With impressive stands, generous hospitality and intense networking, IMHX 2010 has given a real lift to the storage and handling sector. The industry's flagship exhibition, which took place from 16-19 November at Birmingham's NEC, showed a buoyant and business-like spirit that reflects the improved economic climate.

The show's joint organisers Quartz Publishing and Exhibitions Ltd and the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) were delighted with both the quality and quantity of visitors, as well as the extremely positive mood at the event. "We have worked very hard over the last few years to attract the right people to IMHX," commented Paul Michael, Managing Director of Quartz, "and our exhibitors have told us that IMHX 2010 has been very successful for them." Commenting on the positive atmosphere at the show, James Clark, Secretary-General of BITA, said, "There were obviously some very serious discussions taking place at this year's show. Visitors and exhibitors alike were clearly upbeat about business prospects and a significant number of BITA members and other exhibitors have reported a very high level of interest and quality enquiries."


Informative, fundraising and carbon-neutral show

The corps of drums of the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment entertained diners at the IMHX 2010 Gala Dinner and charity auction in aid of Help for Heroes

Supported by main sponsor, Albury Asset Rentals, IMHX featured the products and services of a record 355 exhibitors from right across the logistics industry, as well as a programme of over 30 highly informative, free seminars. The show's organisers also teamed up with leading independent supply chain consultants, OPS Logistics Consultancy, to offer free, 20-minute advice surgeries for the first time. Armed forces charities benefited to the tune of almost £14,000 from visitor donations through collection buckets and exhibitor bids at a charity auction. Once again breaking new ground, IMHX 2010 has been the first logistics trade exhibition to offset the CO2 produced through visitor travel to the venue. The show featured a special Environmental Zone, sponsored by Shell Gas (LPG), at which visitors were able to record their show travel footprint at no cost to themselves using a web-based carbon calculator.

IMHX 2010 was the first logistics trade exhibition to offset the CO2 produced through visitor travel to the venue using web-based carbon calculators

IMHX Design 4 Safety Award winners revealed

Mike Mathias, Managing Director of Toyota Material Handling UK, with the company's BT Pro Lifter, which scooped the prize as overall winner in the IMHX Design 4 Safety Awards

The winners of the Design 4 Safety awards, jointly organised by IMHX co-owners Quartz and BITA, were announced at IMHX 2010. A new initiative to highlight the importance of product design in improving safety standards, the competition's finalists were Toyota Material Handling UK (Industrial Trucks category), Sentry Protection Products (Racking & Storage), Transdek (Automation) and Cooper SH (Technology). The finalist voted by IMHX visitors as the overall winner was Toyota for its BT Pro Lifter hand pallet truck.


Major product launches and all the fun of the fair!

Commonwealth Games gold medallist diver, Tom Daley, joined IMHX exhibitor, Bott, to show off his medals and sign autographs on the Thursday of the show. Other event highlights included the launch of the C-5, the first ever IC-engine counterbalance truck from Crown; a Formula One Ferrari on the stand of Shell Gas (LPG); no fewer than five product launches from articulated forklift supplier, Translift Bendi Ltd; the first outing in Europe for the innovative distribution centre automation concept of US firm Kiva Systems Inc, in which stock is stored on shelving units that are moved by a fleet of autonomous robots; an eye-catching live demo of the OSR Shuttle sorter dispatch buffer system from KNAPP; the unveiling of the Magnum Optimum range of pallet boxes for heavy loads from returnable packaging specialist, Schoeller Arca Systems; the launch of the iForks 'plug & weigh' scale forks for lift trucks by mobile weighing specialist, RAVAS; and a product launch of a four-directional, all-wheel drive, all-wheel steer and all-wheel brake forklift with capacities up to 10000 kg, by Omega Lift.

Totes moved hotfoot in a live demo of the OSR Shuttle™ sorter on KNAPP's stand US firm Kiva Systems Inc exhibited its innovative handling system, which uses a fleet of autonomous robots, for the first time in Europe at IMHX

Next show in 2013

Rob Fisher, Publishing and Exhibitions Director for Quartz, concluded, "IMHX 2010 has been a hugely successful event, with an exceptional turnout of high calibre buyers and decision-makers from a wide range of logistics and supply chain operations. The success of IMHX 2010 has encouraged a large number of our exhibitors to sign up for the next IMHX, which will take place from 19-22 March 2013. To book your stand at the UK's premier logistics event, call the IMHX sales team on 01895 454600."


For more information visit the IMHX website www.imhx.biz