SEMA Data Co-op sign-ups surge

DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (March 14, 2014) — The Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) has signed up more than 600 automotive specialty equipment suppliers and re-sellers to its Data Co-op, a 300-percent increase from last August.

The SEMA Data Co-op (SDC) formally launched its Product Information Management System (PIMS) in May 2013. The SDC is an industry-owned and -operated initiative designed to bring full product data management capabilities to participating suppliers and to deliver customized data exports to receivers at the lowest possible cost, SEMA said.

 Features include a secure, industry standards-based centralized data repository, on-boarding tools, expert live training and technical assistance, and standard or fully customized data exports.

 “The reception we are receiving in the industry is just fantastic,” said Jim Graven, SDC director of membership. “In particular, we are seeing very strong interest from the re-seller community, who obviously have a very strong pent-up demand for quality, affordable product data. As we continue to build this momentum with these data receivers, more and more manufacturers are coming our way to utilize the SDC as a central point for easy management, storage, validation and distribution of their data. We are even seeing significant interest from the replacement parts side of the business, and we welcome any manufacturers in that marketplace to check us out.”

“Successful distribution of product data across the industry is critical to powering business systems of all types, ranging from internal shipping and category management needs at the distribution level, to the mandatory availability of product information to grow business and close sales in brick and mortar and eCommerce retail environments. It feels great to have made such significant progress in this arguably, very challenging endeavor,” said Jon Wyly, CEO of the SDC,

For more information on the SEMA Data Co-op, visit www.SemaDataCoop.org or contact Jim Graven at [email protected] or 888-958-6698 ext. 4.