Season 2024 already moves after the holiday break. Since September, we have visited several events again through the end of quarters three and four this year. We begin with the fantastic Transport & Logistics event organized in Ghent between 17-18 September 2024.
In this article, we share a short wrap-up on what we experienced during the venue and its value for industries. You'll find out about our insights, and we'll also explain more about the logistics business by concluding the top companies that exhibited in Ghent.
However, every event in Europe is different from those at Long Beach in Southern California, USA., or Atlanta, Chicago but still has its huge package of innovation and dozens of news. If your business is busy with shipments, truck scheduling, supply chain planning, or other services daily, don't worry, this article is for you. So, let's buckle up and reveal more about the event from a logistics expert's perspective!
Transportation trade show in the west side of Belgium
This year, the edition of Transport & Logistics took place in Gent, one of the beautiful cities on the west side of Belgium. The city itself presents an original style and activity built over the centuries, so it was worth visiting not only from a logistics perspective. As a tourist attraction, it was also amazing to see the city and the old town.
Coming back to the trade show, the transport and logistics venue brought to the attention of many innovative companies from the logistics, manufacturing, and IT industries that were visible at the venue. The event focused solely on a gateway to sustainable supply chains and logistics.
Gent transformed into a hub for the logistics and transport industry for two days. During that time, it united over 6,000 professionals from across Europe. The event was held simultaneously as Logistic & Industrial Build and Empack. So, three events under one roof offered a comprehensive overview of the latest trends and innovations shaping the future of the supply chain and manufacturing.
We could summarize several vital highlights that can give you an immediate outlook on the event. So, we could say that out of our experience, as with many other events we have seen, the Transport & Logistics in Gent provided these advantages:
Networking opportunities: see what events deliver
Anyone from visitors could connect with industry peers. There was a fantastic opportunity to share best practices and, of course, forge valuable partnerships.
Expert insights
Visit the event in Gent to learn from over 50 keynote speakers and industry experts. Most of them had 20+ years of industrial experience, so learning from top players in Belgium was a great opportunity to increase your knowledge. They shared critical topics such as sustainability, digitalization, and the role of intermodal transport.
Innovative solutions
None of today's fairs can go without technology and IT companies. In Gent, we could discover the latest technologies and services from 200+ exhibitors showcasing the breadth and depth of the logistics industry.
Intermodal focus
A significant portion of the event was dedicated to intermodal transport. We could hear from the Port of Antwerp and other businesses on integrating various modes of transportation (road, rail, water, and air). All of that should lead companies to optimize efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
Sustainable supply chains
The event placed a strong emphasis on sustainability. It also nicely explained how significant sustainability impacts cost because sustainability isn't cheap these days. Keynotes entered discussions centered around reducing carbon footprints and improving energy efficiency, which leads to adopting eco-friendly practices.
Driving the future: Business@Breakfast and trade show shipping attractions at the event
The event kicked off with a lively Business@Breakfast session. During this session, attendees engaged in a thought-provoking debate on "Driving the Future: Sustainable Transport & Logistics in Europe." As we briefly summarized today in the beginning, this outlined the entire path for further developments and the focus of the trade show logistics. The discussion highlighted the industry's challenges and opportunities and explored potential solutions.
During the event, we also had the opportunity to see conferences, visit the partner village, and hear about job opportunities, which gave insights into where the industry is headed or whether it's growing or in a downturn. But, contrary to the second statement, we can confirm that based on the number of open vacancies in logistics and transport, the industry is growing! Moreover, at the end of the first day, Transport Media presented the Trends Transport & Logistics Gazellen awards. During the Trends Transport & Logistics Gazelles, an awards ceremony was held to recognize transportation and logistics companies that have experienced the most robust growth over the past five years. The awards are given to the best in three categories: small, medium, and large companies.
IT and hi-tech companies at the forefront
A significant number of IT and hi-tech companies were represented at the event. As we said, there won't be showcasing these days without innovative IT and hi-tech solutions. Companies from that sector demonstrated how technology is driving the future of logistics. Attendees had the opportunity to connect with leading providers of:
This event in Gent is a must-attend for logistics managers and professionals. So, if you're a professional in the transportation and logistics industry, Transport & Logistics Gent was an invaluable opportunity.
Nurturing logistics and trade show freight
Focusing now more closely on the needs of transport and logistics companies, we heard from exhibitors' comments on their current situation in the market and what they are worrying about. It was a great personal experience to hear from all the professionals about the real problems of today. Thanks to listening to presentations from experts on sustainability, such as Philippe DEGRAEF, Director of Febetra from Belgium, an organization striving for transport optimization, we gained amazing knowledge about sustainability in logistics.
Looking at Bert Vandecaveye's presentation about intermodal transportation, the CEO of Tailormade Logistics, we can learn about the challenges the logistics industry is facing today.
We could highlight these struggles:
Rising fuel costs. The increasing price of fuel directly impacts transportation costs, affecting profitability and competitiveness. Moreover, the one who pays for you is always the end customer.
Economic uncertainty. Global economic instability, such as the War in Ukraine or the Treaty of pandies, is always followed by trade wars and recessions. This is a leading factor in fluctuations in demand for transportation services.
Driver shortages. A massive shortage of qualified drivers in many regions increases costs and operational difficulties. Many companies have created back offices in the East, such as hiring truck drivers based on theoretical transformation. The need to adopt new technologies, such as AI, blockchain, and WMS software, is about to improve efficiency and competitiveness. Companies struggle to scale digitalization due to the high maintenance costs.
Hidden costs of sustainability transition. Increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, adopt more sustainable practices, and switch to electric vehicles and renewable energy is costly.
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Contact usSummary of logistics world-class event
The Transport & Logistics Ghent 2024 event undoubtedly presented the latest trends and innovations in the logistics and transport industry. Participants had the opportunity to network with industry peers. We could learn from experts, discover innovative solutions, and gain insights into sustainable supply chains and intermodal transportation.
If you are in the logistics or transportation industry, you should consider attending future Transport & Logistics events to stay up-to-date on industry trends. You can always network with like-minded professionals and explore opportunities for growth and innovation. At Adexin, we're staying informed and engaged. We track the logistics market to better understand our client's business's position and success in the evolving landscape of the logistics sector. Are you interested in what will be at the next show? Stay with us!