The Mheda Journal

Today I actually got out to walk the show and meet a lot of MHEDA Members. It was a lot of fun.

We started the morning by dropping in on the MHEDA-sponsored Objective Based Selling seminar, where more than 20 distributors learned the ins and outs of successful material handling sales. Then we walked the aisles and saw all the displays, everything from pallet rack to spiral conveyors to ergonomic floor mats to reusable pallets to all kinds of lift equipment, hoists and cranes. A lot of MHEDA members, both distributors and suppliers, had booths, and we tried to make it around to all of them.

One of the interesting things I noticed was that a lot of “regions” had booths. It was strange to see a booth advertising Northern Alabama or Minnesota, but I guess it makes sense. If an attendee is looking to build a distirbution center, those regions or Chambers of Commerce or whoever can sell their area as a good place to build. So that was interesting.

While walking around the show, I realized I have a lot to learn about some of the new-ish technologies out there, particularly voice-activated technology and automated guided vehicles. In talking to some of the manufacturers of these products, I learned a little more about their capabilities. Really fascinating stuff. There were also a lot of booths devoted to sustainable packaging and green material handling practices. We’ve covered some of these issues in the magazine, and it’s a topic that’s not going away any time soon. I look forward to learning more about reusable packaging in the coming months.

There’s a lot more to say but we’re off to hospitality rooms right now to meet and greet more people! There’s more to come in a bit!

While we’re at ProMat, first-time attendee Dan Vest, editor of MHEDA Edge, will be posting his thoughts too. Here’s what Dan had to say after Day 1:

Attending a show like ProMat for the first time has been quite the experience. The sheer size of the show was the first thing that struck me. It was amazing, especially in times like these, how many exhibitors and attendees were there. The show itself was fascinating. I saw everything from the latest AGV technology to the world’s first hybrid-electric forklift. For me, perhaps the most helpful thing at the show has been the 45-minute education sessions. I attended most of the same ones Chris mentioned in his entry, and also one on fast-charge and opportunity-charge batteries. As someone who is still relatively new to the industry I learned quite a bit from these sessions.

The other thing ProMat has done for me is offer me the chance to meet MHEDA members face-to-face for the first time. I’d like to say I was surprised by how friendly and accessible everyone has been, but from my phone contact with members, I knew that was how it would be. I was, however, pleasantly surprised by how many young people were at MHEDA’s reception Monday night. It was great to get to talk to the guys who are the future of our association.

Day 1 at ProMat was quite the experience. I can’t wait to see what day 2 has in store.

We’re here in Chicago for ProMat and the first day was a whirlwind. We flew in yesterday and had a little time to rest up and prepare our agenda for touring the show today. We’re staying at the Hilton Chicago, which is about a ten-minute shuttle bus ride from McCormick Place.

So once we got to the exhibit hall, we watched the ribbon-cutting ceremony and started walking around the hall. There are so many displays of racking and conveyor systems set up and it is really neat to see some of the products we write about in action. MHEDA has booth #3677, so if you’re in town, stop by and get to know the association a little more. (There’s also a masseuse at the MHEDA booth….). 

Much of today I spent attending six of the over 100 educational seminars that will be going on this week. I learned a lot, particularly about fleet management and all the different options of narrow aisle and very narrow aisle trucks. I listened to a seminar on fuel cell power development by The Raymond Corporation, how to choose the right warehouse truck by Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corporation, R-mark certification by the Rack Manufacturers Institute, fleet management strategies by Yale Materials Handling Corporation, selecting the right lift truck by Hyster Company and how to configure a distibution network by MHEDA distributor Peach State Integrated Technologies.

At the end of the day, I attended the MHEDA-sponsored reception. It was a great turnout; I’m guessing there were 100 people there, most of whom stayed for the entire 90 minutes. It was a great opportunity to network with MHEDA President Duncan Murphy and see MHEDA Past Presidents like John Cosgrove, John Maybury, Loren Swakow and other MHEDA Member distributor and suppliers.  

Tomorrow won’t be as seminar-heavy so I’ll have more time to see a lot of the exhibitors and their booths.  I’m looking forward to seeing more of the new technologies and meeting more MHEDA Members!

I’ve talked about this in previous posts, but the economy is in such “uncertainty” that it bears repeating. 2009 is going to be an unusual year, fiscally speaking. However, not everyone is convinced it will be a bad year. In this month’s issue of MHEDA Edge, ITA President Stan Simpson predicts a stable market for industrial trucks in 2009. Dr. Al Bates talks about how some key performance metrics of the material handling industry compare to those of other distribution industries. Also, for those of you attending or exhibiting at ProMat next week, there’s a list of trade show tips to consider to ensure you have a worthwhile experience. It’s all in the January 2009 issue of MHEDA Edge, “Looking Ahead.”

Perhaps I’ll see you next week at ProMat. I’ll be blogging about the goings-on there, so in case you’re unable to attend, come back here to find out!

Next week, material handling professionals and end-users will be converging on McCormick Place in Chicago for ProMat, the largest material handling show in North America. This will be my third time attending, and I always find it interesting and informative. It’s great to see some of the equipment we talk to members about and write about and learn more about the ins and outs of how it works and what it does. It’s always a thrill to walk in and see the large rack structures and conveyor systems on display.

You can read the January issue of MHEDA Edge, which was published today, to see a partial list of ProMat Exhibitors. The same list is also available here in the First Quarter issue of The MHEDA Journal Online.

Even more than the equipment, though, ProMat is another opportunity to network with industry peers. MHEDA, for example, will be at Booth #3677 and also will be having a cocktail reception on Monday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in Room S402A. I’ll be there and I hope to see you too. If you’re reading this and you’re going to ProMat, feel free to drop me a line at editor@themhedajournal.org. I’d love to meet you!

Enjoy the show!

Over the holidays, I watched the movie “Wall-E,” the Disney-Pixar animated film about a robot and its adventures that lead him to eventually return the human race to Earth.  (I’m leaving out a lot here…and it’s worth the time to see the movie to help you understand. It’s quite good.)  Part of Wall-E’s adventure includes a visit to the cruise ship of the future, where humans are zipped around on conveyor belts and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are the norm rather than the exception. As I was watching it, it reminded me of an article we did in The MHEDA Journal a couple of years ago about all the places material handling is mentioned in the media, and how often it’s overlooked.

It also reminded me that the AGVs and some of the things featured on “the cruise ship of the future” aren’t really that far-fetched. There will probably some similar things talked about next week at ProMat! Material handling is everywhere. Don’t let people take it for granted!

A few years ago, The MHEDA Journal did a series of articles about material handling in the military. We would like to update that article by talking to member company employees who have spent time in a combat zone, or done work on or supplied a military base. Any of you out there? Contact editor@themhedajournal.org if you are able to contribute.