It seems there's a materials handling or related trade show almost every week as the major event organisers spread their reach.
This week, we're at CeMAT Australia.
One has to wonder if the rapid roll-out of events is sustainable. One driver is that travel is becoming increasingly difficult for many in business. It's not just the cost; it's the time away from the office and the rising security concerns, among other things. So it makes sense to move the shows to the markets.
But the plethora of exhibition options is tough on vendors. Certainly, we hear from potential sponsors who are torn over how to invest their marketing funds. Clearly, they can't support all the shows all the time.
So, which way will it go? Will we see a move towards smaller regional events, will the global shows prevail or will there be some new balance? Time will tell.