Modex 2018 sees record attendance

MHI released the final numbers for Modex 2018, which ran from April 9-12 at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center. Modex 2018, the 4th edition of the expo, saw a 25% jump in the number of registrations for a total of 30,944.

The net square footage at Modex 2018 also set a record, topping at 283,025 square feet and featuring 925 exhibits. Reflecting the global nature of the expo, 140 countries were represented at this year’s show.

“Modex has grown not only in size, but also in overall scope. Attendees experienced a wide range of manufacturing, supply chain and transportation equipment and systems solutions and education,” said George W. Prest, Chief Executive Officer of MHI.

“There were more compelling reasons to attend this year than ever before. Whether they come to find solutions, evaluate vendors, learn about the latest trends and technological innovations or connect with industry leaders and peers, there is no substitute for the value that Modex delivers. Modex 2018 truly lived up to its motto, the Greatest Supply Chain Show on Earth” added Prest.

Modex 2018 is the largest international expo of its kind held in North or South America. The 2018 Georgia Logistics Summit was collocated with the event.

The dominant trend at MODEX surrounded digital supply chain solutions including automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, the Internet of Things and data analytics.

“We’re seeing an acceleration and acceptance of these technologies in manufacturing and supply chain operations,” said Prest. “There was a substantial number of these solutions on display this year.”

The digital trend was also evident in Modex Supply Chain Conference sessions which included 110 educational seminars and four keynotes. On April 9, Juan Perez spoke on UPS’ efforts to anticipate tomorrow’s supply chain challenges by embracing disruptive, digital innovation. MIT’s Andrew McAfee echoed those sentiments in his April 10 keynote on harnessing our digital future.

During the April 11 keynote, MHI’s George W. Prest and Scott Sopher, principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Supply Chain practice released the findings of The 2018 MHI Annual Industry Report: Overcoming Barriers to NextGen Supply Chain Innovation during a panel discussion with 10 industry thought leaders.

The April 11 afternoon keynote featured Mike Rowe who delighted the audience with a funny and poignant account of dirty jobs and why they matter to our industry and to the overall economy.

Industry Night with comedian Jim Gaffigan was an exciting and entertaining networking event with over 1,500 attendees and exhibitors in attendance. Forty-five thousand dollars in proceeds from this event were donated to the Material Handling Education Foundation.

During this event, MHI announced the winners of several awards including the 2018 MHI Innovation Awards during Modex. The MHI Innovation Awards serve to educate and provide valuable insights on the latest manufacturing and supply chain innovative products and services. The winners were:

Best New Product:The Raymond Corp. for Raymond Virtual Reality Simulator

Best Innovation of an Existing Product:ELOKON GmbH for ELOshield - Proximity Detection System

Best IT Innovation: Yard Management Solutions for Eagle Eye Yard Management Software

In addition to the MHI Innovation Awards, the MHI Young Professionals Network (YPN) honored recipients with its annual awards. James J. Radous III from UniCarriers Americas was awarded the 2018 MHI YPN Mentor Award and Brian C. Neuwirth from UNEX Manufacturing was awarded the 2018 MHI YPN Outstanding Young Professionals Award.

Student Days introduced 123 high school and university students and educators from 21 schools to career opportunities in material handling, supply chain and logistics through hands-on learning and networking with industry professionals. This year’s Student Days combined an interactive educational session with a dynamic guided tour of the MODEX expo and tours of supply chain facilities in the Atlanta area.

Webinars of Modex 2018 educational seminar sessions will soon be available online at MODEXShow.com/seminars.

The next MHI-sponsored trade event will be ProMat 2019 held April 8-11 in Chicago’s McCormick Place. For more information on exhibiting at ProMat, or to register as an attendee, visit ProMatShow.com. The next MODEX will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in March of 2020.