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CEO Update IN TODAY’S SUPPLY chain landscape, resilience is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. From ongoing disruptions to geopolitical shifts and climate‑related events, supply chains have been tested like never before. In response, a new era is emerging—one where artificial intelligence and automation are not just tools for efficiency, but catalysts for reinvention. This issue of MHI Solutions explores ...

Executive Viewpoint BY JAMES CABOT, PRESIDENT AND CEO, SOUTHWORTH INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC. WE ALL KNOW that we have reached a critical moment in the material handling space. Our industry is growing and evolving at a remarkable speed, creating tremendous opportunities and fresh challenges. The pandemic and the shift in consumer behavior that led to the dramatic rise of e‑commerce have ...

BY CHRISTIAN DOW, EVP OF INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP, MHI When did you first notice the shift toward artificial intelligence (AI)? Perhaps during the COVID‑19 pandemic? Or maybe even earlier than that—as far back as 10 years ago or more? The answers to these questions will likely vary according to your distribution center or warehouse. But regardless of where your distribution center ...

Economic Market Analysis BY JASON SCHENKER, PRESIDENT OF PRESTIGE ECONOMICS® AND CHAIRMAN OF THE FUTURIST INSTITUTE® THE U.S. ECONOMY enters 2026 with renewed momentum for further upside, following a year of on‑trend improvements across the manufacturing and supply chain sectors. Throughout much of 2025, both the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) and MHI Business Activity ...

BY TOM GRESHAM AUTOMATION IS HELPING to create safer material handling workplaces. However, humans still play a vital role in these environments, and overlooking their involvement can create safety risks without proper care and oversight. That is especially true for ergonomic‑related risks. “We know that it’s difficult to find talent today, so we have to keep the talent that we ...

BY KATIE KUEHNER‑HEBERT THREE GROUPS COMBINING their marketing muscle pack a much greater punch than working separately. The Overhead Alliance does just that for three MHI industry groups—the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA), Monorail Manufacturers Association (MMA) and Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI). These three industry groups have many related products and business interests, serve similar industries and potentially even ...

Product Spotlight   BY SANDY SMITH IN THE FAST‑EVOLVING world of material handling, the Conveyor and Sortation Systems (CSS) industry group of MHI is focused on collaboration, education and innovation. With over 60 member companies spanning original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), component suppliers, integrators and end users, CSS is where ideas are exchanged, challenges are tackled and the future of intralogistics ...

Where Are They Now? Catching Up With an MHEFI Scholarship Recipient BREANNA SCHNEIDER, OPERATIONS ANALYST, GRAINGER BREANNA SCHNEIDER HAD a formative experience in high school when her Advanced Placement statistics class watched the movie “Moneyball,” about how the budget‑constrained Oakland Athletics used statistical analysis to build an overachieving roster. Schneider said the film inspired her to study statistics at the ...

THE PEOPLE WHO work at MHI and its Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) division are the gears that keep the association moving. They ensure MHI continues to be a valuable association and resource for people involved in the industry, doing so with competence and smiles on their faces. The goal of this column is to give readers a glimpse ...

Trends Signal a New Era of Visibility, Resilience and Intelligence Amid Ongoing Uncertainty AS GLOBAL MARKETS brace for another year of transformation, MHI has released its Top Supply Chain Trends for 2026. The ranking combines research and industry analysis from the MHI Board of Governors and Roundtable Advisory Committee to identify the trends and technologies that will have the greatest ...