Modex returns to the Peach State, welcomes 25,000+ attendees

This morning, the Georgia World Congress Center Hall B throws open its doors to more than 25,000 visitors at Modex 2016—this year’s materials handling industry’s premier trade show and educational conference, sponsored by MHI.

Attendees will find more than 800 exhibits from industry, commerce and government showcased throughout the show floor. Spread over four days, the event also includes four keynotes, two new education tracks and the debut of off-site facility tours—in addition to more than 100 on-show floor educational sessions.

Now in its third iteration, Modex has grown steadily in attendance and exhibits, said George Prest, CEO of MHI. “We’ve sold out all 230,000 square feet of Modex, as well as welcomed back the co-located Supply Chain & Transportation USA Exhibition & Conference (SCT).”

Further making the event a one-stop destination, registered attendees not only gain full access to Modex, but also free entry into the SCT exhibits. There, four solution centers—transportation, logistics, industrial real estate and the future of supply chain—are located inside the Modex show, to the right of the main entrance.

“When we originally concepted Modex, it was based on research that showed there was a need for a supply chain-centric show in North America, Prest continued. “The growth of the show’s popularity shows clearly that we’ve filled a void, and the co-location with SCT allows attendees to further maximize their time.”

To make it easier for attendees to find the solutions they need, the show floor is divided into four solution centers:

• Manufacturing & Assembly: Featuring automated assembly support, intelligent devices, robotics, ergonomic and safety equipment, workstations, light-rail and other assembly assist equipment and systems for the manufacturing environment.
• Fulfillment & Delivery: Showcases solutions for traditional or e-commerce order fulfillment, order picking and packaging, third-party logistics, warehousing, distribution and transportation.
• Information Technology (IT): Highlighting 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: Offering resources in on-show floor theaters to educate and build awareness of what the materials handling and logistics industry has to offer the supply chain as a whole.

Speaking of knowledge, Modex 2016 offers the debut of two new educational tracks, as well as off-site facility tours, designed to help you maximize your time at the show.

Free to all registered attendees, the Supply Chain Education Summit runs today, tomorrow and Wednesday. It features more than 30 organizations and educational institutions, presentations and seminars, table-top displays, the annual Student Days event that welcomes high school and college students and their instructors to the show (Wednesday and Thursday). The Summit is located in the Georgia World Congress Center’s Hall B, Level 2 in rooms B207, B208, B211 and B212.

Also offered under the Supply Chain Education Summit—but not free—are tours of Atlanta-area supply chain facilities. Advance registration of $50 per tour can be accessed on [url=http://www.modexshow.com]http://www.modexshow.com[/url]. The tours depart the Georgia World Congress Center at 7 a.m. and return by 11 a.m. Included are the TOTO distribution center on Tuesday, the KIA Motors assembly plant and contract manufacturing partner Tech/Scanfil on Wednesday, and Hartsfield-Jackson Air Cargo facility on Thursday.

On Tuesday, MHI’s Young Professionals Network (YPN) hosts the Next Generation Supply Chain Workforce educational track, exploring the many issues faced by supply chain workers of the future. Capped off with a networking session from 5 - 6 p.m., four presentations are included during the day:

• “It’s Not Just for the Guys Anymore,” a panel discussion of women in the supply chain industry, 10 – 11:15 a.m. in room B312
• “The Future of Work Today: Insights from the New World of Work,” a presentation by Seth Mattison, expert on workforce trends and generational dynamics, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in room B309
• “The Changing Faces in Workforce,” a panel discussion on diversity and inclusion throughout supply chain workplaces, 2 - 3:15 p.m. in room B309
• “How Women Can Succeed in the Workplace (Despite Having ‘Female Brains’),” a presentation by author and filmmaker Valerie Alexander, from 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. in room B309

On Wednesday, from 4:30 – 7 p.m., join other attendees and exhibitors at MHI’s Industry Night in the Thomas Murphy Ballroom on Level 5 of Hall B at the Georgia World Congress Center. The event features networking, a chance to win a Porche Cayman, food, drinks and a live concert show by The Official Blues Brothers Blues Brothers Soul Band Rhythm and Blues Tribute. Tickets are $50 per guest, pre-paid at [url=http://www.modexshow.com]http://www.modexshow.com[/url], and can be picked up at the registration counter between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. by presenting an e-mail confirmation. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Material Handling Education Foundation Inc. (MHEFI).

This year, Modex features four keynote addresses. The first runs this morning from 8:45 -9:45 a.m. in the Georgia World Congress Center Hall B’s Thomas Murphy Ballroom on Level 5, and features Dr. Peter Diamandis, chairman and CEO of the XPRIZE Foundation. In “How to Create a Culture of Innovation Within Your Company,” Diamandis will offer insights into how to incentivize innovative thinking and breakthroughs. Recently named by Fortune Magazine as one of the world’s 50 greatest leaders, he will discuss how traditional thinking, risk-aversion, and incrementalism leads to the demise of companies unable to cope with disruptive innovation. His talk will highlight how the rapid growth of key exponential technologies (nano, info, bio) empowers individuals and companies to do what only governments were able to achieve in past decades, and share how to drive breakthrough thinking focused on achieving clear, measurable and objective results.

Tomorrow morning, from 8:45 – 9:45 a.m. in the Georgia World Congress Center Hall B’s Thomas Murphy Ballroom on Level 5, Jack Allen, senior director of global logistics and supply chain operations for Cisco, will present “The Connected Supply Chain.” Allen will discuss the maturity curve companies follow as they connect nodes and systems across their supply chain—encompassing all the factories, warehouses, DCs, logistics partners, suppliers and design partners in one integrated system. He will also examine the role the Internet of Things (IoT) plays in achieving optimal energy efficiency across supply chain resources, and the impact of disruptive technologies on supply chain strategy.

On Wednesday, the first of two keynote presentations unveils the key findings of the annual MHI Industry Report, conducted in partnership with Deloitte Consulting LLP. The “Preview of the MHI Industry Report” will be presented by George Prest, CEO of MHI, and Scott Sopher of Deloitte from 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. in the Georgia World Congress Center Hall B’s Thomas Murphy Ballroom on Level 5. The extensive report on supply chain and materials handling trends and technologies draws upon a series of surveys conducted in January. Both MHI members and supply chain end users were asked to verify and rank what each group expects to focus on in the next two to three years.

The second Wednesday keynote, from 1 - 2 p.m. in the Georgia World Congress Center Hall B’s Thomas Murphy Ballroom on Level 5, features Kevin O’Leary, one of North America’s most successful entrepreneurs and one of the four investors featured on the ABC’s TV show “Shark Tank” and previously on Canadian TV’s “Dragon’s Den.” In “Lessons from a Dragon,” O’Leary will share entertaining and insightful outtakes from his TV shows, while delving into a current economic overview and how it relates to the manufacturing and supply chain industry. He will also offer insights into how the industry is performing, where innovation is coming from, how to grow your business and more.

Information about all show-related events can be accessed on the official Modex app. The app offers an interactive map, exhibitor search, educational sessions search and information about the four keynotes. Attendees can also access a personalized agenda using the mobile app. Available free at Android and Apple app stores, downloading information can be found at [url=http://www.modexshow.com/app]http://www.modexshow.com/app[/url].

Get ready to stroll the aisles and learn more about the latest logistics and materials handling solutions that make supply chains work.

Modex 2016 is scheduled to be held April 4-7, 2016 in Atlanta’s Georgia World Conference Center. The tradeshow will showcase the latest manufacturing, distribution and supply chain solutions in the material handling and logistics industry. Modern’s complete Modex coverage.