Tires, Service, Retreading, Management: TIA’s Global Tire Expo Seminars and Exhibits Cover All the Bases

Oct. 15, 2015

 The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show takes place Nov. 3 – 6, 2015, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It will offer attendees educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, networking opportunities and more. Last year, more than 60,000 domestic and international buyers attended.

The show will be segmented into 12 sections, including one section for the Global Tire Expo – Powered by TIA (the Tire Industry Association). The others are Mobile Electronics and Technology; Racing and Performance; Trucks, SUVs and Off-Road; Business Services; Collision Repair and Refinish; Restoration Marketplace; Tools and Equipment; Hot Rod Alley; Powersports and Utility Vehicles, Restyling and Car Care Accessories and Wheels and Accessories.

“The SEMA Show/Global Tire Expo continues to grow and that just shows how excited the industry is to exhibit and attend each year,” says Roy Littlefield, executive vice president of TIA. “There is truly no better place to see the latest products in the industry and to keep your business moving forward. We’re looking forward to another successful show in November.”

There will be more than 2,300 exhibiting companies at the SEMA Show filling over a million square feet of the convention center. The show also will feature more than 1,500 cars, trucks, bikes, ATVs and UTVs all showcasing the latest products and more than 50 free business-building seminars.

There also will be appearances by celebrities involved in the automotive industry such as Chip Foose, John Force and Ashley Force.

Plus a New Products Showcase will feature more than 2,000 newly introduced parts, tools and components.

Here is the schedule for seminars presented by TIA. SEMA sessions will be featured in our October issue.

Tuesday, Nov. 3

10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

TPMS: New Developments in TPMS and Tool Technology

This seminar is a chance to hear from the original equipment manufacturers what has just come out and what the future holds for tire pressure monitoring systems. Many of the OE sensor manufacturers will be in attendance and will share what to look for on the newer vehicles hitting the road.

The second half of this seminar will focus on today’s TPMS tools that can be helpful in a service center. This is a one-stop shop to hear directly from the TPMS tool manufacturers about the tools available today, and learn how these pieces of equipment can help turn TPMS service into a profit center for business.

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Truck Tires: Road Service Safety

This seminar will analyze the risks associated with emergency road service and provide valuable tips to protect employees.

2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Successful Tire Dealers Share Their Secrets

Join Modern Tire Dealer’s 2015 Tire Dealer of the Year Ricky Benton, owner of Black’s Tire Service Inc., Tire Business’ Humanitarian Award winner, and the Tire Review Top Shop for presentations on what makes them successful followed by an informative question-and-answer session.

Wednesday, Nov. 4

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Truck Tires: TPMS for Trucks

This session will focus on the different types of TPMS technology fleets are currently using and provide attendees with the service requirements for each system.

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Aftermarket Wheels and Tires – Right Sale, Right Fit

TIA and the SEMA Wheel & Tire Council are offering new and updated resources to support dealers making the sale and completing the install. This seminar will offer information on how to equip sales personnel with the data-driven knowledge they need to educate customers on the effects of various plus-sizing decisions on vehicle dynamics. The seminar also will cover new resources on how to correctly and quickly install aftermarket wheel and tire packages while maintaining TPMS integrity and accuracy.

1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Women Driven: Women in Business – Shattering the Glass Ceiling!

Powered by SEMA Businesswomen’s Network & TIA

For women only – Networking & Education Special Event: Hear from a panel of successful women in the automotive industry and participate in an open dialogue on the qualities it takes to excel in business.

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Management: Training More Than Tires

Most tire dealers understand the importance of technician training to service tire and wheel assemblies. But the training obligations extend far beyond tires, so retailers must be aware of all the different types of training they should provide. This seminar will outline different training requirements tire retailers should consider when developing a comprehensive employee training program.

3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Global Retread Symposium

TIA and the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB) will host a gathering of retread industry leaders and professionals from around the world to discuss retread issues that cross international boundaries and impact the industry as a whole.

The symposium will include panel discussions, led by industry experts, on a number of relevant topics that affect the retread industry.

Industry leaders will:

  • Review the current state of the retread markets in the U.S., Europe and Latin America.
  • Discuss efforts in each market to deal with the impact of low-cost imported tires.
  • Share technological advancements, best practices, and operational efficiencies.

All those in the retread industry are encouraged to attend.

Attendees also are invited to attend the SEMA International Happy Hour immediately following the symposium at 5 p.m.

TIA pre-show special events

TIA pre-show events will take place on Monday, Nov. 2, at the Tropicana Las Vegas.

Cocktail hour: 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. (complimentary tickets, registration required)

Tire Industry Honors Awards Ceremony: 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (complimentary tickets, registration required)

TIA Welcome Reception: 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (tickets: $65)

Pete Selleck, chairman and president, Michelin North America Inc., will be a special guest and give the keynote address at this year’s Tire Industry Honors Awards Ceremony.

“The Tire Industry Honors is always a highlight of industry week in Las Vegas and having Mr. Selleck as our keynote speaker is truly an honor for TIA and for the industry,” says Littlefield.

Selleck is responsible for coordinating all activities of Michelin in North America. He joined Michelin in 1982 and has served for more than 30 years in manufacturing and general management positions in Greenville, S.C., and Clermont-Ferrand, France. The first half of his Michelin career was focused on engineering, quality, operational, and leadership roles in North American manufacturing plants. Subsequently, he served as chief operating officer of the North American passenger car tire division, chief operating officer of the European passenger car tire division, and president of the global truck tire division.

He is a member of the board of directors of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the West Point Association of Graduates, and is chairman of the board of the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA). He recently was recognized among 100 CEO Leaders in STEM.

For more information visit TIA’s website, www.tireindustry.org/global-tire-expo.     ?

New products showcase

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) New Products Showcase will be located on the bridge between the Central and South Halls at the west end of the Las Vegas Convention Center during the 2015 SEMA Show.

“The New Products Showcase is an essential part of the SEMA Show. Thousands of buyers and media visit the showcase to discover leading trends, and participating exhibitors rely on it as a tool to generate awareness of their products and brand,” says Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “The new location will make it easier for buyers to discover new products, media to generate coverage and exhibitors to drive traffic to their booths.”

Occupying a key path between two halls, the New Products Showcase will be easily accessible to showgoers en route to either the Central or South Halls. The New Products Showcase also will feature extended hours and be available before and after the show floor opens and closes.

To make it easy for visitors to connect with manufacturers of products they see in the showcase, buyers and media can use scanners to create a personalized list of products in which they are interested. Information, including company name and booth location, will be included.

At the AAPEX: parts expo runs concurrently

Going on at the same time as the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show is the Automotive Aftermarket Parts Expo (AAPEX) 2015 at the Sands Expo.

AAPEX is expected to feature more than 2,400 exhibitors, 5,000 booths, 50-plus AAPEXedu sessions and 39,000 targeted buyers. Approximately 130,000 automotive aftermarket professionals from nearly 140 countries are projected to be in Las Vegas during AAPEX.

AAPEX represents the $477 billion global aftermarket auto parts industry, and is co-owned by the Auto Care Association and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), the light vehicle aftermarket division of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).

For more information, visit www.aapexshow.com.

About the Author

Bob Ulrich

Bob Ulrich was named Modern Tire Dealer editor in August 2000 and retired in January 2020. He joined the magazine in 1985 as assistant editor, and had been responsible for gathering statistical information for MTD's "Facts Issue" since 1993. He won numerous awards for editorial and feature writing, including five gold medals from the International Automotive Media Association. Bob earned a B.A. in English literature from Ohio Northern University and has a law degree from the University of Akron.