Modex 2024: Ripe market draws eager new players

Being in the unique position of overseeing multiple supply chain magazines for over 20 years, I can often sense the momentum ebb and flow. Sound a little odd? Well, there’s a level of “noise”—both good and not so good—that a seasoned editor can hear just by monitoring the level of market activity.

Well, my gut tells me Modex 2024, to be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta (March 11-14), is going to be off the charts. In fact, according to executive managing editor Noël Bodenburg, who has the herculean task of running our Show Daily operations, we’ve never seen more show related, new product press releases—like, ever.

“My inbox was absolutely flooded in response to the call for products for our show preview this year. It was a record, and I have to say that it was refreshing to see such an overwhelming variety of products—and good to see so many unique products from companies that aren’t typically on our radar.” - Bodenburg

What does that tell you? First, it’s a pretty clear indication that marketing departments are working overtime, making sure any new offerings are getting attention in an increasingly competitive market. Second, and as Bodenburg alluded to, a surprising number of companies you may not be familiar with are getting into the materials handling market.

If you’re on the fence about jetting to Atlanta, the sheer proliferation of new solutions players should be enough to push you out the door. And if you’ve had those dates circled for a while, you better bring some comfortable shoes.

Modex will be by far the biggest materials handling trade show of the year, with MHI, the show’s organizer, expecting more than 1,100 exhibitors from some of the world’s leading equipment, automation and software providers. On to top of your fact-finding booth visits, there will an educational conference, with four keynotes and more than 165 show floor sessions covering leading trends, best practices and state-of-the-art technology.

Now, to help put this event into perspective, starting on page 18, Bodenburg and our team offer a collection of about 180 products—yes, a new record—being highlighted on the floor by vendors well-known and about-to-be-known.

Our editorial staff—six strong—will be in the exhibit hall and produce the official Modex Show Daily. So, you can pick up a print version every day; or if you’re stuck back at the facility, our Show Daily e-newsletter will bring you up to speed—you’ll feel as if you’re there with us.

And while there will be plenty of buzz around the number of new vendors on the floor this year, the overall sentiment is that interest and investment in automation will continue to buoy the market for the foreseeable future.

“As we found in our Warehouse Operations & Trends Survey at the end of 2023 and in our Automation Study [page 102] released this month, companies remain eager to invest in technology as a means of gaining efficiencies and improve the use of productivity metrics,” adds editor at large Bridget McCrea. “As the labor shortage drags on, more operations are taking the technology route—all with an eye on balancing human workforces with automation.”