March 12, 2015

Material Handling Machinery

The Industry That Makes Supply Chains Work

Vision

To be recognized as the premier authority for the material handling industry, enhancing how supply chains work.

Mission

We provide an unbiased, collaborative environment that fosters stakeholder best practices by facilitating industry groups, education, events and market intelligence through innovative direct programming or in partnership with other industry providers.

MHI Snapshot

800 members including: material handling and logistics equipment companies, systems and software manufacturers; consultants; systems integrators and simulators; and third-party logistics providers and publishers.
Sponsor of the industry-leading ProMat and MODEX events

History of MHI

Download detailed history of MHI

MHI was incorporated in 1945 with the objective of serving its members and promoting the industry at large. In 1948, MHI created the National Material Handling Show which was later named ProMat. This event grew into MHI's signature event.

Also in the early years of MHI, sections or groups were formed from within the Membership or through affiliation within MHI to better represent specific producing sectors (examples being – Industrial Trucks, Cranes, Hoists, Monorails, Racks and Shelving, Loading Dock Equipment, Lift Equipment and Conveyors). These groups still serve the industry today.

By the late 1980s, the association took some bold but exciting steps to evolve the organization, including a move from Pittsburgh, PA to Charlotte, NC and the association changed its name to the Material Handling Industry of America or MHIA.

The size of the organization with an international trade show demanded changes in the management structure that could efficiently tackle the incumbent technical, marketing, education, legal and fiduciary responsibilities of an industry association that had no equal. Along with these changes, the membership grew from few hundred companies to a number more than 3 times that, almost overnight.