News November 8, 2023 by Adam Malik

Let’s recap Industry Week 2023 in Vegas

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If you missed out on Industry Week in Las Vegas, here are your highlights.

The week kicked off with an opening night reception at the Sands Expo, where AAPEX was being held. In the foyer of the second floor, hundreds of professionals from across the automotive aftermarket gathered to meet, network and catch up with colleagues before the real work kicked in the following morning.

Wakefield Canada hosted a reception at the Vegas Golden Knights game against the Montreal Canadiens. The group welcomed select partners and guests to take in the game from a private area at T-Mobile Arena.

What a morning it was on the first official day at AAPEX. Industry Week kicked off with Bill Hanvey, president of the Auto Care Association, and MEMA Aftermarket suppliers president Paul McCarthy. The two hammered home the importance of right to repair and why every person in the industry must get in touch with their elected official to ensure they understand the importance of the issue and vote in favour of its passage.

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Then legendary basketball player and entrepreneur Magic Johnson entertained the crowd, telling them his story of becoming a basketball star, getting wooed by shoe companies and transitioning from off the basketball court to the business world. For example, he proved Starbucks could work in areas the company never thought of simply by catering to the types of food and atmosphere they expect. He talked about learning lessons in losing and how no one gets where they are without some help. He fielded questions from the audience, ranging from how to cultivate a winning attitude to bringing a divided society back together. And without hesitation, called Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player to ever live.

AAPEX featured two general sessions. One was hosted by S&P Global Mobility’s Todd Campau, who looked at key aftermarket trends. Notably, it appears forecasts that suggested pent-up demand would see new car sales spike may not materialize as lingering economic factors hold back potential buyers — meaning average vehicle age will continue to climb and the aftermarket will be kept busy.

The other was hosted by Circana’s Nathan Shipley. He highlighted that high-income consumer spending is offsetting lower-income consumers deferring maintenance. He also noted that despite many people working in a hybrid environment, vehicle miles travelled is on par with years past, meaning many are still taking part in road trips, made easier by the fact that they can work from anywhere. And, overall, the aftermarket is near the top of the list when it comes to performance, despite economic headwinds.

Canada Night welcomed hundreds of Canadian attendees from AAPEX and SEMA. It was held at the Venetian for a dedicated space for Canadians to gather and network.

A coalition of TPMS manufacturers —Schrader, Bartec, ATEQ and Continental — held a press conference to put out the word about the importance of shops updating TPMS tools. They pointed to the potential service issues and delays that can happen when tools aren’t updated. They urged shops to take the time needed to update their tools, noting that poor Wi-Fi in the shop often holds back adequate updating.

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Women in Auto Care held its networking breakfast in the morning and then its annual awards ceremony where it recognized top women in the industry in the afternoon to close out the second day of Industry Week.

Company Ally of the Year was won by Standard Motor Products. The class of four Auto Care Women of Excellence winners were Susan Starnes of Genuine Parts Company, Ashlee Arnold of Arnold Oil Company of Austin, Tanya Hunt from BBB Industries and Jennifer Tio from Maximum Marketing Services, Inc. The Outstanding Leadership Award was won by Jill Trotta of TechForce. Jessica Carrino of Sparks Tire & Auto won Female Shop Owner of the Year. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Tammy Tecklenburg from dott. April Williamson from NAPA was named Champion of the Year.

SEMA’s keynote was hosted by Tim Tebow, former athlete turned entrepreneur and philanthropist. He shared his life message of being “mission possible” as part of the show’s professional development experience. This was a new feature for the SEMA Main Stage, a program that will feature iconic personalities in the automotive industry, thought leaders and entertainers.