Q4 2017, MHI Solutions: Sustainability

CEO UPDATE: Sustainable Supply Chains Are Driving Competitive Advantage — by George W. Prest.

As more and more customers, investors and employees demand them, sustainable business practices are becoming an integral part of what makes a company and their products unique and valuable.

Today, best-in-class supply chains are collaborating to use sustainability as a strategic weapon for gaining competitive advantage by reducing costs and risk while increasing brand reputation.

For sustainability to work, that collaboration is essential across the extended value chain of internal stakeholders, suppliers, sub-contractors and the end consumer. By working together, companies are finding new ways of achieving not only social and environmental, but economic gain.

Sustainability initiatives coupled with the growing impact of ecommerce on supply chains are creating an increased need for Smart City Logistics solutions to solve the challenge of last mile (and final 50 feet) delivery in congested urban areas. Again, collaboration will be key in solving this growing supply chain challenge.

One way MHI is supporting this collaboration is at our MODEX expo next April in Atlanta. MODEX 2018 has expanded into a second hall at the Georgia World Congress Center and, for the first time, will feature Solution Centers on Smart City Logistics and Connected Supply Chains and Transportation and Logistics. These new Solution Centers will feature exhibits and education on these important supply chain trends including solutions for freight transportation, urban logistics, Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things. You can learn more at MODEXShow.com.

Additionally, MHI continues to expand the educational and networking offerings at our MHI Executive Summit and Annual Conference events being held as you read this in Boca Raton, FL. For the third year, we are inviting MHI members and non-members to attend, creating an event venue for collaboration. These events focus on key themes identified by the U.S. Roadmap for Material Handling & Logistics 2.0 and the MHI 2017 Annual Industry Report.

The goal is to create a growing community that shares knowledge and collaborates to address current and future manufacturing and supply chain challenges and opportunities. Supply chain thought leaders attend to share insights and strategies on the issues affecting our industry.

Our objective is that this issue of MHI Solutions helps provide the information and resources you need to address efficiency and sustainability across your supply chain to improve your overall business performance.

Cheers!

George W. Prest
Chief Executive Officer, MHI