ATLANTA — The two words on everyone’s mind right now are “supply chain,” and the supply chain community shattered records when it came together last week for the MODEX 2022 trade show.
According to trade show producer Materials Handling Institute (MHI), more than 37,047 visitors connected with over 857 supply chain exhibitors across 405,000 square feet of exhibit space at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center. This was 20% more attendees than at the last MODEX trade show in 2018, and the largest MODEX event to date for MHI. Estimates are that the direct economic impact to the Atlanta area was around $45 million.
MODEX, the largest international supply chain expo held in North or South America, featured cutting-edge digital supply chain technologies during 172 educational seminars and four keynotes, including robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT).
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On March 28, Erika Alexander, Marriott’s Chief Global Operations Officer, spoke on Marriott’s efforts to anticipate tomorrow’s supply chain challenges, as well as on the leadership needed to attract top logistics talent. In his keynote address, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN, discussed the impact of the pandemic and ways to mitigate future health-related supply chain disruptions by emphasizing the importance of risk planning and preparedness. The other keynote speaker was former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, who delighted the audience with tales of his career.
“The excitement on the show floor and the educational events is a sign not only of the pent-up demand for the latest solutions and technology, but also the overall strength of this industry,” Daniel McKinnon, EVP of Exhibitions at MHI, said. “Attendees representing the Fortune 500, the top 100 retailers and consumer goods firms brought large teams to MODEX to source the latest innovations and to learn leading trends impacting supply chains. Additionally, MODEX delivered a robust educational program on the leading trends and technologies in our industry. This included extensive opportunities to renew existing, and develop new, professional connections in an interactive environment.”
In conclusion, McKinnon added: “MHI’s dedication to service and innovation provides our attendees and exhibitors with a reliable, engaging and fun business experience they can’t get anywhere else.”
The next MODEX supply chain experience trade show will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in 2024.
Reach Dan McKinnon at dmckinnon@mhi.org
