Gary Robinson
Mar 27, 2024
Key Takeaways from MODEX 2024 at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta
I have recently spent some time meeting our CAST USA team in Atlanta, where I visited the Modex show for the first time. And what an event is was!
The event, held March 11-14 in Atlanta, saw a record-shattering 48,733 attendees engaged with 1,200 exhibitors showcasing the latest supply chain technology and innovation across 580,000 net square feet at the Georgia World Congress Center. The largest MODEX event to date, with 32% more registered visitors than MODEX 2022, it was a feast of information for those like myself, involved in Supply Chain & Logistics.
MODEX showcased a multitude of innovations and trends in logistics and supply chain management, highlighting the industry's push towards technology and sustainability, and highlighting the industry’s robust interest in supply chain advancements. The focus was also on collaborative and tech-forward supply chains, as seen in the new report by MHI and Deloitte, emphasizing the increasing investments in supply chain technology.
Hot topics in Georgia bear many similarities to those we see in the UK & Europe;
Emerging Supply Chain Technology and Automation & Robotics
Interestingly, although tech advancements are at the forefront of Supply Chain transformation, 52% of those surveyed in the recent MHI 2024 Annual Industry Report: The Collaborative Supply Chain, cited respondents’ concerns about a shortage of talent too, and so talent acquisition seems to be a backdrop across multiple sectors.
While visiting Atlanta, I took the opportunity to meet many of our customers on site in Midtown, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Marietta, Norcross, Decatur, Smyrna and Cumming. While tech enables business connections as a first touchpoint, meeting clients face-to-face, shaking hands & discussing talent strategies in person is key.
Hot Topics
- Fractional Leadership while a trend in the last 12 months, now seems to be a very hot topic with lots of businesses and senior leadership professionals taking a keen interest in how this might be of benefit to them, especially in the face of talent shortages and skills gaps in general.
- Contract is a hot topic too with experienced project managers very much in demand to deliver or extend distribution sites, or to oversee business and tech transformation.
- Remote & hybrid working was another hot topic, discussing the possibility of bringing more employees in on a hybrid basis. While no client is really pushing a return to a 5-day week in the office, remote working is clearly impacting many businesses and it appears the overwhelming preference is hybrid over fully remote.
A big focus for our US team is to communicate how our BroadCAST online interviewing software speeds up the recruitment process, without compromising on quality, simply by allowing us to conduct first stage interviews on our clients’ behalf, saving hours of interviewing & allowing us to create shortlists at speed. As with our Supply Chain clients, our tech stack makes a big difference for organizations wanting to get the best candidates into their talent pipelines quickly.
On reflection, it's clear my time in Atlanta was immensely informative and productive. The insights gained from the event, underscores the value of such industry gatherings. Not only did we deepen our understanding of current and emerging trends in supply chain technology and talent management, but we also strengthened relationships with clients, candidates and colleagues. The intel gathered and the connections made there will undoubtedly fuel CAST’s strategies and initiatives going forward.
If you need help or advice on your Supply Chain talent strategies why not get in touch?
