MHI is the new face of material handling trade group

Association rebrands, will relaunch under new logo at ProMat Show Jan. 21

January 9, 2013

The Board of Governors of Material Handling Industry has voted to rebrand and adopt a new name: MHI, under the motto, “The Industry That Makes the Supply Chain Work.”

"The decision to become MHI was made to better serve the changing needs of our members and our industry," says George W. Prest, CEO of MHI.

"People in our industry, both members and end users, have an expanded role beyond material handling to the overall supply chain,” added Prest. “As these roles changed, we saw the need to evolve our association to reflect what’s happening in today’s supply chain. The new MHI will be more relevant to professionals in manufacturing and the supply chain as well as offer solutions and content to meet their needs."

The association’s new Web site address will be www.mhi.org.

With a broader emphasis on solutions for the larger supply chain, MHI will showcase its member companies and provide end users with enhanced content that incorporates not only material handling, but manufacturing, distribution, logistics and transportation. MHI will provide informational and educational resources to increase the value members and end users bring to their companies while enhancing networking opportunities and professional growth.

"We took a very strategic approach to this process," said Larry Strayhorn, MHI Executive Chairman. "For several years, the Board of Governors and staff explored the concept of broadening our focus beyond the four walls of a facility, but we had to make sure that this would fulfill a need and was the right thing for our members and the industry as a whole. The MODEX expo was the first step in this process and newly branded MHI is the next step forward.”

In addition to a more solutions-focused Website, MHI is launching MHI Solutions—a new information resource for the manufacturing and supply chain communities. MHI Solutions will debut in January 2013 and will include a quarterly print publication, a monthly electronic newsletter and a weekly electronic news update.

As MHI, the association will continue its sponsorship of the ProMat and MODEX trade events and continue to provide support to MHI’s Industry Groups.

The new MHI logo will officially be revealed at ProMat, held January 21-24, 2013 at McCormick Place in Chicago. "We look forward to detailing the many ways MHI will benefit members and end users," said Prest.