You already know that LinkedIn can be an effective way to connect with former colleagues and potential employers. What you may not know is that the online networking service can also be a great place to find discussion groups built around a shared interest.

Plenty of people share an interest in material handling, it seems. The Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) recently announced that the interest group it established last year now has more than 1,200 members. To join the group, go to www.mhia.org, or go directly to the group's page on LinkedIn.

MHIA members include material handling and logistics equipment and systems manufacturers, integrators, consultants, publishers, and third-party logistics service providers. The organization also sponsors the ProMat and North American material handling trade shows as well as a number of educational events related to equipment, technology, and warehousing management.