MHI CEO on Modex 2022, supply chain and price inflation

24 February 2022

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Modex 2022 is back, and with it a 15% increase on exhibitors, leading to a sell-out show, according to John Paxton, CEO, MHI, the largest material handling, logistics and supply chain association in the US and organiser of Modex.

Here in an exclusive video with Hoist, Paxton tells us what visitors can look forward to this year as well as drawing on the challenges of the supply chain issues, rising costs and news from CMAA (the Crane Manufacturers Association of America), HMI (the Hoist Manufacturers Institute) and MMA (the Monorail Manufacturers Association). 

Featuring more than 170 exhibitors, more than 100 educational sessions and a lineup of keynote speakers, Modex 2022 is scheduled to take place in person from March 28 to 31 at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) in Atlanta. 

 

 

New additions for the 2022 event include Micro Fulfillment and Logistics & Transportation Solutions theaters on the show floor, plus an area of the show floor dedicated to showcasing 2022 MHI Innovation Award nominees. Daniel McKinnon, MHI’s executive vice president of exhibitions, says MHI, the show sponsor, is also bringing back its Modex Backyard experience, Student Day as well as Industry Night events. 

Speaking about returning to an ‘in-person’ event, Paxton said: “Virtual works well for one-on-one meetings but falls short of group networking, engagement, and talking to multi people allowing them to see and physically touch the technology. 

“This year we had over 121 innovation award submittals put forth by exhibitors to show the industry what new products have been launched, and our 9th Annual Industry Report, showcasing what trends to look forward to in the future. 

“Due to Covid people are talking about the supply chain more than ever before, it’s become ‘a Scavenger Hunt’ if you can find it and certainly costs more. The ports are jammed up, for example, the Port of Long Beach California had delays up to six weeks, not to mention the shortage of chips globally. The supply chain has been fractured, delayed, and we are seeing high inflation throughout the US and that is playing out in the producer prices also. 

“Moving forward, hoists and cranes have been around a long time, but what we are seeing is the technology piece that is layered on top of the equipment is where the development is. Smart movement and controls, knowing where your products are, and being able to move them quickly and fine positioning is the future. It’s all about the data of the equipment.” 

Not only is Paxton CEO of MHI but he is responsible for 17 associations, three of which belong to the hoist and lifting sector, namely CMAA, HMI, MMA. 

“We just published our latest OSHA Best Practices Manual, and have launched service certification programs, for crane operators, technicians and engineers to take tests to be certified and to raise the level of knowledge for those people operating and supporting the crane, hoisting equipment once it’s in the field,” he added. 

“In terms of MHI after Modex, it has acquired the association, the Warehouse Education and Research Council that focuses on the warehouse supervisor and we are launching a warehouse practitioner program, to help them with the latest technologies, as well as a best practices Benchmarking Tool, to compare all warehouse data across 11 metrics. We also have Leadership development programs in place, which a mentoring program to build up the next level of leadership within the industry.” 

In addition to its many exhibits, Modex will include four keynotes and more than 100 show floor educational seminars covering leading trends, best practices, and state-of-the-art equipment and technology solutions that can make manufacturing and the entire supply chain work more resiliently, efficiently and profitably.  

The lineup of speakers, keynotes and panels includes: 

March 28 Keynote: Women in Leadership 

Erika Alexander,  chief global operations officer for Marriott International will talk about her approach to people empowerment, diversity, inclusion and organizational purpose. 

March 29 Keynote: Preparing for the next pandemic 

Dr. Sanjay Gupta gives insights into future health-related disruptions and looks ahead to the next pandemic. He will discuss the lessons learned from COVID-19 and what nations across the globe and individual firms can do to prepare and be ready for future pandemic and health-related disruptions. 

March 30 Keynote: Preview of MHI 2022 Annual Industry Report Panel 

John Paxton, CEO of MHI, and Thomas Boykin, supply chain specialist leader at Deloitte Consulting, present the report findings and will be joined by a panel of manufacturing and supply chain thought leaders to discuss the real-world significance of the report findings. 

March 30 Keynote: A Conversation with Shaquille O’Neal 

Shaquille O’Neal, cultural icon, and NBA Champion and All-Star, electrifies the room with his larger-than-life personality. Audiences routinely give him standing ovations for his motivational keynote speeches. 

MHI Industry Night with Preacher Lawson on March 30  

This will be an evening of music, food, drinks and entertainment by comedian Preacher Lawson on March 30. Tickets to this event are $50 and include beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres. The door prize for this event will be a “trip of a lifetime” vacation valued at $30,000. 

Industry Night will also feature the presentations of the MHI Innovation Award, which serves to educate and provide valuable insights on the latest innovative products and services to attendees. This award will once again be given to winners in 3 categories: Best New Innovation; Best IT Innovation; and Best Existing Product Innovation. 

Women in the Supply Chain Industry Forum on March 28 

MHI has partnered with Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) and the Warehousing, Education and Research Council (WERC) to present an afternoon of discussion, education and networking for women in supply chain. 

MHI Young Professionals Network Reception on March 28 

This event provides attendees to network and connect with young professionals in the materials handling and supply chain industry. 

Student Day 

An interactive event for college, university, trade, technical, specialty and high school students, Student Day connects them with the best in the industry through real-world discussions with industry experts and networking with professionals who can support their career growth. 

Students also are provided with a guided tour of the Modex 2022 show floor, led by industry experts and the opportunity to meet with exhibiting companies who are looking for future employees. 

For more information go to https://www.modexshow.com