Editor Allan Leibowitz comments on the news of the week

A few weeks back, we pondered the plight of the conference organisers whose businesses have been decimated by COVID-19. There is another sector that has been badly affected - the industry associations. Already, some of the major industry organisations have collapsed because of their financial dependence on events. No trade shows means no revenue. This brings into question the role of the industry associations. Clearly, those that have morphed into event companies and that exist primarily to organise industry events, rather than to represent the interests of the industry participants, are most at risk. There's no indication that the major materials handling and logistics associations are in this situation, and if nothing else, COVID-19 and the collapse of trade shows should get them all to refocus on their members' needs - the very reason for their creation in the first place.