Snow & Ice Management Association

What Snow & Ice Management Association does

The Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1996 and headquartered in Mequon, Wisconsin, that serves the commercial snow and ice management industry across the United States and Canada. Its primary constituency is snow contractors, with secondary segments including product and service suppliers, facilities professionals, and municipalities. SIMA's core offerings are organized around four pillars: professional credentials (the Certified Snow Professional certification for executives and the Advanced Snow Manager certificate for operations teams, the latter available in English and Spanish), a portfolio of training resources (the Fundamentals of Anti-Icing & Liquids course, an annual six-video training series, and ANSI-accredited standards for safety and procurement), events (anchored by the Snow & Ice Symposium, claimed as the largest commercial snow and ice trade show in North America, plus the Leadership Forum, NH Salt Symposium, and Midwest Snow & Ice Conference), and content (Snow Business magazine in print and digital, the Snow Talk podcast, and the Snow & Ice Resource Center).

The underlying technology stack is conventional association infrastructure rather than a proprietary product platform: a learning management system at Train.sima.org, a member portal at Customer.sima.org, event management tools at show.sima.org and 2025simashow.expofp.com, and a searchable member directory. SIMA does not offer a software product, API, or AI-powered capabilities. The organization is independent and governed by a Board of Directors composed of industry professionals and suppliers, with an affiliated 501(c)(3) charitable arm, the SIMA Foundation, that conducts workforce development, research, and benchmarking work.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of streams: company-based membership dues (including a $40/month EasyPay option and multi-year/multi-location pricing), event registration and trade show booth rentals, fees for credentials and training courses (with a $200 annual training credit for members in good standing), and advertising in Snow Business magazine and related digital properties across Power Buy, Smart Buy, and Budget Buy package tiers. The go-to-market motion is community- and event-led, leveraging peer groups, interest groups, regional events, and member referrals, with marketing amplified through the magazine, podcast, email, and the Resource Center.

Name

Snow & Ice Management Association

Legal name

Snow & Ice Management Association

Website

https://sima.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SIMA is a non-profit trade association serving commercial snow contractors, suppliers, facilities professionals, and municipalities across the US and Canada through industry credentials, training, the flagship Snow & Ice Symposium trade show, and publications including Snow Business magazine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Snow & Ice Management (De-icing, Plowing) (BPABADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Snow & Ice Management (Plowing, Salting, De-icing) (IMAIAIAF), 24/7 Snow & Ice Response / Seasonal Contract Services (HSAIAIAJ)

Keywords

• Snow management association
• Industry certifications training
• Trade association events
• Professional credentialing programs
• Industry publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Mequon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for snow contractors, suppliers, and facilities professionals. Company-based membership with benefits flowing to individual contacts tied to the company account.
2. Monthly Membership Subscriptions: Monthly payment option at $40/month for snow contractors with auto-billing through Stripe system. Available for multi-year and multi-location companies.
3. Event Registration and Trade Show Exhibits: Revenue from Snow & Ice Symposium, Leadership Forum, NH Salt Symposium, Midwest Snow & Ice Conference registrations and booth rentals. Largest trade show in North America for commercial snow and ice management.
4. Training Programs and Credentials: Fees from ASM certificate program, CSP certification exams, Fundamentals of Anti-Icing & Liquids certificate, and annual training video series. $200 annual training credit provided to members.
5. Advertising in Snow Business Magazine: Print and digital advertising packages including Power Buy (half pages or larger, 6 issues), Smart Buy (quarter pages, 3-5 issues), and Budget Buy (quarter pages, 2 issues). Also includes eNews sponsorships, content sponsorships, and web/custom sponsorships.
6. Product Spotlight Feature: Free product showcase feature in Snow Business magazine issues, with additional visibility in Snow Business Test Drive section online.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SIMA is a non-profit trade association that provides membership-based services to commercial snow and ice management professionals, including industry credentialing (CSP certification, ASM certificate), training courses, annual events and trade shows (Snow & Ice Symposium), and publications (Snow Business magazine, Snow Talk podcast). The association serves snow contractors, suppliers, and facilities professionals across the US and Canada.

Product overview

SIMA operates as a non-profit trade association offering a portfolio of membership-based services, credentials, events, and publications for the commercial snow and ice management industry. The core offerings include Snow Business Magazine (the industry's leading print and digital publication), the annual Snow & Ice Symposium (the largest trade show in North America for the industry), and professional credentialing programs including Certified Snow Professional (CSP) certification for business executives and Advanced Snow Manager (ASM) certificate for operations teams. Additional offerings include training courses such as Fundamentals of Anti-Icing & Liquids and the Annual Training Video Series, the Snow & Ice Resource Center digital hub, the Snow Talk podcast, Product Spotlight marketing features, Peer Group networking programs, a member directory, and the SIMA Foundation charitable arm. SIMA does not offer a software product, API services, or AI-powered technology solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Snow Business Magazine: Industry magazine published 5x per year covering snow and ice management
• Snow Talk Podcast
• Advanced Snow Manager (ASM)
• Certified Snow Professional (CSP)

Products and services

• Snow Business Magazine SIMA's official industry magazine published in print and digital format, serving as the go-to resource for the commercial snow management industry with feature covers of industry professionals, equipment and service spotlights, and educational content. Available to non-members via subscription.
• Snow & Ice Symposium SIMA's annual four-day event bringing together industry professionals for keynotes, education sessions, and the largest trade show in the commercial snow and ice management industry. Next scheduled for Cincinnati, OH in June 2026.
• Certified Snow Professional (CSP) The industry's highest certification for business owners and executives, requiring prerequisites, a comprehensive monthly online exam, and annual continuing education credits for maintenance.
• Advanced Snow Manager (ASM) Industry-leading designation for field and operations team members, consisting of four online courses available in English and Spanish, with no prerequisites or ongoing fees.
• Fundamentals of Anti-Icing & Liquids On-demand certificate course teaching core principles and science of anti-icing and liquids, including operational planning and safety protocols for ice management. Free to members.
• Annual Training Video Series Six-video training series covering snow plowing techniques, skid steer operations, site engineering, and safety, with automated quizzing and company-wide access dashboard for employee verification.
• Snow Talk Podcast SIMA's industry podcast featuring conversations with peers and sponsored episodes covering topics relevant to snow and ice management professionals.
• SIMA Foundation 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on workforce development, scientific research and advancements, and public awareness for the commercial snow and ice industry.
• Member Directory Searchable online directory of SIMA contractor and supplier members, enabling users to find snow removal professionals and industry suppliers.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NH Department of Environmental ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Hampshire Salt Summit is a partnership between SIMA and NH Department of Environmental Services. This one-day event each September brings together contractors and municipalities from the Northeast for timely education on salt management and sustainability practices. The event qualifies for CSP and Green SnowPro renewal credits.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities: APPA serves facility professionals in educational institutions — Western University is a documented SIMA member. Comparable as a mid-sized trade association running credentials, annual conferences, and benchmarking tools for facilities decision-makers, with similar revenue mix and member-engagement mechanics.
• National Association of Landscape Professionals: NALP is the primary US trade association for landscape service professionals, many of whom also provide commercial snow & ice services as a seasonal extension of their core offerings. SIMA and NALP share overlapping member profiles, certification economics, and trade show archetypes (e.g., GIE+EXPO), making NALP the most comparable peer organization in scale and business model.
• Building Owners and Managers Association International: BOMA represents commercial building owners and managers, who constitute the buyer side of snow & ice services contracts and a key SIMA audience. Both operate as membership-based trade associations with annual conventions, certification tracks, advocacy programming, and educational content for property professionals.
• International Facility Management Association: IFMA serves facility management professionals — explicitly cited by SIMA as a 'Facilities Professionals' customer segment needing access to qualified snow management services. Both organizations run credentialed training, recurring events, and member-driven best-practice programs at similar scales and mid-market target members.

Others

• National Pest Management Association: NPMA is a similarly-sized US trade association built around a single service-provider industry (pest management) with member dues, an annual convention, technical training, and accreditation programs — directly analogous to SIMA's structure and revenue mix across commercial services niches.
• Outdoor Power Equipment Institute: OPEI is the trade association for outdoor power equipment manufacturers, whose products (plows, spreaders, de-icing equipment) are purchased by SIMA's contractor members. Comparable as a mid-sized US industry trade association with member services and advocacy programming anchoring a niche commercial-services sector.
• ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership: ASAE is the trade association for the trade-association industry itself. While not industry-specific, ASAE is the closest peer for membership-model mechanics, credential governance, non-profit operating economics, and event-driven revenue that SIMA mirrors structurally.

Emerging players

• American Society of Landscape Architects: ASLA represents landscape architects — sit adjacent to SIMA's contractor-focused membership. While SIMA members execute, ASLA members specify and design, creating partial overlap in adjacent industry trade association programming, event formats, and continuing-education mechanics across the broader landscape-services ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SIMASnow
• Facebookfacebook.com/SnowandIceManagement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/simasnow

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Snow & Ice Management Association