SEMA Product Partner Spotlight: Omix-ADA
Welcome to Product Partner Spotlight, where we’ll feature select JK-Forum partners and get a little more detail on the companies who support us and you, the reader. For over 20 years, Omix-ADA has provided parts for Jeep customers, and today we’ll take a closer look into the company and how they have expanded.
Omix-ADA was started in 1992 as a way for company owner, Al, to get products from companies like Timken, Dana/Spicer, and others to European and Middle-Eastern customers. However, this rapidly shifted as domestic retailers began to request similar parts for restoration or replacement. While they started in just bearings, u-joints, and other related parts, the demand for replacement parts required sourcing from other companies. A need to purchase other existing product lines to meet the increase in requests was eventually required of Omix-ADA.
This led to more customers requesting accessories for Jeep products, and in 2006, Omix-ADA developed the Rugged Ridge product line. Rugged Ridge is now recognized as a leader in aftermarket accessories to make Jeep products meet the demands of customers who require more. What followed were the purchases of axle producer Alloy USA, ring and pinion producer Precision Gear, and accessory manufacturer Outland Automotive. This not only allowed Omix-ADA to meet further Jeep requests, but also requests outside of Jeep from brands like Ford, Toyota, Ram, and more.
While many companies will fall away from classic or older lines, Omix-ADA continues to produce products for older Jeeps like the TJ, YJ and CJ right beside parts for the JK. They also find ways to fit JK products onto older Wrangler chassis. A great example is the XHD Modular Bumper that was developed for the JK. Later, it was developed for the TJ, YJ and CJ Wranglers as well. More recently, JK hood catches by Rugged Ridge have also been developed for the TJ chassis.
Omix-ADA does more than just body accessories. They are also in the LED lighting game with Rugged Ridge and offer LED lights for Jeeps. “We have been selling LED lighting for a while now, and sales are strong,” says Henk Van Dongen, Director of Marketing at Omix-ADA, “We’ve seen a shift from HID to LED when it comes to aftermarket upgrades. The nice thing about LED lighting is that you can have a lot of power in a small package. We offer the smaller lights, as that is what consumers can easily use in a day-to-day environment. The very large bars look cool and have their place, but we know that selling spot, and flood lights are the bread and butter.”
What’s the next big thing from Omix-ADA? Well, Henk gave us a sneak peek into one of their debut products for the 2014 SEMA Show. “At the SEMA Show 2014, we will be introducing our ExoTop for the JK Wranglers,” begins Van Dongen. “This is a roof rack and soft top in-one combination. We had a prototype out last year and received a lot of positive feedback. This will be another one of our patented products that has been designed by our in-house engineering group. This item should be considered by anyone who is looking for a roof rack, as the ExoTop will continue to give you the ease of taking your soft top down, even with the roof rack in place.”