More than 750 exhibitors will participate in the Material Handling Industry of America's (MHIA) materials handling show in January.

They will share 300,000 square feet (27,870 square metres) of exhibition space at ProMat 2007, from January 8 to January 11, in Chicago, Illinois.

Attendance was expected to exceed 30,000, an MHIA statement said. Multiple show-floor seminars are slated in the ProMat Knowledge Center.

Conference keynote speakers will focus on the use of "lean" and "continuous flow" concepts under the theme, "Three Roads, One Destination: the Journey to Becoming a World Class Company".

CJ Buck, president and CEO of Buck Knives, in Post Falls, Idaho; Herb Spivak, executive vice president for global quality assurance & product integrity with New Balance Athletic Show Inc, of Boston, Massachusetts; and Dan Ariens, president and CEO of Ariens Company, of Brillion, Wisconsin, will speak.

MHIA officials will report on the state of the USD125 billion materials handling and logistics industry, trends shaping the business and the group's plans for its other trade show, NA 2008, in Cleveland, Ohio, from April 21 to April 24, 2008.

December 3 is the deadline for ProMat show attendees to obtain discounted rates at 17 Chicago hotels, according to MHIA.

Exhibitions will showcase materials handling equipment; storage, shelving and third party logistics; packaging, container and shipping gear; inventory management and controls; dock and warehouse items; and automatic identification systems.

Forkliftaction.com News journalist Roger Renstrom will attend ProMat 2007 from January 8 to January 11. Email www.forkliftaction.com to arrange a meeting.