Experts say the worst of COVID-19 is behind us, which brings back a sense of normalcy in everyone’s lives. After the past two years filled with safety measures resulting in restrictions and isolation, life can finally go back to what it used to be – or at least, close to it! In our professional lives, this also means that major group gathering events like tradeshows are coming back.
Among the main events of 2022, the world’s premier supply chain event, MODEX 2022, is scheduled to take place from March 28-31 in Atlanta, Georgia. Bringing together various actors from the manufacturing and supply chain industry, MODEX is the largest international supply chain expo held in North America.
If you plan to attend the tradeshow, good preparation goes a long way. With so many exhibitors, seminars, and networking events, the only way to make sure you won’t miss any occasion to learn and make new connections is to prepare smartly. Here are some tips to get the most out of MODEX 2022, including must-see seminars and exhibitors.
1. Do your homework: Learn about the event and plan your schedule wisely
The main types of activities available during MODEX are:
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Visiting the exhibitor’s stands
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Attending on-floor seminars
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Participating in networking events
You probably already know what kind of information you want to collect at the event. When you visit MODEX’s website in preparation for the show, you will be able to filter the activities by product category, industry, country or state, export market, and business interest. It will be easy to find relevant opportunities according to the subjects that interest you!
Regardless of your fields of interest, you might be like the 92% of MODEX attendees that say they come to see the latest developments in the industry. If so, you will be served!
Once you have found the exhibitors, the seminars, and the networking events that will be the focus of your attention at the tradeshow, plan your schedule. We’ve searched through the tradeshow’s events and rounded-up notable ones, providing you with excerpts from MODEX’s website.
2. Expand your professional skillset with these seminars
Over 150 educational seminars will be held during MODEX 2022. The wide range of presentations will allow you to deepen your knowledge and stay up to date with the latest developments in the supply chain industry. The presentations below are a must if you are looking for insight from leaders in the field – the excerpts have been found on MODEX’s website.
RMI of MHI Presents: Planning Your Rack System – Traditional and E-Commerce
- Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2022
- Time: 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
- Location: Theater H
What You Will Learn
As e-commerce becomes the norm in warehousing and distribution, the need to adapt storage and retrieval systems is imminent. RMI industry experts will share how rack system designs are changing to meet the requirements in the e-commerce world.
Key Takeaways
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The key building blocks of a successful pallet rack system design
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Trends and changes in rack system design to meet the needs of e-commerce
Damotech presents: 10 Racking Mistakes Warehouse Managers Must Avoid
- Date: Monday, March 28, 2022
- Time: 3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
- Location: Theater G
What You Will Learn
Warehouses are bustling with the constant movement of people, merchandise, and equipment, creating the perfect environment for incidents to occur. How do you inspect, operate, and maintain your pallet racks to keep your people and inventory safe and costs down?
Charles Carbonneau (Ph.D.), head of an engineering team that has inspected thousands of warehouses, will show examples of the 10 most common mistakes observed when operating pallet racks — and solutions for each one.
This session will help warehouse & facilities managers, operators, and health & safety experts assess and address rack issues, maintain operational excellence, and ensure warehouse safety.
Key Takeaways
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How to assess the damage, decide whether to repair or replace, and protect pallet racks in the most cost-effective way
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What you can do to prevent warehouse safety problems from happening
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Discover free downloadable tools you can use every day to maintain safety best practices
Bluegrace Logistics presents: Playing the Long Game with Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics
- Date: Monday, March 28, 2022
- Time: 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM
- Location: Emerging Technologies Theater
What You Will Learn
Minimizing risk is at the core of all decision-making when it comes to moving freight – how do you know if you’ve made the right call and selected the right carrier? Using the traditional approach, the answer won’t become evident until after the deal is done and the freight is delivered.
Oftentimes, bias plays a hand in which loads get moved due to an individual’s idea of what a winning shipment may be without any mathematical or quantitative data behind that decision.
(…) This methodology assists in selecting the right carrier for each load while increasing velocity, efficiency, and employee and carrier experience. Using proprietary intelligence, organizations can leverage a range of pricing options for optimal cost and time savings for shippers, carriers, and employers.
This allows for more relevant and productive conversations between parties and puts decision-making power into the hands of those closest to the marketplace. As such, they can complete faster transactions, with less effort, and the understanding that the lowest price point doesn’t always lead to the biggest benefit.
Key Takeaways
A Predictive analytics workflow chart shows four key entry points:
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Minimizing risk at the time of pricing a shipment
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Shipment prioritization based on risk (service the loads with the highest risk first)
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Feedback logic using machine learning (looping)
3. Discover useful products and services at exhibitors’ booth
With more than 900 exhibitors and over 100 000 sq. ft. of exhibition floor, MODEX allows you to discover the innovative approaches carried out by leaders in the industry. It also allows you to discuss directly with experts from a variety of fields.
We’ve listed 3 exhibition booths that will be worth visiting because of their unique service, product offerings, and innovative booth design.
With over 30 years of experience, Damotech is the largest and most trusted rack safety and repair company in North America, serving warehouses big and small. Over half of Fortune 500 companies choose Damotech for the quality of its Engineering services, rack repair and protection products, and rack management software.
As Vecna Robotics is presented on MODEX’s website: “Vecna Robotics is the autonomous mobile robot (AMR) company that helps distribution, warehousing, and manufacturing organizations streamline their materials handling and logistics operations. The company's high-capacity AMRs are equipped with the most advanced navigation system in the industry - including the ability to adjust to their environment and reroute in real-time. Robots are backed with 24/7 US-based live support and proactive monitoring for an industry-leading 99%+ uptime.”
Packsize International LLC: Booth #B7004
How Packsize International is presented on MODEX’s website: “Packsize creates and maintains a more efficient and sustainable packaging process flow from packing to unboxing. We’re propelling our customers and the industry forward, always looking to innovate and improve. Because, to us, the packaging is about much more than a box; it's about delivering what's right, for our customers, their customers, and our planet.”
4. Connect and develop new business relationships
With thousands of attendees traveling from all over the world, MODEX is a unique and rare occasion to network. Determine which networking events will provide you with the best opportunities to create successful business relationships, and get ready to chat!
Among the events featured on MODEX’s website:
MHI Young Professionals Networking Event
- Date: Monday, March 28 | 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
- Location: Room B405
Unwind with the MHI Young Professionals Network at our meet & greet networking reception. Network and connect with other young professionals in the material handling and supply chain industry. Pre-registration is not required to attend this free event — just wear your MODEX 2022 badge.
The Bolder Company presents: Women in Supply Chain Forum - 5 Behaviors of a Cohesive Team
- Date: Monday, March 28
- Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM / Registration & Networking Lunch Buffet, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM / Program: 5 Behaviors of a Cohesive Team, 4:00 PM – 5:00 P / Networking Reception (Sponsored by: Material Handling Systems Inc. (MHS))
- Location: Room B402
Join your peers for an afternoon of education, discussion, and networking for women in our industry. The Bolder Company will lead us through exercises that help to bring out the five foundational behaviors of a cohesive team. Participants will engage in conversations about trust, engaging in conflict, securing and holding each other to commitments, and choosing common goals.
During the session, participants will complete their Behaviors of Cohesive Teams assessment.
5. Be well-rested, comfortably dressed… And have fun!
Remember that the event is created for professionals like you. It’s an opportunity to learn, update your knowledge, get inspired by the best practices in the industry, and network! You will meet people that may help you improve your organization’s development, change the course of a business project, or build successful business relationships that could span for years to come!
