MHI releases "state of the industry" report

Industry association MHI will release today its first annual "state of the industry" report, based on a survey of 450 executives across multiple verticals on the trends that will drive the supply chain field over the next three to five years.

The survey, conducted in conjunction with the consulting company Deloitte, will establish two strategic priorities and two key challenges for supply chain innovation, George Prest, MHI's CEO, told a press conference yesterday at the association's Modex conference in Atlanta. The survey will identify three "roadmaps" that will chart paths toward reaching those goals, Prest said. And it will highlight projects that the industry should be planning to tackle three to five years in the future.

MHI and Deloitte began gathering survey data over the summer, according to Prest. "It's our first attempt at doing this," he said.

Separately, MHI projected 7- to 8-percent growth in 2014, below what the organization had forecast, Prest said. The group expects 9- to 10-percent growth in 2015. Prest said retail is showing the strongest demand for MHI member companies' products and services of any industry.

Prest also said MHI will aggressively promote Modex to transportation and logistics companies and professionals as a way to expand the show's attendance and exhibitor base. However, the organization's traditional ProMat annual conference will remain focused on the material handling segment, he added.