Better times are ahead for the materials handling industry. That message prevailed at last month's North American Materials Handling & Logistics show and conference (NA 2002), held in Detroit's Cobo Hall.

"We expect to see a recovery begin at the end of this year and continue into 2003 and 2004," stated Wilbert J. Persch, executive chairman, Material Handling Industry and president, Demag Cranes & Components Corp. (810-954-1000, www.demag-us.com).

The Materials Handling Industry of America (MHIA) reports that the first half of 2002 will show a continuation of the decline that began in 2001 for the whole industry. However, bookings during the second half of 2002 through 2003 are expected to be more robust as the industry enters a period of growth that should continue to accelerate into 2005.

According to Persch, the materials handling industry is supported by "constant drive to lower costs while increasing productivity." This idea was reflected on the 180,000 square-foot show floor, on which nearly 400 vendors showcased their productivity-enhancing solutions. NA 2002 featured a redesigned floor layout that made it easy for attendees to find just what they needed. The floor was divided into four solution-specific sections: equipment and components for manufacturing solutions, fulfillment and delivery solutions, information technology solutions, and e-fulfillment and delivery solutions.

The event drew over 20,000 professionals from the U.S. and across the globe, many with specific buying plans. The average attendee plans to spend $350,000 in materials handling improvements in the next 18 months, according to a survey conducted for MMH.

Adding to the excitement on the show floor was the relocation of educational seminars to theaters at the hub of the solution centers. "The turnout [at seminars] exceeded our expectation," said Dick Ward, executive vice president, MHIA (704-676-1190, www.mhia.org).

Along with improving sales, industry experts at the show identified a number of trends affecting the materials handling industry. Consolidation is one important factor according to John Nofsinger, CEO, MHIA. In recent years, major global industry players like FKI Logistex, Siemens Dematic, Swisslog, and Vanderlande Industries, Inc. have increased their U.S. presence. As a result, "the industry has become quite international in its scope," Nofsinger said. This in turn is leading to discussions about developing normalized worldwide materials handling standards, and providing a global platform for companies to build their materials handling systems.

Frank Renshaw, president, Keogh Consulting, (561-775-3833, www.keogh1.com) noted that several trends are driving product development in the industry. They are the combination of technologies to create a new product to handle an old materials handling problem; an increased emphasis on noise reduction and safety features; and the integration of information technology, automation controls, and radio frequency-enablement to existing products.

Post-show coverage can be accessed at www.na2002.org. More solutions are ahead at ProMat 2003 - which will run February 10-13 in Chicago's McCormick Place North.