Material Handling and Logistics Industry Sets Future Priorities at Inaugural Summit

The 2007 Material Handling and Logistics Summit held last month in Whitefish, Montana identified the leading priorities of material handling and logistics professionals.

» Summit 2007 Official Website

Among the top priorities for the industry are:

• Creating a funding source that supports material handling and logistics initiatives in research, education, innovation and development,
• Building a vision and roadmap for next generation supply chains and material handling and logistics strategies that support them,
• Developing the workforce of the future for distribution, warehousing and manufacturing,
• Expanding industry and academia collaboration especially in research and technology transfer.
• Creating better interoperability between material handling and supply chain hardware/software

The Summit was a meeting of more than 30 industry professionals from four groups (academics, end users, industry consultants, and industry solution providers). During the three-day event, participants discussed the current trends and challenges facing material handling and logistics, discussed the impact of those trends and challenges, and developed a prioritized list of initiatives to address those trends and challenges. The Summit was sponsored by Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) and the College-Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE).

The focus of this groundbreaking event was on active face-to-face participation by individuals over three days of facilitated group working sessions. A group of editors representing DC Velocity, Industrial Equipment News, Material Handling Management, and Modern Materials Handling moderated the breakout sessions.

"This was the first time that MHIA and CICMHE, or any other group for that matter, brought together people from these four constituencies of material handling and logistics," says Mike Ogle, organizer of the event as vice president of educational and technical services at MHIA. "We really didn't know upfront what was going to come out of this event. But we're very pleased with the quality of the discussions and the direction that the initiatives have provided."

In fact, the Summit was only the beginning. On the last day of the meeting, several participants made it a point to say the true value of their efforts was in the follow up that will turn these priorities into living programs.

"This is only a start," said Ben Montreuil of the Universite Laval in his closing remarks at Whitefish. Montreuil, vice president of CICMHE, was the host of the event. "We will be using the outcome to set priorities at CICMHE for the foreseeable future."

Plans are already underway to turn the event's 14 themes and 52 initiatives into action items that will help guide the industry into the future, says John Nofsinger, CEO of MHIA. "The agenda set in Whitefish allows us to respond to real world challenges. And that is exactly what we will be working on going forward."

MHIA is an international trade association that has represented the material handling & logistics industry since 1945. MHIA members include material handling and logistics equipment and systems manufacturers, integrators, consultants, publishers, and third party logistics providers. Member companies come from all areas of material handling and various parts of the world, making MHIA a strong national and international representative for the material handling industry. Much of the work of the industry is done within its product-specific sections, councils and affiliates. The association also sponsors trade events, such as ProMat and NA 2008 to showcase the products and services of its member companies and to educate industry professionals on the productivity solutions provided through material handling and logistics.

The College-Industry Council on Material Handling Education (CICMHE) is an independent organization which prepares and provides information, teaching materials and various events in support of material handling education and research. Founded in 1952, the Council is composed of college and university educators, material handling equipment manufacturers, distributors, users and consultants, representatives of the business press, and professional staff members of organizations concerned with material handling education.

Contact Carol Miller or Jennifer Beadling for more information at 800-345-1815/704-676-1190 or .

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