Numerous North American industry trade groups are looking ahead to 2013 gatherings as opportunities to discuss industry issues.

The spring meeting of the Industrial Truck Association (ITA) occurs on 11-13 March at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC. ITA's membership is comprised of industry manufacturers of forklifts, tow tractors, rough-terrain vehicles, hand-pallet trucks and automated guided vehicles throughout the US, Canada and Mexico, and the association represents 90% of the forklift manufacturers in the US and Canada. Suppliers of component parts and accessories may join Washington-based ITA as associate members.

The convention of the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) takes place on 4-8 May at the JW Marriott Desert Springs resort in Palm Desert, California with 25 industry-specific speakers, 16 workshop presentations and six general sessions. Vernon Hills, Illinois-based MHEDA is a not-for-profit national trade association dedicated solely to improving the proficiency of the materials handling equipment distributors.

The conference of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) will take place on 28 April-1 May at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. The Tempe, Arizona-based not-for-profit supply management association promotes the profession and provides numerous tools to expand professional skills and knowledge.

In the same region on overlapping dates, the gathering for the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) occurs on 28 April -1 May at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. The Oak Brook, Illinois-based professional association focuses on advancing the art and science of warehousing management and offers an industry best-practice warehouse certification.

The global conference of the Council for Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) is scheduled for 20-23 October at the Colorado Convention Centre in Denver, Colorado. The Lombard, Illinois-based association pursues advancement and dissemination of research and knowledge about supply chain management and, also during 2013, will hold CSCMP India on 22-23 February at the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and CSCMP Europe on 15-17 May at the Park Plaza Amsterdam Airport Hotel in the Netherlands.

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) holds its broad-based biennial ProMat trade show on 21-24 January in the McCormick Place South hall in Chicago.

MHIA is looking ahead on 23 January at ProMat to conducting the exhibit space draw for its next Modex show, which occurs on 17-20 March 2014 at the Georgia World Congress Centre in Atlanta.

Among the ProMat 2013 exhibitors are MHEDA in booth #1481, ISM in #3686, WERC in #3185, CSCMP in #3186, MHIA in #3355 and Modex in #2655. Others include the Association of Professional Material Handling Consultants Inc of Charlotte in #2986 and the American Logistics Aid Network of Lakeland, Florida in #3586.