The MPMC Media Trade Conference. “Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council” or MPMC is a council in the SEMA Professional Trade Association. SEMA consists of specialty groups within the membership called Councils. ARMO is the Automotive Restoration Market Organization, HRIA is the Hot Rod Industry Alliance, and many more for different sectors in the automotive aftermarket such as; Wheel and Tire, Offroad, Trucks, Styling, etc. Each year MPMC holds an intensive 3-day media event where over 100 of the manufacturer members of SEMA/MPMC each have a suite at (usually) Embassy Suites in Orange County, California the week before the Grand National Roadster Show. Members of the media, editors, publishers, content developers, etc are invited to be scheduled for individual 30 minute meetings one-on-one with the manufacturers privately in their suite. The manufacturers present their latest products, share press releases, samples, etc. for the media to publish. (see this article from Wilwood) A bell rings in the hallway every half hour and we run to our next scheduled meeting. We had over 3 dozen meetings in three days.
Blacktop Magazine had a full schedule with the following manufacturers:
Flex-a-lite, Speedway Motors Inc., Steer Smarts., Eaton Performance Products, SPAL USA., Classic Performance Products Inc., Hawk Performance, Centerforce Clutches, PRW Industries Inc., JET Performance Products, Automotive Racing Products, McLeod Racing LLC., Wilwood Engineering, PerTronix Inc., IDIDIT LLC., American Powertrain., QA1, Auto Meter Products Inc., Derale Performance, Mothers Polishes-Waxes-Cleaners, BMR Suspension Inc., Hypertech Inc., BDS Co. Inc., Edelbrock Group, Hellwig Products Co. Inc., DeatschWerks, Holley | MSD | Racepak | NOS | AEM | B&M | Hurst , Lubrication Specialties Inc., Borgeson Universal Co. Inc., Baer Brakes | Detroit Speed | Flowmaster | Hooker Blackheart, SEMA/PRI, Design Engineering Inc., E3 Spark Plugs, TMI Products Inc., Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels, AMSOIL Inc., Flaming River Industries Inc., and Performance Design LLC.
We shared our focus as the “Arts and Leisure” section of the automotive aftermarket. Which means we don’t do heavy long-form tech articles but short human interest, historical, entertaining articles that focus on things like the history of a company, how that new product is going to enhance the experience of the vehicle/driver. Not to say we didn’t learn something like how Centerforce Clutch was formed when Bill Hays left his namesake company to do his own thing and invented the Twin Disk design. A fourth generation company, the majority of their employees have been with the company for 30+ years!
Watch for articles in the coming weeks for more from the 2023 SEMA MPMC Media Trade Conference!