NEWS FROM THE CONFERENCE AND TRADESHOW CIRCUIT roadtrip
The supply chain’s
World’s Fair
YOU COULD THINK OF PROMAT—THE MATERIAL HANDLING INDUSTRY
of America’s (MHIA) biennial trade show—as the supply chain version of a
World’s Fair.
Consider that in 1893, the World’s Fair Columbian Exhibition drew 27 million people to Chicago for a glimpse of the future (electric street lights, the Ferris wheel, even
the humble zipper). Similarly, ProMat 2013, 120 years later, will draw an expected
30,000 visitors to Chicago for a glimpse of the future as it relates to logistics and supply chain management—from driverless forklift trucks, robots, and high-tech storage
equipment to the latest racks, pallets, and packaging material made out of mushrooms.
The event, scheduled for Jan. 21 to 24,
will be held at Chicago’s McCormick
Place. To help visitors navigate the
300,000 square feet of exhibit space,
ProMat’s organizers have arranged
exhibitors into four “solution centers”:
▪ The Manufacturing and Assembly Solutions Center, which will feature automated
assembly support, intelligent devices, robotics, ergonomic and safety equipment,
work stations, light rail, and other assembly-assist equipment and systems for the
manufacturing environment.
▪ The Fulfillment and Delivery Solutions Center, which will feature solutions for traditional and e-commerce order fulfillment, order picking and packaging, third-party
logistics, warehousing, and distribution and transportation.
▪ The Information Technology Solutions Center, which will feature supply chain software solutions, RFID, auto ID and data collection, transportation management systems, manufacturing execution systems, logistics execution systems, enterprise
resource planning, and order management systems.
▪ The Knowledge Center, which will house nearly 100 on-floor educational seminars
by exhibitors.
Jan. 14–15
The National Retail Federation’s Big
Show in New York City will include an
exposition with more than 100 vendors
of supply chain-related technology and
services as well as seminars on supply
chain management. ( www.nrf.com)
Jan. 29–31
The National Association of Wholesale-Distributors’ 2013 Executive Summit
in Washington, D.C., will be organized
around the theme “Unlocking Secrets
of Success from the Best.”
( www.naw.org/events)
Feb. 4–6
The Food Marketing Institute and
Grocery Manufacturers Association’s
Fourth Annual Supply Chain Conference in Orlando, Fla., will address topics such as product traceability, contingency plans, and data-driven inventory
management. ( www.gmaonline.org)
Feb. 11–13
The Reverse Logistics Association
Conference and Expo in Las Vegas
will include a keynote address by
Chris Nielson of Zappos.com, which is
known for its customer-friendly
returns policies. ( www.rltshows.com)
A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE
In addition to the on-floor exhibits, all three of the show’s keynote presentations will
look toward the future. Henrik I. Christensen, KUKA Chair of Robotics and director
of robotics at Georgia Tech, will talk about a new wave of robots that is revolutionizing manufacturing and distribution.
Steve Forbes will draw on his experience as chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes
Media to discuss the economic outlook for the next couple of years. In particular, he will
address what four more years of the Obama administration will mean for U.S. business.
The final keynote will involve futurist Edie Weiner and the heads of four key supply chain industry organizations: MHIA, the Material Handling Equipment
Distributors Association, the Warehousing Education and Research Council, and the
Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. The panel will discuss the
future of material handling, logistics, and the supply chain.
As an added bonus, visitors can take advantage of the fact that this year’s ProMat is
collocated with Automate 2013, an exhibition of automation technology and solutions.
For more information, visit www.promatshow.com. ;
Feb. 11–14
The ARC World Industry Forum in
Orlando, Fla., will look at innovative
processes and technologies such as
cloud computing, mobile devices, and
energy optimization solutions.
( www.arcweb.com/events)
March 10–12
The International Warehouse
Logistics Association’s 2013
Convention and Expo in Orlando,
Fla., will help third-party logistics
companies develop strategies for
growing their business and minimizing expenses. ( www.iwla.com/Events)
