Congratulations to Jim Nishida-Adams of Adams Auto Upholstery in Iowa City, Iowa. He takes home this week’s prize for “Comment of the Week” — a tablet computer and case courtesy of Albright’s Supply.
Trimmers from near and far left helpful, insightful and even funny comments on The Hog Ring this week. However, we chose Jim for initiating a fantastic and much needed conversation about our industry’s lack of a craft association in the comments section of our article: “Should Auto Trimmers Join SEMA PRO?”
Here’s an excerpt from Jim’s comment:
Getting auto trimmers to put the time and effort into a trade association has always been a problem. Even when Nat Danas was working his butt off with NAATS. I’ve heard his stories, and I’ve talked to many other trimmers. I may change my theory (as I often do), but for now I think the reason it is so hard to get trimmers organized is that we have such a hard time keeping up with our own enterprises. If we only realized that being part of a trade association could make it easier and more profitable to run our businesses.
The demand for auto upholstery and related services is huge. I take a sincere bow to Wyotech and the handful of vocational programs around the country, but we all know that an introductory training program can only take you so far. Once we’re out on our own, we struggle and flounder about trying to figure out how to make it work. Doesn’t it make sense for there to be a place where we can put out success and failure stories into a professional development association? Many trimmers have just closed their doors, sold everything off, and thrown the rest away with no one to pass all that knowledge onto. What a waste!
So yes – I agree that would be good to have a look at SEMA PRO. We could do so much for this industry and for ourselves by getting organized.
In his comment, Jim raised a number of points that we – as a community – need to give great consideration to. Namely, how our industry stands to benefit from the creation or joining of a professional association. It’s a discussion we plan to continue on The Hog Ring, and sincerely hope you’ll participate in as well. Thanks Jim for helping getting the ball rolling!
Also, thank you Albright’s Supply for sponsoring this week’s contest! Specializing in automotive and marine trim, Albright’s Supply has one of the largest inventories in the United States and a network that extends throughout the country. They’re known and trusted throughout the upholstery industry for providing outstanding value and superior customer service. In fact, Albright’s Supply will often go out of their way to find customers trim products they don’t carry, and even provide free shipping on all orders of $150 or more.
To learn more about Albright’s Supply, visit AlbrightsSupply.com or call (662) 287-1451. Also, keep your eyes on The Hog Ring, where we frequently feature their latest sales and promotions.
Wow! Thank you very much. I am one of those guys who never wins anything, so I hardly know what to say except thanks. I sincerely appreciate the gift and the acknowledgement of the importance of the topic — participating in a trade association in order to help our industry, but more importantly, to help ourselves.
The Hog Ring has been a great tool in helping us exchange information and gain knowledge. But like Facebook, Twitter, and all the other social media that dominate communication these days, it has its limits (although it certainly has much more depth than Twitter tweets). A trade association can offer much more in the way of industry clout, mentoring, education, marketing, business strategies, buying power, etc.
A trade association for auto upholsterers will come around again, and hopefully on an international scale thanks to the valuable The Hog Ring has allowed us to make around the world.
Thanks again!
–Jim
Oops . . . thanks to the valuable connections The Hog Ring has allowed us to make . . .
P.S. – It means a lot coming from Albright Supply because I know that Chip Albright is one of the people very interested in making this trade association a reality. Thanks!
–Jim