MHIA launches new show

The Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) is retiring its Cleveland, Ohio tradeshow and heading south.

The trade association has decided to replace its North American Material Handling Logistics Tradeshow—commonly known as NA—with a new event in Atlanta, Georgia.

The new event is called Modex: Solutions That Move Supply Chains. It will make its debut at the Georgia World Congress Center from February 6 to 9, 2012.

Like the NA shows before it, Modex will include vendor booths and demonstrations of equipment and systems. It will also include learning opportunities that cover all aspects of supply chain management, from materials handling to logistics.

Why Georgia? The MHIA says the move capitalizes on what it sees as an emerging supply chain gateway.

“Over 40 percent of North American manufacturing and distribution locations are now
within a 500-mile radius of Atlanta,” said John Nofsinger, MHIA’s CEO. “Georgia and the Southeast are also home to extensive intermodal and logistics hubs that drive supply chains now and will continue to in the future.

“Currently 90 percent of the global top 25 third-party logistics providers (3PLs) have operations in Georgia and more than 48 of the largest retailers have distribution centers in Georgia.”

The MHIA expects more than 500 exhibitors and tens of thousands of attendees from around the world to attend Modex 2012. In addition, the association plans to partner with other industry groups to collocate in Atlanta.

The MHIA’s other major event, ProMat, will continue to be held in Chicago, Illinois; its next dates are March 21 to 24, 2011.