It's the final day of ProMat! Be sure to make the most of your time as there's still more in store for you. The expo floor will be open from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM—catch any booths you missed and find the perfect product or service for your company, all while networking with other industry pros. You can also still catch an on-floor seminar with information important to your business.

If you missed any of the daily enewsletters or are looking for a quick way to find information you read in an issue, here's the ProMat 2023 enewsletter archive.

Next year, MODEX 2024 will be in Atlanta on March 11-14. MODEX is a unique event opportunity to make new contacts, discover cutting-edge solutions and learn the latest trends that are sure to give you a leg up on the competition. Hope to see you there!

Thursday, March 23 - 10 AM - 3 PM

John Paxton opened Wednesday morning’s keynote with an introduction to the findings of the 2023 MHI Annual Industry Report, titled The Responsible Supply Chain: Transparency, Sustainability, and the Case for Business.The report focuses on new trends and technologies transforming the industry.

In his introduction, Paxton said responsible supply chains should react in real-time to changing conditions, which will require actionable data, automation and automated decision-making. 

Paxton also said that investments in technology such as automation, IoT, advanced analytics and AI will arm your operations to be able to provide speed, accuracy and improved visibility. These solutions enable the real-time decision-making and transparency necessary for improving performance up and down the responsible supply chain.

The Industry Report is the tenth in a series of reports by MHI and Deloitte. To get the report, click here.

On Wednesday morning, the findings of the MHI 2023 Annual Industry Report were presented to ProMat attendees. Titled  The Responsible Supply Chain: Transparency, Sustainability, and the Case for Business, the report focuses on the trends and digital technologies that are transforming supply chains.

Wanda Johnson of Deloitte joined MHI CEO John Paxton in the presentation, along with a panel of manufacturing and supply chain thought leaders, including:

• Biswaranjan (Bish) Sen, Chief Product Supply Chain Officer, Unilever
• Amanda Davies, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer, Mars Wrigley
• Kristi Montgomery, Vice President, Innovation, Research & Development, Kenco Group
• Donnie F. Williams Jr., Executive Director - Supply Chain Management Research Center; Associate Professor - Supply Chain Management, The Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas

The report is based on a survey of over 2,000 supply chain professionals, and this year's findings are powerful: 74% of supply chain leaders are increasing their supply chain technology and innovation investments, with 90% saying they are planning to spend over $1 million, an increase of 24% over last year. Thirty-six percent plan to spend over $10 million, up 19%. This investment includes solutions for improved supply chain resiliency, transparency and sustainability as well solutions for the ongoing workforce shortage. 

The report covers more, with findings on sustainability and responsibility, climate readiness assessment, the workforce, and more. Download it here.

Ron Howard was born with an aptitude to be in the entertainment business, but he doesn’t love the spotlight. But from the very first time he acted, he loved the idea of sharing and connecting through art.

In his keynote on Wednesday afternoon, Howard discussed the lessons, struggles and triumphs of a 60+-year career, as well as the role of creativity and problem-solving in moviemaking and in life.

Over the years, creativity was something that Howard witnessed over and over again, and he realized that the more you practice creativity, the better you get at it—and your problem-solving skills increase as well. In particular, Andy Griffith created a very creative environment on the set—the actors were allowed to participate in script rewrites, and Howard remembered how that camaraderie and participation empowered the actors.

From the very beginning, it was clear that Howard wanted to direct. He noticed that great actors and directors had a defining characteristic—they outworked everyone else—and he tried to apply that when he started directing. Howard told the story of working with a difficult Oscar-winning actress—Bette Davis. He got the best advice from his dad, who said: “Do your job, be prepared, show up—and don’t have a showdown.” Howard followed that advice, and gained Davis's respect.

When Howard starts working on a movie, he tries to find an intersection between what he's fascinated by and what audiences want to see, considering what would be memorable in the story, and what collaborators can be brought on board, as a great team means everything.

According to Howard, experience makes you better under duress. He talked about the compromises that need to be made while making movies, and the benefit of hearing other people’s ideas.­­ The relationships made in these experiences last a lifetime.

MHI is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 MHI Innovation Awards. After receiving 156 submissions for this years’ awards, judges comprised of professionals from the material handling and supply chain industry completed the initial vetting process.

Four finalists were previously chosen and announced as the most innovative products in each category—Best New Innovation, Best Innovation of an Existing Product, and Best IT Innovation based on concept, value, and impact. The winners were announced yesterday at MHI Industry Night at ProMat. The 2023 MHI Innovation Award winners are:

Best New Innovation 
Agility Robotics
 
Best Innovation of an Existing Product
Hai Robotics
 
Best IT Innovation
OneRack

The MHI Innovation Award serves to educate and provide valuable insights on the latest manufacturing and supply chain products and services to ProMat attendees. ProMat 2023 exhibitors were called to submit a new product, product line, technology or service or new application of existing products or technology that create quantifiable and sustainable results in terms of ROI, cost savings, customer satisfaction, etc.

Click here for a list of 2023 MHI Innovation Award submissions. 

The Raymond Corporation and Durham Manufacturing Company were honored by MHI on Tuesday with awards commemorating their 100 years in the industry.

Accepting the award for Raymond was Michael Field, the company’s president and CEO. In a recent release, Field said, “E-commerce would not exist as we know it today without innovations in material handling. We’re proud that it takes less time, energy and warehouse space to deliver products to your door because of the cutting-edge solutions Raymond has developed for the last 100 years. We remain steadfastly committed to driving the industry forward.”

The award for Durham Manufacturing Company was accepted by Frank Schindler, senior vice president of marketing & sales; Jesus Jason Gonzalez, marketing manager; and Tom Simms, regional sales manager. The company is one of the top manufacturers specializing in industrial storage, metal and plastic products used in packaging, storing and organizing maintenance products.

ProMat is your unrivaled opportunity in 2023 to find solutions and leading solution-providers, connect with your peers and learn the latest trends and technologies that can help you touch the future of supply chain success. This year at Promat, you’ll find over 1,000 of the world’s leading manufacturing and supply chain solution providers, as well as hands-on demonstrations and 150 educational seminars. The conference sessions mentioned below are located in the Emerging Technology Theater and Robotics & Automation Theater on the ProMat show floor, and additional education seminars are located in Theaters A-I on the show floor.

Click here to view the full list of Thursday's educational sessions.

EXPO HOURS: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

ON-FLOOR EDUCATION SEMINARS: Starting at 10:30 AM

10:30 – 11:15 AM
The Key Automation Technologies that Will Live in Your Warehouse Within Five Years (Theater A)
Secrets to Ensuring Supply Chain Execution System Selection Success (Theater C)
Everyone’s Talking About Automation, but is Automation Right for Everyone? (Theater E)
10 Racking Mistakes Warehouse Managers Must Avoid (Theater G)

11:15 AM – 12:00
Wireless Power for AGV and AMR - The Only Option For A Reliable And Safe Power Supply? (Theater B)
Fleet Management, RTLS, Proximity Detection Systems and Document Management—All-In-One Solution, On One Web-Portal? Is This The Future and What Role Do Modern Smartphones Play In It? (Theater D)
From the State-of-the-Art to the Future of Lithium-ion Power for Industrial Trucks (Theater H)

12:00 – 12:45 PM
Making an ROI Business Case for Voice Technology in 2023 (Theater A)
Warehouse Piece-picking Robots 201: How Picking Robots Resolve Your Labor Challenges (Theater C)
Maximizing Flexible Automation Benefits (Theater E)
Creating Leaders to Optimize the Next Generation Warehouse (Theater G)
School Specialty Re-Engineers Their Distribution Operations to Keep Pace With Shifting Educational Models and Changing Student Needs (Theater I)

12:45 – 1:30 PM
Industrial Lithium-Ion Batteries Within a Circular Economy (Theater B)
Adopting Automation: Why Autonomous Only Robots Aren’t Always Your Best Bet (Theater D)

ProMat 2023 is almost over—do you have plans to continue exploring this amazing city? Here are some resources that could help you find the perfect activity:

• Are you here for the first time? Here's a list of can't-miss attractions and experiences.
• Here are Chicago's hidden gems you must visit.
• Chicago has amazing museums—here's a list of museum exhibits not to miss in 2023.
• Are you staying for the weekend? Here's a list of this weekend's best things to do.
• On a budget? Here's a list of the best free and cheap things to see and do in Chicago.

PHOTO BY BENJAMIN SUTER ON UNSPLASH

Save the date! Come to MODEX 2024 in Atlanta on March 11-14. 

MODEX 2024 is your unique event opportunity to make new contacts, discover cutting-edge solutions, and learn the latest trends that are sure to give you a leg up on the competition. With over 900 of the leading providers in the industry, four powerful keynotes and 150+ free education sessions, there are ample opportunities to learn, network and grow.

Whatever manufacturing and supply chain solutions or insights you need to power your business, you’ll find them at MODEX 2024. There is no cost to attend the exhibits and conference sessions. Register today for free admission.

Click here to learn more.

PHOTO BY JOEY KYBER ON UNSPLASH

Spread the word about ProMat online and access show information, view posts from show management, other attendees and exhibitors, and have a chance to win giveaway prizes!

	Twitter: Follow @poweredbymhi, and add the #ProMat2023 to your tweets.
	LinkedIn: Join the ProMat 2023 LinkedIn® group for updates and discussions with attendees.
	MHI Blog: Visit our blog for insightful articles about ProMat 2023.
	YouTube: Join the ProMat 2023 YouTube® channel to view videos.
	Instagram: Follow us on Instagram.
	MHIview: View videos on the MHIview ProMat 2023 channel.

The video from the third day of ProMat 2023 has been posted!

Don't miss this recap of yesterday's proceedings.

Click here to watch the video.

This issue of MHI Solutions focuses on current advances in technology, including AI, robotics, AMR and more. This issue also includes details on ProMat 2023 to help you plan your conference experience.