The 2024 SEMA Show drew more than 2,400 exhibitors and tens of thousands of attendees, many of whom work in the collision repair industry.
Autobody News spoke to several shop owners and employees throughout the week to get their thoughts on the state of their business and why a trip to the SEMA Show was worth their time, whether it was their first or 20th.
Building Body Shop Staff
Brad KickerBrad Kickert is the shop manager at Auto Palace in South Holland, IL. A first-time attendee, Kickert said he came to the SEMA Show to learn about new technology and materials being used in auto production.
“We wanted to make sure we’re staying on top of the game,” Kickert said.
Staffing is the biggest issue at Auto Palace, he said.
“It’s very hard to find a qualified individual,” Kickert said. “A lot of our employees now are getting up there in age, and getting young employees is proving difficult. We’ve been lucky so far, but that’s our biggest thing that we struggle with.”
Kickert had just attended Mike Anderson’s presentation on negotiating with insurance companies, part of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ Repairer Driven Education series.
“I learned how to communicate to attain what you need to give customers that come into my shop the proper repair,” he said. “Our customers are very loyal.”
Kicker said his business doesn’t do a lot of custom work, but he was excited to see the builds other people brought to the show.
“The level of professionalism and fabrication is amazing, just seeing what people can accomplish with their hands,” he said.
Decreasing Cycle Time
Doug Bowman has owned Superior Auto Body in Ranson, WV, for 35 years. He has been attending the SEMA Show for 20 years.
Marissa Bowman, left, and Doug Bowman.
Three estimators from his shop, and his daughter and shop manager, Marissa Bowman, also came to the show.
“I wanted everyone to see it, what goes on and to get some education,” Doug said.
Efficiency and cycle time are the biggest issues at Superior Auto Body.
“There’s a lot of delays that can occur,” Marissa said. “We are trying to avoid them and make everything move as efficiently as possible.”
The Bowmans had also just listened to Anderson’s presentation on negotiations, and they planned to attend more classes to learn how to improve customer experience, to “help customers understand the process, why it takes so long, and everything that goes into repairing your vehicle back to the way it should be,” Marissa said.
“There’s always something new [at SEMA],” Doug said. “That’s why we come every year, just to try to stay ahead of the curve.”
Improving Insurance-Shop Relations
Dan Biggs, owner of Rick’s Auto Body Shop, which has two locations in South Bend and Mishawaka, IN, was attending his fourth SEMA Show.
Dan Biggs.
Biggs said he took over the business from his father, who brought him to SEMA. Biggs now has five children who have joined the business, all of whom came to SEMA with him this year.
“This is the future,” Biggs said of SEMA. “I hope [my children] get out of this what they can. This is where the future comes to get the best ideas they can to rise to the better level.”
His daughter, Marina Biggs, a detailer, was attending her first SEMA Show.
Marina Biggs.
“I came because my dad invited me and I thought it’d be a cool experience to see what it’s all about,” she said.
Dan said the biggest issue at his shops, which do not participate in DRPs, is relationships with insurers.
“It’s at an all-time low,” he said. “They just decided they don’t want to pay for things they’ve paid for for 20 years. It’s a constant argument. We have the best proof, all the data they need, but they went down the road to not pay for things now.”
Dan said he believes in the power of networking, and SEMA is a great place to do it. He attended the Collision Industry Conference on Nov. 5 to connect with other industry leaders, to find out what they’re seeing.
“It’s pretty uniform what we’re all going through,” Dan said. “I believe in the power of relationships, and it’s here.”
Dan said custom cars aren’t his thing, but he likes to come to Las Vegas and the SEMA Show because it brings back memories of his dad, who has passed, and makes new memories with his children.
“The biggest thing is having my kids with me; that’s the thing I treasure the most,” he said.
Marina, a movie buff, said the coolest thing she had seen so far was DeloreanRental.com's Delorean Time Machine, a recreation of the car featured in “Back to the Future.”
Training Techs for the Future
Gerald Rosenbarker, general manager of Mohawk Collision Center in Schenectady, NY, said he tries to come to SEMA every other year. This was his seventh or eighth time at the show.
Gerald Rosenbarker.Mohawk has 20 OEM certifications, so Rosenbarker comes to SEMA to make deals on new equipment, which the shop upgrades constantly.
Rosenbarker said he also enjoys the educational opportunities. He had just attended an SCRS RDE class on AI tools that can enhance customer service.
“These [classes] get you started, get you an idea of what you’re looking to do,” he said. “Then you can deep dive into it later, look other avenues to help you grow your collision business.”
He said his shop is looking to grow its staff for long-term success, and training is key to reaching that goal.
“We have grown quickly over the last few years,” Rosenbarker said. “Developing them, training them, bringing them here and seeing what other learning opportunities there are after SEMA is a great option for us to grow our staff into the technicians we need for the future.”
Rosenbarker said he’s “not that much of a car guy,” but he always enjoys the technological innovations on display at SEMA.
“Anyone in this industry needs to come out here, if you haven’t been,” he said. “I think people often think of it as a car show, but it’s so much more.”
Streamlining Operations
Nicolas Quiambao.
Nicolas Quiambao, an estimator at Oka’s Auto Body in Waipahu, HI, said the company is planning on expanding. He was sent to SEMA for the first time to learn more about the industry and specifically look for a system or company that can help Oka’s streamline operations.
“Admin work is heavy and being able to bring in more customers, be more efficient, will help us grow,” Quiambao said.
He was looking for an all-inclusive system or company to help speed up processes like making first contact with customers, keeping them updated throughout the repair process, accounting and ordering and receiving parts.
“There are a lot of really nice cars and trucks to see out here, but what gets me excited is seeing all the tools and systems that are being created to help companies become more efficient and effective,” Quiambao said.
Attracting More Customers
Ryan Timmons.
Ryan Timmons, owner of Ryan’s Rod Service in Florence, CO, was at his 15th SEMA Show. He said he comes to SEMA every year to make more connections.
Timmons said his shop, which does not do insurance work, has run into a “slight slowdown” in jobs and a problem getting some customers to pay.
“It’s been minimal,” he said. “We’re surviving and making it happen.”
This year, Timmons said, he was also at SEMA to look for new equipment and vendors to appeal to more potential customers.
He said the coolest thing he saw was the Golden Sahara II in Goodyear’s booth. The custom car was built in 1954 by George Barris using a wrecked 1953 Lincoln Capri. Barris equipped it with voice commands, sensor-based automatic emergency braking, futuristic styling and other amenities like a built-in TV and refrigerator.
Expanding Business By Upgrading Technology
Tracy Kroon.
Tracy Kroon, owner of Krown Restoration LTD, in Wilsall, MT, was at his first SEMA Show.
“We have a major project we’re working on that requires newer technology, and we thought this was the perfect place to come to view it,” Kroon said.
Finding qualified staff is Krown Restoration’s biggest challenge, Kroon said.
He had a tough time picking his favorite part of the show. “We’re just kind of overwhelmed with the whole thing,” Kroon said.
Abby Andrews