What MHI does

MHI (Materials Handling Institute) is an international non-profit trade association founded in 1945 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, serving as the central organizing body for the U.S. material handling, logistics, and supply chain industry. The association represents more than 1,000 member companies spanning material handling equipment manufacturers, systems integrators, third-party logistics providers, industry consultants, and publishers, organizing this constituency through an ecosystem that includes more than 11 specialized industry groups (Rack Manufacturers Institute, Conveyor and Sortation Systems, Ergonomic Assist Systems, the Robotics Group, Automated Storage/Retrieval, and others), a Solutions Community for safe-harbor collaboration between vendors and end users, the Young Professionals Network, and the wholly-owned WERC division for warehousing education and research.

MHI's core offerings are member services, large-scale events, and market intelligence rather than a discrete software or technology product. Its revenue mechanics rest on three pillars: recurring membership dues from 1,000+ member companies plus industry group participation; large-scale trade show economics from the biennial MODEX show (650,000+ sq ft, 1,100+ exhibits, 200+ educational sessions in Atlanta) and ProMat (Chicago, positioned around 50,000+ buyers and $70 billion in supply chain investment); and high-profile content including the annual MHI Industry Report co-produced with Deloitte surveying 500-700 supply chain leaders, MHI Cast podcast (277 episodes), the MHIview video platform, MHI Blog, MHI Solutions Magazine, the Innovation Awards program, a startup pitch competition, and workforce development programs such as CICMHE, the MHEFI scholarships, and the MHI Inspires Fund ($80,000 in 2025 matching grants). Membership pricing and consolidated revenue are not publicly disclosed.

The association extends its footprint through curriculum programming (MHI Leadership Program, seminars, case studies, standards), digital distribution channels (LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), and strategic partnerships — most notably the flagship Deloitte alliance for the annual industry report, plus operational partnerships with event venues (Georgia World Congress Center) and equipment partners such as Clark. MHI's distribution strength is its defining economic asset: 88% of MODEX 2026 attendees reportedly hold buying power, with 35% planning to spend more than $1 million on solutions within 18 months, and the audience includes representatives from a majority of Fortune 1000 companies, the top 100 retailers, and the top 100 consumer goods firms — a buyer-density profile that is rare among industry associations.

Name

MHI

Legal name

MHI (Materials Handling Institute)

Website

https://mhi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MHI (Materials Handling Institute) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1945 that represents more than 1,000 member companies in the material handling, logistics, and supply chain industry, serving them through major trade shows (MODEX and ProMat), industry groups, and an annual report co-produced with Deloitte.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: MHI generates revenue through membership fees from over 1,000 member companies including material handling and logistics equipment and systems manufacturers, integrators, consultants, publishers and third-party logistics providers. Industry Groups and the Solutions Community provide additional membership tiers and engagement.
2. Trade Show Events: MHI organizes and sponsors the ProMat and MODEX expos which showcase member company products and services. These events generate revenue through exhibitor fees, sponsorships, registration, and seminar sponsorships.
3. Industry Groups and Solutions Community: MHI's industry groups (over 60 member companies in CSS alone) and Solutions Community bring together equipment and systems users to collaborate on common challenges, generating membership and participation revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

MHI is a nonprofit trade association that delivers member services to over 1,000 companies in the material handling, logistics, and supply chain industry. Its core offerings include membership programs, 11+ specialized industry groups, large-scale trade expositions (MODEX and ProMat), an annual benchmark industry report co-produced with Deloitte, and workforce development initiatives. The organization generates revenue through member dues, event registrations, exhibitor fees, sponsorships, and programming activities.

Product overview

MHI (Materials Handling Institute) is an industry association serving the material handling, logistics, and supply chain industry since 1945. Rather than a single unified product, MHI offers a portfolio of member services and industry programs including major trade shows (MODEX and ProMat), annual industry research reports published with Deloitte, innovation awards programs, and startup competitions. The association provides video and podcast content platforms (MHIview and MHI Cast), maintains industry-specific groups (such as RMI for racking, TRG for robotics, CSS for conveyors), and offers workforce development initiatives including the College Industry Council, Leadership Program, and Inspires Fund. With over 1,000 member companies, MHI delivers education, networking, and solution sourcing through programming and events, while WERC (Warehousing Education and Research Council) serves as a division focused on warehousing and distribution education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MODEX: The Premier Supply Chain Experience trade show organized by MHI
• ProMat
• MHIview
• MHI Cast
• MHI Blog
• MHI Industry Groups

Products and services

• MODEX Trade Show Premier manufacturing and supply chain trade show organized by MHI at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, featuring hands-on product and technology demonstrations, educational sessions, and networking for supply chain professionals. MODEX 2026 hosted 1,100+ exhibits, 200+ educational sessions, and four keynotes, with 88% of attendees carrying buying power.
• ProMat Trade Show Major manufacturing and supply chain trade show organized by MHI in Chicago, where manufacturing and supply chain professionals come together to learn about the latest industry innovations, trends, and best practices. ProMat 2027 is expected to attract 50,000+ buyers and feature over 1,000 exhibitors and 200+ educational sessions.
• MHI Annual Industry Report Annual industry report published by MHI in partnership with Deloitte, providing comprehensive survey-based insights on supply chain innovation, technology adoption, and workforce trends. The 2026 report 'Rewiring the Future: A Supply Chain Playbook for Innovation' is based on surveys of 500-700 supply chain leaders globally.
• MHI Industry Groups MHI's 11+ industry groups including RMI (Rack Manufacturers Institute), TRG (Robotics), CSS (Conveyors and Sortation Systems, 60+ members), EASE (Ergonomics), ASRS (Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems), CMAA, ACE, AEC, HMI, ICWM, LIFT, LODEM, MAG, MMA, Overhead Alliance, ProGMA, SLAM, SMA, TRG, and VRC. These groups share information, conduct research, and develop industry standards.
• MHI Member Directory Online directory of MHI's over 1,000 member companies including material handling and logistics equipment manufacturers, integrators, consultants, publishers, and third-party logistics providers. Buyers use the directory to find and connect with member companies.
• WERC (Warehousing Education and Research Council) A division of MHI providing education and research to the warehousing, distribution, and logistics community. WERC holds an annual conference and offers distribution logistics education programs, corporate memberships, and practitioner resources.
• MHI Cast Podcast Podcast series covering supply chain technology, trends, and industry insights with 277 episodes featuring topics on AI, robotics, automation, workforce, sustainability, and leadership. Categories include events, industry groups, and WERC content.
• MHIview Video Platform Video content platform featuring MHI industry reports, event coverage, educational content, and industry expert interviews on supply chain topics. Hosted at videos.mhi.org.
• MHI Blog Blog at mhiblog.org covering technology, warehousing, workforce, supply chain, leadership, and industry events topics for supply chain professionals, with 462+ pages of content and tag clouds for AI, automation, logistics, manufacturing, robotics, and sustainability.
• MHI Innovation Awards Annual innovation awards program at MODEX recognizing breakthrough technologies in supply chain, including categories for Best New Innovation, Best Robotics Innovation, Best IT Innovation, and Best Sustainability Innovation. Winners are selected from 200+ submissions reviewed by industry experts.
• MHI StartUp Pitch Competition Startup pitch competition at MODEX featuring emerging supply chain technology companies competing for prize funding, with finalists presenting to industry practitioner judges. The 2026 competition awarded a $10,000 prize.
• Solutions Community Safe harbor environment bringing MHI members together with equipment and systems users to collaborate and address common challenges in manufacturing and supply chain.
• MHI Solutions Magazine Industry magazine covering supply chain technology, trends, and solutions for manufacturing and supply chain professionals.
• College Industry Council (CICMHE) Program connecting educational institutions with the material handling industry to support workforce development and career pathways.
• MHI Leadership Program Professional development program for emerging and established leaders in the material handling and supply chain industry.
• MHI Inspires Fund Program providing matching funds for education and workforce development programs in the material handling industry, with $80,000 in matching funds available in 2025.
• MHEFI Scholarship Program Scholarship program providing educational funding to support students pursuing careers in the material handling, logistics, and supply chain industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% of organizations say human capabilities are not keeping pace with technological innovation (2025 report)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• ClarkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026MHI and Clark expanded their partnership to Savannah, United States. The partnership focuses on industry collaboration and mutual industry initiatives in the material handling and supply chain sector.
• DeloitteflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026MHI partners with Deloitte to produce the annual MHI Industry Report, considered a leading benchmark in the supply chain industry. The 2026 report 'Rewiring the Future: A Supply Chain Playbook for Innovation' surveyed 500-700+ supply chain leaders on AI, innovation, workforce, and technology trends. Deloitte's Wanda Johnson co-presents key findings at MODEX.
• WERC (Warehousing Education and Research Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWERC is a division of MHI that provides education and research to the warehousing, distribution, and logistics community. WERC holds an annual conference and offers distribution logistics education programs, corporate memberships, and practitioner resources.
• Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRMI is an industry group of MHI formed in 1958 consisting of leading suppliers of Industrial Steel Storage Racks and Related Structural Systems. RMI promotes safe and effective use of industrial steel storage racks worldwide and conducts standards development, industry statistics, and technical publications.
• Georgia World Congress CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMODEX trade show venue partner for the 650,000+ square foot exhibit space at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, hosting 1,100+ exhibits and 200+ educational sessions.
• ProMat Venue PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProMat trade show venue partners in Chicago hosting the largest manufacturing and supply chain event of 2027, expected to attract 50,000+ buyers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM, formerly APICS): ASCM is the leading global association for supply chain and operations professionals, offering certifications (CPIM, CSCP), training, and content. Directly comparable to MHI as a nonprofit membership organization serving the same supply chain buyer audience.
• Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP): CSCMP is a global trade association for supply chain management professionals offering education, research (State of Logistics Report), networking events, and certification. Directly comparable to MHI in serving supply chain decision-makers with membership and content programs.
• Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA): MHEDA is a trade association for material handling equipment distributors, offering education, networking, and industry reports. Direct peer to MHI serving overlapping material handling stakeholders from the distributor side.
• International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA): IWLA is a trade association for third-party logistics warehousing providers. Directly comparable to MHI's 3PL member segment with overlapping content, networking, and advocacy offerings for the warehousing and logistics community.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): NAM is the largest US manufacturing trade association, representing over 14,000 member companies. Adjacent to MHI's material handling and supply chain focus with overlapping membership in manufacturing and broader policy/research offerings.
• Informa Markets (Industrial Division): Informa Markets is one of the world's largest B2B events organizers running numerous industrial and supply chain exhibitions. Comparable as a large-scale trade show operator with overlapping supply chain and industrial verticals, but a commercial organizer rather than a nonprofit association.

Regional players

• Hannover Messe (Deutsche Messe): Hannover Messe is a major industrial trade show organizer hosting leading global manufacturing and supply chain events. Comparable as a trade show organizer for industrial automation, but primarily Europe-based and serving a broader manufacturing scope.
• LogiMAT: LogiMAT is Europe's largest annual intralogistics trade show covering material handling, warehouse management, and supply chain solutions. Comparable as a directly competitive trade show but primarily serves the European market.
• CeMAT: CeMAT is a global trade fair for intralogistics, materials handling, and supply chain management organized by Deutsche Messe. Comparable as a major competing trade show event for the same audience as MODEX/ProMat, primarily Germany-based with global editions.

Emerging players

• FreightWaves: FreightWaves is a digital media and data platform covering freight, logistics, and supply chain markets. Comparable to MHI's content and market intelligence offering but operating as a digital-native media company rather than a trade association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/poweredbymhi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MHIA2008
• Facebookfacebook.com/poweredbymhi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mhi-the-association-that-makes-supply-chains-work
• Instagraminstagram.com/poweredbymhi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MHI