Multimodal 2022 celebrates fifteen years of putting shippers, retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, importers, and exporters in front of exhibitors who offer the latest logistics and supply chain solutions. Multimodal is firmly established as the UK, Ireland and Northern Europe’s premier freight transport, logistics and supply chain management event.
Robert Jervis, Director at Multimodal, speaks to Warehouse & Logistics News.
What does your role involve on a day-to-day basis?
Building up to the next exhibition, my days are a mixture of targeting the right balance of exhibitors across all modes and then arranging meetings with them and other strategic partners.
I am also in constant contact with Birmingham NEC to ensure that everything is on schedule, as well as with our sales, marketing, and PR teams.
Once the show starts, I spend my time making sure the show is proceeding to schedule.
How would you explain the MULTIMODAL Culture?
It is a must for the UK and Ireland transport and logistics industry. It is well established and supported and has become a diary event.
How does this culture assist your exhibitors’ requirements?
Multimodal is the UK and Northern Ireland’s largest industry show. Delegates meet up with old friends and acquaintances or forge new relationships. The culture of the show works because it is a combination of camaraderie, new business and an exchange of ideas.
Do you have direct contact with exhibitors, and get involved developing solutions?
I have been working in the transport and logistics sector for getting on for 35 years and pride myself on knowing the exhibitors and delegates who invest in a stand and take an active role in the conference programme. I am also keenly interested in the industry and enjoy learning about how it develops. This has been of particular interest over the course of the last couple of years as the transport and logistics industry has come under increasing scrutiny in the wake of the COVID pandemic.
Tell us how the MULTIMODAL show is growing in the UK
We emerged out of the pandemic and enjoyed great numbers at the exhibition and the largest ever audience at the Multimodal Awards, which take place on the first night of the show.
This year we are ahead of schedule as we find people are hugely keen to get back out and meet friends and colleagues that they have been kept away from for two years.
What makes MULTIMODAL show unique in your industry?
There is no other event that is UK based and unites all modes of transport under one roof and has done so for 15 years.
What sectors do these exhibitors work in?
Multimodal represents every logistics sector, characterised by key vertical sectors, including manufacturing, retail, agribusiness, chemical, automotive, electronics, FMCG, food & drink, fashion, pharmaceuticals, construction, aerospace, energy, real estate, recycling, paper/ print and perishables, amongst others, whilst horizontally, covering all modes of transportation, including sea, road, rail, air and inland waterways.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities in the coming year for MULTIMODAL?
Right now, returning to normality after COVID feels like an opportunity in itself. Logistics and transport has never been so much in the news and this is being reflected in bookings and registrations.
What are the biggest challenges facing MULTIMODAL and your industry?
COVID and the Russian invasion of Ukraine has created uncertainty in the supply chain.
This will present challenges for the sector which for years has worked toward the ‘Just In Time’ model and is now having to reshape to a ‘Just In Case’ structure.
Resilience is all important now and how this is created and maintained is a current and future challenge of the industry.
As for Multimodal, we will continue to facilitate a forum for our clients and friends to meet and exchange ideas and contacts.
Multimodal
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