See you at Modex 2020; ProMat 2021 to debut new Robotics & Automation Solutions Center

After a record number of exhibitors (1,000+) and attendees (45,000+) at ProMat 2019, MHI anticipates more of the same at Modex 2020—the industry’s premier supply chain event. Modex will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, March 9-12, 2020.

“Our Modex exhibitor space draw, held this past December, brought 640 exhibitors who reserved a record 300,000 net square feet of show floor space,” said George Prest, CEO of MHI. “It’s another sign that the material handling, logistics and supply chain industry continues to remain healthy and growing. That corresponds with what we’re hearing all over the ProMat floor. Every exhibitor I’ve chatted with has picked up multiple active leads and commented on attendees’ keen interest in our industry’s solutions.”

Prest added that the findings of the 2019 MHI Annual Industry Report, “Supply Chain Digital Consciousness,” (released during Wednesday morning’s keynote) also point in the same direction.

Representing a range of industries within the manufacturing and supply chain industry leaders, two-thirds of the 1,000-plus respondents hold executive positions such as CEO, VP, general or department head. Participating companies ranged in size from small to large, with 59% reporting annual sales in excess of $100 million, and 10% reporting $10 billion or more.

Manufacturing and supply chain operations continue to invest heavily in innovation. According to the survey, respondents are allocating an average of $20 million over the next two years on funding robotics and automation—the highest of any other technology in the survey. Additionally, current report notes that investment in supply chain automation is at a critical inflection point, observing that the trend of declining planned investment from 2015 to 2018 has been countered by a 95% increase in projected spending for 2019.

The top five materials handling equipment types survey participants plan to purchase within the next three years include:

• Forklifts and other wheeled, mobile equipment (40%)
• Software systems for warehousing, distribution and logistics (37%)
• Packaging, labeling, shipping, weighing and cubing equipment (36%)
• Racks, shelving and storage equipment (33%)
• Automation equipment, including automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and robotics (33%)

All of those technologies and many more will be represented within exhibits at Modex 2020, Prest added, as well as manufacturers, consultants, third-party logistics (3PL) providers, publishers and systems integrators will be there to demonstrate their equipment, systems, software and services to manufacturing and supply chain professionals from around the world.

With more than 900 exhibitors spread across Modex’s 325,000-square-foot show floor, the event is expected to draw more than 30,000 visitors from more than 140 countries. It also offers a comprehensive educational conference featuring keynotes, show floor seminars and other events. More information can be found at modexshow.com.

Although it’s two years away, Prest was excited to note the debut of a brand-new Robotics & Automation Solution Center encompassing the entire North Hall at ProMat 2021, held April 12-April 15, at McCormick Place.

“The intensely competitive e-commerce environment and free delivery has really kicked up the demands on supply chains to continually increase order fulfillment speed, accuracy and efficiency,” he noted. “As the Annual Industry Report found, supply chain leaders are increasingly planning their spend on robotics and automation solutions to augment the productivity of their existing workforce. This new ProMat Solution Center gives them the opportunity to see those solutions focused specifically on their needs.”

From automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and goods-to-person (G2P) systems to automatic guided vehicles and carts (AGVs/AGCs) to autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and articulated robotic arms, this new solution center will showcase how these solutions play a vital role in improved receiving, storage, assembly, picking, sortation, packing and shipping operations, Prest added. Details are available at promatshow.com/robotics.