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SEMA – the week that was!

NCR The SEMA Show 2019

What an awesome experience! Before the doors even opened, there was a real sense of anticipation as the 53rd SEMA Show got underway in Las Vegas. From the very outset it was clear that the anticipation was well-founded as the organisation had excelled itself.

Anyone with an attachment to the automotive industry was at SEMA – and as we always say, ‘the cars are the stars’. Everywhere we turned, both inside the massive pavilions and outside in the expansive arenas, there were muscle cars, custom cars, street cars, and some of the best designers and builders in the industry, many of whom competed in the Battle of the Builders, including two really cool creations from Australia.

With our focus on the collision repair exhibits all the familiar names were out in force. PPG showed once again that there is no shortage of imagination in their organisation with yet another outstanding stand where client interaction was the key focus. Of course the other great multi-national coatings companies; BASF, Axalta, Sherwin Williams and AkzoNobel were also strutting their stuff with both their latest technology and fantastic cars and motorbikes on display.

Key suppliers such as 3M, Saint Gobain, Roberlo and sia Abrasives were all on show, as were Snap-on (parent of Car-O-Liner) and the key SAPE brands Cellette and Gys. As always, I-CAR excelled itself with a full range of seminars and practical welding demonstrations.

But back to the cars. Both General Motors and Ford Motor Company showed off the latest technology that makes the cars of today (and tomorrow) so special. Together with Toyota, Hyundai and Honda they showed off their latest range of road cars, race cars and SUVs.

However, SEMA would not be SEMA without education and training, and it was the SCRS and their Repairer Driven Education program that stood tall. There were over 20 seminars across the four days plus the three great OEM Technology Summit sessions. However, in only its second year, the showcase event, IDEAS Collide has a special meaning this year as Tradiebot Industries’ CEO Mario Dimovski once again took to the international stage. If you missed the livestream, check out Mario’s presentation in this e-newsletter or on our YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/2la-q8vMK24.

On the Friday night, the SEMA Show closed with the traditional SEMA Ignited, incorporating SEMA Cruise on the streets of Las Vegas and once again it was a mind-blowing event.

Check out the full report from Josephine, John and Owen in the December issue.

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