October 5 – 7, 2022
Attendee Registration
Non-member – $575
Member – $475
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Register
Click below to register for the conference or purchase an exhibit booth.
Exhibit Booth Registration
Exhibit Booth Options
Standard Exhibit Booth – $1,995
Double Exhibit Booth – $3,850
Exhibit Showcase – $7,650
REGISTER NOW
Prices subject to increases due to inflation and ongoing geopolitical factors. Book now for best pricing. Note: Attendee rates reflect Early Bird pricing. These rates expire July 5. Early Bird pricing does NOT apply to exhibit booths.
Excursions
This year’s SAC offers several optional excursions on Tuesday, October 4th and one great option for Friday, October 7th at the close of the conference.
Before the start of the conference, you can explore the appeal of the surrounding area and discover interesting places and things to do.
Spending a day/evening with other SAC attendees gives you the opportunity to enjoy shared experiences and create relationships that will continue throughout the conference and last long after the conference is over.
Attendees may also register their spouse for these excursions even if they are not registered for the conference. If you would like to register your spouse, please contact lynsey@southernautocon.com for more details.
Buses load in the Gas South District’s roundabout.
Gwinnett County’s “Seoul of the South” Food Tour ($100) Limit of 23 per tour; SAC may add more tours if necessary
From traditional Korean restaurants and markets to karaoke, there’s not much you can experience in Korea that you can’t also do in Gwinnett. Through our immersive Seoul of the South™ Korean restaurant tour, you’ll learn all about the rise of this unique (and delicious) culture in Gwinnett.
The Seoul of the South™ Korean restaurant tour takes place at three local restaurants and bakeries. Throughout the tour, you’ll be given information about Korean culture in Gwinnett, as well as details about the food you try.
Tour includes transportation to each restaurant, a special swag bag, and ample food provided by restaurants at each stop (almost 3 full meals per person). Includes non-alcoholic beverages only.
TOUR LEADER
Our tour guide is someone who loves food. Your guide works closely with Explore Gwinnett to bridge the gap between Gwinnett’s hospitality industry and the local Korean community.
TIMELINE FOR TOUR 1: Tuesday, October 4, 11am ET – 2:30pm ET
- 10:50am – The trolley will leave from the front of Gas South District Convention Center at 11am. Be at the stop no later than 10:50 as we have a lot to fit into this tour and need to leave at 11am.
- 2:30pm – Arrive back at Gas South District Convention Center.
TIMELINE FOR TOUR 2: Tuesday, October 4, 3:30pm ET – 7:00pm ET
- 3:20pm – The trolley will leave from the front of Gas South District Convention Center at 3:30pm. Be at the stop no later than 3:20pm as we have a lot to fit into this tour and need to leave at 3:30pm.
- 7:30pm – Arrive back at Gas South District Convention Center.
TIMELINE FOR TOUR 3: Friday, October 7, 11am ET – 2:30pm ET
- 10:50am – The trolley will leave from the front of Gas South District Convention Center at 11am. Be at the stop no later than 10:50 as we have a lot to fit into this tour and need to leave at 11am.
- 2:30pm – Arrive back at Gas South District Convention Center.
The Georgia Aquarium ($95; lunch at your own expense) Limit of 56 per tour; SAC may add additional tours if necessary
Don’t miss your chance to visit Georgia Aquarium, one of the world’s largest aquariums. With everything from belugas and whale sharks to puffins and penguins, there’s no better way to witness marine life on land. Georgia Aquarium is a nonprofit committed to inspiring awareness and preservation of our ocean and aquatic animals worldwide. Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta contains more than 10 million gallons of water.
This SAC Excursion includes round trip bus transportation from the Gas South District Convention Complex plus access to all the Aquarium galleries including the newest exhibit SHARKS, Predators of the Deep, the 4D Theater shows*, general-seating Dolphin Presentation*, Sea Lion Presentation, plus your admission helps support ocean conservation.
Lunch in the Aquarium cafe is available at your own expense. Tour the Aquarium at your own pace but strictly adhere to the timeline in order to leave when the bus departs at 4:30pm.
TIMELINE FOR TOUR: 10am ET – 5:30pm ET – Times are approximate based upon traffic conditions
10:00am – The bus will leave from the front of Gas South District Convention Center. Be sure to get on the correct bus as there are other excursions planned.
11:00am – Arrive at Georgia Aquarium. Tour with the group or on your own.
4:30pm – Tour concludes and bus carries you back to Duluth.
5:30pm – Arrive back at Gas South District Convention Center.
The Touring Dead Walking & Bus Tour ($100; lunch at your own expense) Limited to 56 per tour; SAC may add additional tours if necessary.
This is The Georgia Tour Company’s original tour of Senoia’s film locations from Woodbury to Alexandria. See the set locations from The Walking Dead Seasons 3 through the present season, along with some great insider stories about Seasons 1 and 2. Your tour will be hosted by one of our awesome Cosplaying guides, many of whom have been on set as an extra and others living and working right here in town daily viewing the action as it happens. Our character guides will draw you in and make you feel like you are reliving your favorite scenes right before your eyes!
See the locations for:
- the Governor’s realm of Woodbury and all its masterful scenes behind the barricades keeping the “Biters” out;
- the Season 4 neighborhood where our heroes sought shelter after the fall of the prison, including the Pudding House;
- and the infamous Alexandria Safe Zone from the RIM (we do not tour the inside of Alexandria as it is an active filming location). Find out the details behind this private backlot from locals.
The Touring Dead Walking Tour is a fan-based tour. The Georgia Tour Company is not affiliated with AMC, Robert Kirkman, nor any production component of The Walking Dead. We do not have any special access to areas off limits to the public.
We ask that all guests respect the privacy of the filming locations and private residences, and do not attempt to access studio-controlled areas.
The SAC Excursion bus will stop in town for lunch (at your own expense) in the town of Senoia. Grab some of your new friends and set out for lunch at one of these great restaurants located within this small walkable downtown area.
- Yesterday’s
- Lisa’s Creperie
- Maguires
- Curious Kitchen
- Nic & Norman’s
- Fuego Mar Mexican Grill
- McMaster’s BBQ
- Bistro Hilary
- Matt’s Smalltown Pizza
- Senor Taco
TIMELINE FOR TOUR: 9am ET – 5:30pm ET – Times are approximate based upon traffic conditions
- 9:00am – The bus will leave from the front of Gas South District Convention Center. Be sure to get on the correct bus as there are other excursions planned.
- 11:00am – Arrive at Senoia. Disembark and get acclimated, meet our Tour Guide, then back on the bus to see some film locations.
- 12:00pm-1:15pm – Stop in Senoia Downtown for Lunch (any of the above restaurants at your own expense)
- 1:15pm – Back on the bus to complete the tour.
- 3:15pm – Tour concludes and bus carries you back to Duluth.
- 5:30pm – Arrive back at Gas South District Convention Center.
MICHELIN Raceway at Road Atlanta ($100); Limited capacity, please sign up now.
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is situated on 750 acres in Hall County. There are 600,000+ square feet of paved team paddock space, as well as approximately 130,000 square feet of paved Fan Zone at the track. As one of the top entertainment centers in Georgia and one of the most iconic racetracks in the world, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta offers individuals, families and large corporate groups a fun and family-friendly environment, as well as the chance to witness motorsports history being made on race weekends.
Our SAC Excursion will take place the evening of Tuesday, October 4 when guests can gather in the Michelin Tower Hospitality Suites and enjoy watching the DCRA driving club test the limits of their sports cars on the well-lit track. Enjoy beverages and light snacks along with a visit to the Paddock to talk with DEKRA safety professionals and car owners.
TIMELINE FOR TOUR: 4:00pm ET -7:30pm ET – Times are approximate based upon traffic conditions
- 4:00pm – The bus will leave from the front of Gas South District Convention Center. Be sure to get on the correct bus as there are other excursions planned.
- 4:45pm – Arrive Road Atlanta and go to our Hospitality Suites; Enjoy watching the DCRA trials that are underway; Visit the paddock and talk with professionals
- 6:45pm – Visit concludes and bus carries you back to Duluth.
- 7:30pm – Arrive back at Gas South District Convention Center.
Agenda At-A-Glance
Wednesday, October 5
MORNING: Exhibit Hall booth setup; Sign-up time for Sellers for Matchmaking Event; Lunch for Matchmaking participants only
AFTERNOON: Matchmaking Event – For Sponsors, Exhibitors, and attendees (for an extra fee). B2B Meetings with OEM & Large Tier 1 Purchasing representatives. Past participants have included Kia, Mercedes, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, Mazda Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen, and Volvo, among others, as well as numerous large Tier 1 companies.
EVENING: Wednesday Welcome Reception – All registered attendees are welcome to attend this opening night reception, with great food, music, high energy, and a few surprises, in the Exhibit Hall at the Gas South District Convention Center.
Thursday, October 6
ALL DAY: Exhibit Hall open
MORNING: Breakfast; Keynote Speakers including industry favorite, Gary Silberg of KPMG as the lead-off Keynote; a special All-Star Keynote Panel moderated by David Eyes of True Commerce/DiCentral, on “Supply Chain Solutions”; Breakout Sessions on the latest hot topics; numerous Networking Opportunities; and valuable Exhibit Hall breaks
MIDDAY: Stars of Southern Manufacturing Awards Luncheon; Innovation Test Track
AFTERNOON: General Sessions; more exciting Breakout Sessions on the latest hot topics including hands-on demonstrations and EV ride-around opportunities; numerous Networking Opportunities, and valuable Exhibit Hall breaks
EVENING: Gala Reception with great food, live music, high energy, and a few surprises – All registered attendees invited
Friday, October 7
MORNING: Breakfast; numerous Networking Opportunities; Keynote Speakers including the Georgia Governor (invited), as well as representatives of recent news-making companies (you can’t afford to miss this); Keynote on the automotive economy; possible local celebrities; more valuable Exhibit Hall breaks; and hands-on demonstrations and EV ride-around opportunities
LATE MORNING: Special Drawing for a Vehicle; Conference Adjourns
Please note that the Agenda is subject to change.
— COVID-19 Safety Update —
We are fully committed to making this year’s SAC the best it’s ever been— and keeping our attendees and exhibitors safe is part of that commitment! We will be following all current CDC and local guidelines regarding COVID-19 at the time of the conference.
About SAC
In October 2022, senior executives from OEMs across the Southeast and all over the world will showcase their latest developments and emerging technologies, and will discuss efforts to increase their competitive advantage.
Attendees include OEMs; Tier 1, 2, and 3 suppliers; government agencies; educational institutions; and professional service organizations that have specialized expertise in automotive, and related industrial and aerospace industries.
The SAC has an International reputation for attracting top industry executives and thought leaders – including those from various parts of Europe; Asia; Central, South, and North America; and the Nordic countries.
The SAC has consistently attracted top-level decision makers including those responsible for vehicle components, site selection, construction, plant and equipment, production processes, quality, transportation, logistics and supply chain matters, HR/benefit issues, accounting and finance, and legal solutions such as OSHA, product liability, and intellectual property.
With creative changes and continued improvements, the 2022 conference promises to be an unforgettable experience. Following the huge success last year, ALL attendees will be invited to attend the Wednesday evening Welcome Reception, allowing focused networking opportunities with Joint Board members, OESA, SAWF, WIM, OEM Purchasing representatives, VIP guests, and others. In addition, in response to overwhelming requests for the same, the Exhibit Hall is integrated with our main stage area again, with an improved layout to increase traffic flow to exhibit booths and high-priority breakout sessions to take attendee education to the next level. Join us for SAC 2022 in Georgia!
A Brief History of SAC
SAC 2022 will mark the 15th year for the conference that serves the automotive industry associations and companies based in the southern region, namely Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, as well as the Southern Automotive Women’s Forum (SAWF).
The conference rotates between four states each year, from Alabama to Georgia to Mississippi and Tennessee, and then repeats the rotation. The hosts of SAC represent a governing group called the Southern Automotive Manufacturing Alliance (SAMA) which exists to promote the automotive manufacturing industry across the South and to foster growth.
The SAC has grown in stature and attendance every year mirroring the phenomenal rise in companies locating their facilities in the region including recent game-changers like Mazda Toyota, Rivian, Ford (Blue Oval), and Tesla.
The southeastern United States continues to boast the fastest-growing automotive industry in North America. Known for its world-class automotive production and sound business environment, the region’s supply base has thrived while OEMs and major suppliers continue to invest.
The Southern Automotive Conference (SAC) selected the Gas South District Convention Center in the close-in Atlanta suburb of Duluth, GA for the 2022 event.
Sponsors
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sheila Wardy at swardy@pmtpublishing.com.
PREMIER SPONSOR
LEGACY SPONSORS
Presenting Sponsor
Social Media Sponsor
Explore new opportunities to sponsor!
Download our sponsorship prospectus to learn more about the new features available at this year’s conference and how your company can get involved.
DOWNLOAD SPONSORSHIP PROSPECTUS HERE!
6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy
Duluth, GA 30097
Hotels
The following hotels are considered to be “on campus” and within walking distance to the Convention Center. Keep checking our website for information on discounted group rates and additional hotel options.
Media Toolkit
Let others know about your participation at SAC!
Our 2022 Media Toolkit contains images, logos, and banners tailored for a variety of different uses. View our toolkit and spread the word!