Sawtooth Selected as SEMA Launch Pad Semi-Finalist

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2021

Contact: D.J. Potter
Website: www.sawtootht.com

Sawtooth, a Utah-based manufacturer of adaptive pickup truck cargo management systems, has been selected as one of only 15 semi-finalists from a field of 181 companies in the highly competitive SEMA Launch Pad Competition.

The competition was created to spotlight promising automotive aftermarket entrepreneurs and help emerging companies gain exposure in one of the most important industries for vehicle customization, accessories, and specialty equipment.

The field will narrow to five finalists who will present live at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, a major automotive aftermarket trade event where manufacturers, buyers, media, and industry professionals gather to see new products and business opportunities.

For Sawtooth, the recognition matters because it validates more than a product. It validates a category shift in pickup truck cargo management.

Truck owners have long had the same basic options: flat tonneau covers, truck bed covers, and fixed-height caps. Those options can be useful, but they do not solve every hauling problem. Sawtooth STRETCH was developed to address the gap between low-profile coverage and real-world cargo.

Why the SEMA Launch Pad Recognition Matters

SEMA Launch Pad is designed for automotive entrepreneurs who are building products with real market potential. Being selected from 181 companies signals that Sawtooth’s approach stood out in a crowded aftermarket field.

The automotive aftermarket is full of accessories that make vehicles look better, work harder, or fit a specific lifestyle. That makes the bar high. A product has to be useful, understandable, and relevant to buyers who care about function.

Sawtooth’s selection shows that pickup truck cargo management is still an area where new thinking is needed.

SEMA’s own 2021 Launch Pad coverage later identified D.J. Potter and Sawtooth among the Launch Pad 2021 semifinalist group. Readers can view the official SEMA Magazine coverage here: SEMA Launch Pad 2021 coverage.

Why Sawtooth Was Selected

Sawtooth’s entry centered on the Sawtooth STRETCH, an Adaptive Cargo Management System built to increase pickup truck versatility.

That distinction is important.

Tonneau covers and truck bed covers are flat systems. Flat systems only work when cargo stays below the bed rails. They can be helpful for low cargo, luggage, tools, bags, and storage bins.

But real truck owners do not always haul low, neat cargo.

A pickup bed may carry coolers, camping tubs, hunting gear, jobsite supplies, bikes, generators, furniture, lawn equipment, or one awkward box that refuses to sit below the rails. When that happens, a flat system usually has to be rolled, folded, retracted, removed, or left open.

That is the limitation Sawtooth was built to solve.

Sawtooth STRETCH is designed to protect and secure both small and large cargo. It can sit lower when the bed is carrying smaller items, then adapt over taller, bulkier, and more irregular loads.

Truck owners looking for increased capability can explore model-specific applications such as the Ford F-150, Toyota Tacoma, and Chevy Colorado.

Built for Real Truck Use

Pickup trucks are not used in perfect conditions.

They are used on worksites, highways, campgrounds, farms, neighborhoods, trails, home projects, hunting trips, road trips, and Saturday errands that somehow become a full cargo-hauling event.

That is why an adaptive system matters. It gives the owner more flexibility when the load changes size, shape, or height.

Sawtooth STRETCH uses a durable composite textile designed to maintain tension while adapting over cargo. Like any truck bed system, it is water resistant, not waterproof. The key advantage is that it continues helping protect and secure cargo when the load rises above bed height.

What Makes Sawtooth Different From Flat Covers

A flat cover has a simple job: cover the bed at rail height.

That works until the cargo gets taller.

Sawtooth STRETCH takes a different approach. It gives truck owners an adaptive alternative to flat-only and restrictive covers like truck bed covers and tonneau covers.

Key Differences

• Flat systems: Work best when cargo stays below the bed rails.
• Caps: Add fixed-height enclosed cargo space, but change the truck full-time.
• Sawtooth STRETCH: Adapts over small, tall, bulky, and irregular cargo.
• Truck-owner benefit: More cargo versatility without forcing every load to stay flat.

If you are comparing pickup bed options, start with A Guide to Different Types of Truck Bed Covers.

For buyers deciding between a flat system and a fixed-height shell, read Tonneau Covers vs. Caps.

Recognition Within the Automotive Aftermarket

The Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA, has long been one of the most recognizable names in the automotive aftermarket.

That makes the Launch Pad selection especially meaningful for a company focused on pickup truck accessories and cargo utility.

The aftermarket exists because drivers do not all use their vehicles the same way. Pickup truck owners are a perfect example. One owner may need bed coverage for luggage. Another may haul tools. Another may load camping gear, bikes, coolers, or outdoor equipment every weekend.

A one-size-flat solution does not match that reality.

Sawtooth’s recognition inside the SEMA Launch Pad program reinforces the need for better cargo-management options that help trucks do more, not less.

For additional competition context, viewers can watch SEMA’s official video playlist here: 2021 SEMA Launch Pad videos.

Continued Momentum for Sawtooth

This SEMA Launch Pad recognition was not Sawtooth’s first validation point.

In 2020, the company took first place in the Outdoor Weber Competition, earning the $30,000 grand prize and further validating the need for a more adaptive pickup cargo-management solution.

The two recognitions point in the same direction: truck owners need more capability from the bed.

They need protection, security, access, and increased capacity without constantly working around the system installed on the truck.

That is where Sawtooth STRETCH fits.

What This Means for Pickup Owners

Awards are useful only if they point to a real customer problem.

This one does.

Pickup owners should not have to choose between covering cargo and actually using the bed. If cargo sits above the rails, the system should not become useless. If the truck is hauling real gear, the owner should not have to remove the accessory that was supposed to help.

Sawtooth Helps Solve That Problem

• It protects and secures smaller everyday cargo.
• It adapts over taller, bulkier, and more irregular cargo.
• It offers increased versatility compared with flat-only systems.
• It gives truck owners an adaptive alternative to caps.
• It helps pickup owners load more, haul more, and do more.

For current fitments, visit the All Products page.

About Sawtooth

Sawtooth is a U.S.-based company focused on adaptive cargo management systems for pickup trucks.

The company’s mission is to help truck owners get more real-world capability from the bed they already own. Sawtooth STRETCH is designed to protect and secure both small and large cargo, giving owners a more versatile alternative to flat-only and restrictive covers like truck bed covers and tonneau covers.

To learn more, review common product questions on the Sawtooth FAQs page.

Load more. Haul more. Do more.