The Materials Handling & Management Society (MHMS) has always focused its energies on the career progression and education of its members— you and your peers. From professional certification to supporting regional seminars to chapter tours and speakers, MHMS has provided educational outlets for the materials handling professionals in its ranks.

This year, the society is proud to announce its association with the Automated Materials Handling Association (AMHA) conference. The AMHA (formerly the ASRS/AGVS Users' Association) is comprised of both manufacturers and users of automated materials handling equipment. While the group's focus has traditionally been on automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) and sortation, it is not limited to those equipment types.

Each year, the AMHA holds a users conference to disseminate information about the latest advances in automated technology. And this year is no exception. But this time, MHMS is part of the program too.

The 2005 AMHA Conference will be held October 16 – 19 in Grand Rapids, Mich. The theme is "Doing More with Less – Material Handling Technologies for a New Economy." The conference will feature the following:

• Twelve presentations on doing more with less in automated materials handling systems and how their integration, use and maintenance will improve your firm's bottom line.
• Three specialized clinics.
• Special guest speakers each day, and MHMS will host a national meeting open to all attendees one afternoon.
• Plant tours of Amway and Gordon Foods installations. These distribution centers include many types of automated materials handling operations such as AS/RS, AGVs, conveyors, sorters and related materials handling and software systems.

But just as important as any of these more formal sessions, will be the less formal opportunities for users and suppliers to discuss problems, needs and solutions. In fact, both MHMS and AMHA are dedicated to sharing knowledge and experience about materials handling. And the event in Grand Rapids will be an outstanding forum for discussions that advance the understanding and use of materials handling equipment and systems. We are all faced with having to do more with less these days. And it is the ingenuity that these conditions are fostering that will surely be on display at the conference.

It will also be a great forum for hearing about the latest advances in automated materials handling equipment. Companies that once were not interested in automation have either already taken or are about to take a second look at some of the options here to improve their operations. Some are faced with inefficiencies, others are trying to minimize touches, others are concerned with labor availability in the future. And in the case of AGVs, not to mention other types of automation, the result has been a recent surge in implemented systems.

So to get the latest news in automation technology and practices, be sure to attend the AMHA conference in October. You can register at AMHAonline.org. See you in Grand Rapids.