This year it was Paris' turn to host the largest materials handling show outside the U.S. And just as expected, people flocked to the European Biennial Logistics Exhibition 2003 at Paris-Villepinte in mid-March. Just over 32,000 visitors came to see the latest in materials handling and related logistics developments on display by 605 exhibitors.

In terms of new product developments for the French market, lift trucks dominated the show. Several companies including Caterpillar, BT, Still, and Manitou showed off the latest in pallet trucks. Elsewhere, the latest in orderpickers, counterbalanced trucks and sideloaders were on display. Companies including Hyster, Caterpillar and Toyota had new models featuring AC power that extends performance and reduces maintenance requirements.

A year ago at the Hannover Fair in Germany, pick-to-light brightened up orderpicking options in Europe en masse for the first time. It was no different in Paris this year. No fewer than six companies showed how pick-to-light systems can expedite picking while improving accuracy.

Storage space has always been an issue in Europe, and France is no exception. As a result, automated storage systems, both unit-load and mini-load, as well as vertical lift modules were featured at several booths.

What was missing from the show was just as interesting. Large systems suppliers that had so dominated the Hannover Fair a year ago were low key or not in Paris. Materials handling equipment with little representation included conveyors, automatic guided vehicles, and packaging except for totes. Perhaps most poorly represented were information systems from bar codes and related technologies to software. A complete report on what's new in France this year will appear in the June issue of Modern Materials Handling .