The material handling and intralogistics universe just took a step towards improved efficiencies when the world’s largest material handling associations announced the creation of a formal alliance between the groups. This alliance follows the findings in MHI’s 2025 Roadmap program which clearly identified the need for greater efficiencies by having increased standards, shared knowledge, and visibility throughout the entire world supply chain.
This is the first step towards improving the world’s supply chain efficiency. The more that common standards, protocols, and visibility are integrated throughout the supply chain, the higher the performance levels that can be achieved – which is and will be vital in a more competitive and accelerated work environment.
The agreement was signed May 20, 2014, when the groups from China, Japan, the U.S., and Europe committed to cooperating on issues of mutual interest. The group is focused on increasing the benefits to the world’s material handling manufacturing companies and will share publicly available material handling equipment market:
- Production data
- Regulatory requirements
- Standards for implementing equipment
- Trends on industries, products, and applications that affect material handling technologies implementation
This common ground is identical to how MHI members spend a significant portion of their two national meetings held in the USA by leading material handling manufacturers. Product section groups develop and update best practices and ANSI standards. Many collect and report sales volumes with extensive reports comparing not only historic sales figures but against many leading economic indicators to help predict current and future trends.
The world groups, in addition to MHI, include: the Beijing Materials Handling Research Institute (BMHRI); the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society (CMES); The European Materials Handling Federation (FEM) and; the Japan Institute of Material Handling (JIMH)
Reportedly this alliance represents 2,300 companies and over 500,000 professionals working in the material handling industry across the globe. With this type of critical mass, the 2025 Roadmap is one step closer to becoming a reality.
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