’s and of course our amazing group of board members that have connected with us and have decided to be part of our family and help our industry members grow and prosper”

Eric M. Carter- President

“I am beyond excited to see where this next chapter takes the MES Family as well as our dedicated group of beyond talented and versatile board members as well as our very supporting Vendors/manufacturers and our heart and soul of the group; the 12 volt retailers, Technicians, fabricators and the alike. Our goal is to help make each one of you better, more informed, your workloads less stressful and more streamlined as well as grow this industry and what we can provide collectively as a whole. We hope you see the value in MES and decide to sign up to become a member or sponsor and a part of the MES Family. “

Ethan Blau- Director of Media & Membership Relations

“I am looking forward to helping where I can, to help improve the level of technician knowledge with the MES Family. It is an honor to be on the board with such great people.”

Shaughnessy Murley- Technical Director

“I look forward to working with our new team of board members of the MES Family, we are confident that our board is equipped to guide us into a future that continues and strengthens all parts of the industry” Jon Dewar – Chairmen

Visit www.mesfamily.com for more.

Feel free to email anyone of us at the following for any questions or inquiries.

Ethan@mesfamily.com

Eric@mesfamily.com

Ata@mesfamily.com

Launch date of the MES FAMILY will be on 11/27/20.

New ZZ-2 Product Converts Factory Wired to Wireless CarPlay in Seconds

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ZZAIR-CP is the new addition of convenience to your vehicle, converting factory wired CarPlay into a wireless connection in seconds. Don’t take your phone our fo pocket anymore, make it wireless with ZZAIR-CP

ZZAIR-CP converts factory wired to wireless CarPlay in seconds. (Car MUST be equipped with factory wire CarPlay.)

For your convenience, ZZ-2 added the ZZAIR-CP to our line of products to provide a better experience with the factory wired CarPlay system. In seconds you will be able to get the most out of CarPlay without taking your iPhone out of your pocket. Simple to use, plug and play, and the best part, no more wire.

Ditch the cable, unlocking the full potential of your iPhone.

Click to visit the ZZAIR-CP product page.

Contact ZZ-2 at 929-220-1212 or email us at sales@zz-2.com for pricing or more information about our products.

Extreme Concepts Named Readers’ Choice Best of the Best 2020

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ALBERTVILLE, AL (10.21.2020) – Each year the Sand Mountain Reporter reaches out to readers for the newspaper’s Annual Best of the Best campaign. Extreme Concepts earned the Readers’ Choice Best of the Best Award in 2020. Extreme Concepts has earned the Best of the Best award since the Sand Mountain Reporter started the campaign in 2013.

The Sand Mountain Reporter is based in Albertville ,AL. The city has a population of just shy of 22,000 residents and is located between Birmingham and Huntsville, AL.

Extreme Concepts Team members Chance Engle, Rocky Peek and Michael Swinford (LtoR) with their Best of the Best 2020 Award banner.

The Extreme Concepts Team made an Instagram post with their Best of the Best Award banner recently. That post grabbed eyeballs in the 12volt Central Studios which led to this article. The area 12volt retailer stocks a wide variety or 12volt products for car, marine and Powersports including Memphis Audio, JL Audio, JBL and Pioneer. Wheels, tint,lift kits, lighting and paint are also offered.

Best of the Best Award banners from previous years are displayed on the showroom walls.

The Instagram post with the Team and banner featured a large eye-catching Extreme Concepts graphic in the background. Turns out the graphic is painted on the rollup door that leads from the showroom to the installation bay. The graphic was painted freehand by a local artist.

Vickers AV is a key supplier for Extreme Concepts. Vickers AV commented on the Instagram post “That’s great. You guys deserve it!”

The large company sign grabs driver’s attention in front of the store.

A representative at the Sand Mountain Reporter offered “When I need anything done to my car I definitely take it to Extreme Concepts.”

See Extreme Concepts on social media @extremeconcepts

Industry Shows Strong Support for SEMA360

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DIAMOND BAR, CA (10.21.2020) – The specialty equipment aftermarket industry is ready to come together for SEMA360, the new online event taking place Nov. 2-6, 2020, that will allow industry professionals to connect and conduct much-needed business.

More than 650 manufacturers will headline SEMA360 with a Showcase page at the event, which was created by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) as an alternative after announcing that the in-person SEMA Show would not take place in Las Vegas in 2020.

“The automotive specialty equipment industry has a history of successfully pivoting to meet market needs and finding innovative solutions to accomplish a goal,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “Given that the year 2020 has been filled with challenges and uncertainty, the industry is hungry for a platform where they can get together and focus on doing business. SEMA360 is the ideal solution for companies that want to connect and discover what’s new in the market – whether it’s racing and performance, trucks and off-road, hot rod and restoration or collision and tools. Manufacturers from every segment are participating and they have lots of news to share.”

Open exclusively to the industry and not to the general public, SEMA360 is designed to make it easy and efficient for attendees to see new trends and products, meet directly with manufacturers, hear from industry leaders and experts and engage in conversations. The exclusive features in SEMA360 will allow buyers to:

  • Connect with more than 650 industry-leading manufacturers
  • Explore more than 2,200 products in the New Products Showcase
  • See more than 300 unique builds in the Builders Showcase
  • Choose from more than 30 education seminars to attend
  • Witness the winner announcements of the Launch Pad and Battle of the Builders competitions
  • Access manufacturer press conferences, celebrity interviews, and breaking news

Additionally, more than 100 companies that have never exhibited at the SEMA Show have signed up to showcase their products at SEMA360, providing new business opportunities for buyers.

SEMA360 will feature more than 650 manufacturers from every market segment connecting with attendees from throughout the world.

Buyers and attendees are encouraged to register now to secure their credentials in time for SEMA360. The fee is $25 for qualified buyers who are not SEMA members, and the fee is waived for buyers who are SEMA members.

“Attending SEMA360 is a great return on investment for buyers who want to stay on top of the latest trends, products, and technology coming into market,” said Gattuso. “It’s the only event where they’ll be able to interact and engage with hundreds of companies and see thousands of new products from the comfort of their home or office.”

To register for SEMA360 or for more information, visit www.SEMA360.com. To see the list of participating manufacturers, log on to www.sema360.com/manufacturer-list.html

Shopmonkey Teams with Tint World to Maximize Franchisee Operations

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SAN JOSE, CA (10.21.2020) – Shopmonkey, a San Jose, California-based software company serving the automotive industry, and Tint World Automotive Styling Centers have announced an enterprise partnership that equips Tint World franchisees with the leading auto shop management software to maximize efficiency and customer experience while positioning Shopmonkey to continue its rapid growth and innovation.

“Shopmonkey is transforming the auto service industry,” said Charles J. Bonfiglio, president and CEO of Tint World. “We recognized an opportunity to support our franchisees with technology that will allow them to streamline their operations, giving them more time to focus on delivering the high-quality products and service that Tint World is known for.”

With Shopmonkey’s cloud-based shop management software, franchise owners at 80 Tint World locations across the United States can increase revenue and streamline daily tasks by automating scheduling, inventory, payment processing and communications in one platform. Shopmonkey’s intuitive interface and clean design ensure optimal user experience and minimize training and onboarding.

“Tint World’s success is built on ensuring a world-class customer experience by providing franchisees with the industry’s best training and operations tools,” said Ashot Iskandarian, CEO and founder of Shopmonkey. “This is an opportunity for us to help them maintain the highest standard of franchisee support and continue the growth and expansion that the company has enjoyed to date and into the future.”

Shopmonkey’s shop management software simplifies all the complexities of running an auto shop business onto a single platform. The company, which announced in August that it raised $25 million in Series B capital, helps shops run, understand and grow their business with easy-to-use software that consolidates tools, saves time, and streamlines their entire operation while improving communication across the board.

“With Shopmonkey, we’re providing Tint World franchisees one of the auto accessory industry’s most innovative and effective tools,” said Jeff Stark, COO of Tint World. “We’re confident that this partnership offers our franchisees extraordinary benefits that are easy to implement and will deliver immediate returns.”

Tint World Automotive Styling Centers offer sales and installation of auto and marine accessories, mobile electronics, audio video equipment, security systems, custom wheel and tire packages, window tinting, vehicle wraps, paint protection film, detailing services, nano ceramic coatings, maintenance and repair services, and more. Tint World is also the leading provider of residential, commercial and marine computerized window tinting and security film services with locations throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Visit www.shopmonkey.io and www.tintworld.com for more.

Soundshield Offers New Showroom Wall Display

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ANCHORAGE, AK (10.20.2020) SoundShield has introduced a visually striking merchandizing tool for its retailers; a custom-engineered, laser-engraved acrylic and LED-lit wall display to hold SoundShield retail-packaged tubes of sound deadening material.

Designed by co-founder Bryan Schmitt, the purpose of the new display is to elevate the sound deadening category within the retail setting. This allows retailers to merchandise SoundShield products, a category not commonly considered in showroom merchandising. The display invites conversations from either curious clients or as a reminder to sales professionals to include sound deadening in the sales process. The multi-color LED lighting with wireless remote allows retailers to easily customize the display to integrate into their showroom’s color scheme.

“The size of the display is compact, but commands a presence so it makes it a sensible fit for any sized retail shop” comments SoundShield CEO John Schwartz. Several 12 volt specialty retailers in the SoundShield family have tried early production models and provided feedback that proves the new display’s effectiveness.

“This is an excellent way to merchandise sound deadening that presents at eye level so clients can easily see the product” remarked Adam Devine of Devine Concepts in Naples, FL. The configurable color of the LED lighting made the display easily integrate into Adam’s showroom and company colors. Award-winning Mobile Toys, Inc. in College Station, TX also has implemented the display in their store and reports that their customers ask questions about what sound deadening is because of the display, which ultimately leads to sales.

The SoundShield wall display includes the necessary mounting hardware, multi-color programmable LED lighting and weighs just 25 pounds. SoundShield offers a direct purchase of the wall display or discounted pricing with a qualifying minimum product order. If not already a dealer, retailers can fill out a quick application at www.soundshieldusa.com.

VAIS Tech Presenting at SEMA 360

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ENGLEWOOD, CO (10.20.2020) – VAIS Technology, a Colorado based manufacturer of audio, video, Bluetooth streaming, SiriusXM and SEER convenience integration will be presented at SEMA360

EVP, Dennis Hopper comments: VAIS Technology will be presenting and discussing all its integration devices. SiriusXM integration for vehicles from 2004-2021. There will be live presentations on the operational and customization of the award-winning SEER proximity-based integration. SEER allows proximity-based control of all electronics in a vehicle such as hands-free locking, unlocking, triggering lights, audible and visual confirmations. There are round tables where dealers can come in and see live videos from the VAIS team. Check out and sign up on the SEMA360 website.

About VAIS Technology: Founded in 2003, VAIS Technology offers a wide variety of OEM factory radio upgrades, including SiriusXM add-on adapters, kits for adding a Bluetooth music streaming through a factory radio and SEER proximity devices. VAIS Technology currently offers products for most automotive brands, including Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, GMC, Honda, Jeep, Land Rover, Mercedes, Mazda, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota, VW and more. All VAIS Technology products are built to OEM standards and are designed to offer seamless functionality for best user experience. VAIS Technology products come with one-year warranty and do not affect OEM warranties.

Visit vaistech.com for more.