How to Prepare for Trade Shows
If you’re interested in all that automated SLAM equipment can offer, a trade show is a good place to start. You’ll get the most out of it with a good strategy in hand.
As spring approaches, so too does trade show season. MODEX is the largest manufacturing and supply chain event of the bunch, and takes place April 13 to 16 in Atlanta, GA. It’s sheer size—over 1,000 exhibits, 200 educational sessions, and four keynote addresses—means there’s something for everyone. From product and technology demonstrations to networking and the latest education sessions, there’s plenty to fill your schedule while there.
But MODEX and other trade shows can also be overwhelming. That same size and scope means that you can’t do it all. Wandering around the trade show floor can be informative and introduce you to automation to optimize your operations, but there’s too much to absorb without a plan. If you haven’t already put one together, now is the time to maximize your time during the show.
A great starting place is the show’s website. Here you’ll find exhibitor information, a map of the show floor, hotel and travel information, and a schedule of all the educational sessions. You’ll find host hotels, bus schedules, and the like here, and likely get your best prices for transportation for the event.
You can also sign up to receive emails from MODEX as the show approaches. This will keep you up to date on any additions or changes to the sessions and exhibits. Look at the list of exhibitors, also, and sign up for company emails if they’re someone you’d like to meet at the show.
If you’re going to the show with the purpose of learning more about automated SLAM equipment—scanning, labeling, applying and manifesting—a good idea is to pull up multiple tabs from the show website and begin compiling a list of who will be there that fits your interests. With more than 1,000 exhibitors, there are likely to be several, so use the website to determine who is a good fit for your specific operations.
While not every exhibitor will be setting up scheduled booth visits, if it’s a vendor you are particularly interested in, it can be worthwhile to reach out via email to see if that’s a possibility. Also look at the floor layout to see which vendors are near each other and try to compile a personal schedule to hit multiple vendors in one or two dedicated floor sessions.
When you do meet with vendors, make the most of your time with them. That means arriving with your set of pain points and an idea of the problems you are looking to solve. You may not know exactly what you’re looking for, but this is the vendor’s chance to help you with their products and solutions. Take notes or voice memos on what each vendor has to say, otherwise the information may blur together after you’ve returned home. Take a few minutes after each session to mentally recap your meeting and get in the right headspace before your next.
There’s no optimal schedule for vendor meetings because each person is different, but a good rule of thumb is dedicating a half hour to each meet up. At the end of the day, you may have met with 10 to 20 vendors, so pace yourself accordingly.
Specific to SLAM, begin with vendors related to your biggest pain point and work your way out. If it’s labeling, for instance, that’s your starting point. Look at the options available to you from different labeling vendors, and once finished, consider expanding out to manifesting equipment. There may be vendors upstream or downstream that can complement the solutions to your specific issues.
Beyond vendor meetings, you’ll want to take advantage of the educational sessions dedicated to SLAM automation. This year, MHI is offering two worth your consideration: Why Aren’t You Automating Inbound? The Missing Link in Warehouse Performance, on Wed, April 15 at 10:30 in the MHI IG Theater; and Moving Beyond the Pick: Avoiding Downstream Bottlenecks, on Tuesday, April 14 at 2:15 in Theater B.
Don’t forget to schedule in time for networking, as the show offers the chance to connect and reconnect with literally thousands of colleagues in attendance. Rare face-to-face time helps you better understand your industry, its trends, and opportunities. You may even meet other attendees who are looking to solve similar pain points to yours. MODEX will also feature an app this year, which is a great way to keep track of sessions and exhibitors.
Trade shows offer a one-stop shop for all the information you need to optimize your operations. Whether looking for solutions to problems from vendors, a chance to learn about specific automation and technology, or just the opportunity to spend a few days with colleagues from across the globe, a trip to MODEX will help you transform your operations well into the future.
Contributor: Victoria Sithy, Felins, Inc.
Reviewed by the SLAM Marketing Committee
To learn more about MHI’s SLAM industry group: www.mhi.org/slam
More information about Scanning, Labeling, Applying, Manifesting:
Increased Demand for Robotic Packaging and Solutions
5 Major Reasons Companies are Automating Their SLAM Lines
The Business Case for SLAM Automation
Maintaining Your SLAM Equipment
Change Management on the SLAM Line
Monitoring Sensors on the SLAM Line for Trouble
