As we prepare to hit the floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center for this year’s SEMA show, we wanted to look back on how this organization (originally known as the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association) grew to become the biggest automotive trade show in the world. Formed in 1963, the SEMA organization consisted of pioneers in the high-performance parts business. To make SEMA more inclusive to accessory manufacturers and also to improve its image, SEMA changed its name in 1970 to the Specialty Equipment Market Association.
