Special Equipment Market Association (SEMA) reports that high demand for truck accessories such as trailer hitches, bed liners, hood and side window deflectors, rear sliding windows, and toolboxes pushed vehicle accessory sales over the $24.86-billion mark last year.
SEMA added that car and truck accessory sales jumped 7% over 1999 levels and have grown every year since 1988, except for 1991, when in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, accessory sales dropped 3.7%.
"Products for trucks dominate the accessory market, with domestic truck products taking 65% of the segment, and import trucks taking 10%," said Jim Spoonhower, SEMA vp of market research. "That means that three out of four dollars spent on accessories are spent for truck, van and SUV accessories."