Repairer Driven Education Attendance at 2011 SEMA Show Surpasses Previous Year

CC | August 29, 2011

In 2010 the Collision Repair & Refinish (CR&R) section – then referred to as Paint Body & Equipment – turned heads both in the collision industry and on the SEMA Show floor, not just due to the amazing diversity of services, offerings, equipment and opportunities for collision repairers, but additionally because it earned the title as “fastest growing area of the event.”

This year is proving to continue to push the bar higher, and for attendees really looking for inspiration, the SCRS Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, which served as the foundation for SCRS’ involvement at the SEMA Show in 2010, has shown equally impressive development in 2011. Growing from two days of seminars to all four days of the show, SCRS has recently reported that the current YTD education pre-registration numbers for 2011 has already eclipsed total participants in 2010 by over 59%.

“The increased participation in this section of the show and our RDE program is a huge indication of the industry’s excitement over being here in Las Vegas with us and the 120,000 other people who love the energy found only at the SEMA Show,” shared Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Executive Director, Aaron Schulenburg. “A bigger, growing, thriving section, with a noticeable increase in the footprint of the collision industry in the Show means that we have done our part working with SEMA to make this an attractive environment for both exhibitors and attendees in our industry, ensuring that both have successful and inspirational shows.”

With floor space in the section having been expanded, reaching capacity, and then being further expanded, and pre-registrations for buyer attendance, education and exhibition space at an all-time high for the section demographic, 2011 again finds the CR&R boasting one of the top growth percentages in the show with a nearly 25% increase.

With over two months remaining until the opening day of the show, the section has already accumulated some impressive figures of growth. Square footage of the space has already surpassed the 2010 footprint by a climbing 15%, and the number of overall exhibitors in the CR&R section is up over 27% from year-to-date figures, surpassing the 2010 total by an impressive 10%. Perhaps most impressive, is the outpouring of interest from the show attendees who identify Collision Repair and Refinish as their primary business interest; amongst this buyer group, there has been a 47% increase in show registration compared to the 2010 YTD figures. Put simply, all of these numbers point easily the best experience a collision repairer can hope for in attending an industry show designed for collision repairers looking for innovative ideas to help improve their business and bring in added revenue.

“This year has a really great momentum behind it, and the energy is steadily building,” added Peter MacGillivray, SEMA Vice President of Communications and Events. “SCRS has really brought tremendous relevance and intrigue to this section of the SEMA Show. We are thrilled to be a home for their Repairer Driven Education series, and to so many of the other collision industry meetings, activities and groups that have established themselves here thanks to our mutual interest in delivering the best experience possible to our attendees through our strategic partnership.”

For more information about SCRS’ RDE program, or to register, please visit www.semashow.com/scrs.