SEMA 2017 was a success!
The annual SEMA show in Las Vegas is technically an automotive trade event but has evolved into a no-holds-barred display of tuning and customization genius. There are always hundreds of lifted trucks, slammed imports, and engine-swapped muscle cars. Yet there's far more to the show than that—the parties, the celebrities, the high-octane demos, the excess of it all.
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) of the automobile aftermarket was formed in 1963. The first SEMA Show was held in 1967 in the basement of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, before moving to the new Anaheim Stadium in 1974.
In 1998, the SEMA Show broke the 500,000-foot mark with 502,912 net square feet of rented space. Each year since then, the Show has set new records of some sort. It now occupies more than one million net square feet, draws more than 3,000 media, and has a buyer attendance in excess of 60,000.
If you are looking for one location to experience anything and everything that can be done to car, truck, jeep or anything with wheels, SEMA is the place for you! Sensory overload has to be the only way to explain the vast amount of space at the Las Vegas Convention Center that puts on the second largest show in Vegas behind the annual electronics show in January!
The 2017 SEMA Show brought with it many “firsts” for the Kentrol Team. It was the first time we shared a booth with our sister company, Fishbone Offroad. It was the first time we had a vehicle on display in our booth, and it was the first time we used our new video wall, made up of nine large TVs.
To say our setup was eye-catching would be an understatement. Not only did we have a 10’ x 6’ screen displaying products and event footage, we also had a one-of-a-kind Jeep JK-8 Police Interceptor build, complete with lights and sirens, sitting in our booth. Needless to say, we were busy!
The Jeep JK-8 Police Interceptor was built by our friends at Code3IT, an IT and system integration company based in Mojave, California. Being experts in vehicle upfitting, the guys at Code3IT had no problem installing a long list of bolt-on bumpers, armor, and stainless-steel accessories from Kentrol, Fishbone Offroad, and many other manufacturers. The Jeep’s unique combination of tech, off-road capability and attractive design set the stage for a great show where we were able to connect with many new and existing customers.
For the second year in a row, Kentrol made their presence known in the New Products Display. This year we showed off our brand-new Backside Tailgate License Plate Mount with LEDs for the 2007 to 2009 Jeep Wrangler JK.
Since the first SEMA Show debuted in 1967, the annual event has served as the leading venue bringing together manufacturers and buyers within the automotive specialty equipment industry. Products featured at the SEMA Show include those that enhance the styling, functionality, comfort, convenience and safety of cars and trucks. We were lucky to experience what it's like to attend the craziest show on the automotive calendar and that was awesome! Till next year…
