COSTEP Leadership Brings Back the Latest News in the Technology and Equipment Industry 

December 2, 2021

Rio South Texas Continues to Offer the Highest Quality to Investors 

by Faith Chua

In 1963, a small group of manufacturers who supplied performance equipment for the early hot rods got together and created an organization called Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association, or SEMA for short. Their mission was to develop uniform standards for specific products used in motorsports competitions, build a more robust supplier-to-consumer relationship, and help develop programs to encourage business practices. Fifty-eight years later, the organization not only accomplished that mission but exceeded it.     

On Nov. 2, COSTEP's Vice President for Economic Development, Matt Z. Ruszczak, and Senior Vice President for Business Development, Adam Gonzalez, traveled to Las Vegas, NV, for the SEMA Show 2021. SEMA, now the Specialty Equipment Market Association, hosted its annual trade show from November 2 to November 5. The trade show aims to showcase their members' success and continue cultivating their business in the automotive aftermarket through their production and marketing of specialty-equipment products and services.     

The Rio South Texas is a region that naturally lends itself to the manufacturing and trade industries. One of the top industries that thrives in the region is the automotive industry. Part of the benefits the area offers are ready availability and the sheer number of skilled workforce members and flexible operations paired with swift, resilient supply chains. Rio South Texas has established crucial distribution to OEMs on both sides of the Rio Grande River, and its bi-national flexibility lowers costs while improving the quality of trade. Already, the region has garnered recognition for the high quality of work & product. For example, General Motors awarded Aptiv’s operations in Rio South Texas with the 2020 General Motors Supplier Quality Excellence Award. And the region continues to expand its relevance to the industry. Located at the heart of the North American automotive supply chain, it serves as the nexus for more than 1,000 suppliers across multiple tiers serving 30 automotive OEMs.   

While having a wonderful time learning about the latest technology and equipment that will take the automotive industry by storm, the SEMA Show 2021 was one stop in COSTEP's continuous journey to engage mobility industry leaders of today & tomorrow about Rio South Texas and expose investors to the numerous benefits the region has to offer. For the latest updates on COSTEP's outreach efforts throughout North America and parts of Europe, follow their Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter @costep