IWLEX is a new purpose led exhibition due to run on May 23rd and 24th of 2023 at Telford International Centre (TIC).
Managing Director
IWLEX is the brainchild of Nairn Foster who has many years of experience as a Sales Director working in the warehousing and internal logistics space.
Working very closely with exhibitors, Nairn identified that there was a need to evolve the current exhibition propositions that were available to the sector.
Nairn formed a partnership with veteran event industry expert and entrepreneur Justin Craig, who provided the robust financial foundation on which to build an exciting new exhibition.
Paul Brooks FCILT, FIOD, a former President of CILT International, has joined the leadership team of IWLEX. Paul is a recognised industry leader with board level experience spanning over 25 years in retail, technology, and the logistics sector. Paul has assumed a role as strategic consultant, helping the team ensure they deliver value for the community which it serves.
The strap line for IWLEX is “shaped by the industry for the industry”. It is backed by UKWA, RTITB, IOC and has media partnerships with Warehouse and Logistics News and Handling and Storage Solutions.
The core pillars of IWLEX are Inclusivity, Commerce, Innovation, Community, Sustainability and Wellbeing (mental health).
A heavyweight and diverse industry advisory panel will be announced shortly, but the organisers are proactively asking for wider input from anyone who would like to get involved in this exciting exhibition. Exhibitor places are filling up quickly, to book your preferred space please contact sales@iwlex.co.uk Nairn Foster, Managing Director spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
Why did you decide to launch IWLEX?
Having worked in this space for the past 8 years as a sales director for another exhibition, I had a real insight into what exhibiting companies and visitors wanted. As an employee I wasn’t able to do things “my way”. I started to dream about creating an event that better meets the need of the sector, that was more inclusive. By chance an old events industry friend of mine (Justin Craig) was looking to create a new exhibition and the combination of our skill sets and resources gave me the confidence to launch IWLEX.
What makes IWLEX unique?
The main differentiator is that IWLEX is a purpose driven event. Our guiding vision is underpinned by our core pillars of Inclusivity, Commerce, Innovation, Community, Sustainability and Wellbeing.
“Shaped by the industry, for the industry”. This genuinely is an industry led initiative delivering what the sector needs and wants. We also care passionately about mental wellbeing and mindfulness and are blending in a heavy emphasis on this to ensure our community has access to the support in these areas that it needs.
The event will be fully inclusive, diverse, and mindful, representative of today’s sector and our goals to create a more accessible industry.
How many delegates are expected to attend?
We are expecting a vetted attendance of 1800 visitors and buyers. We have invested heavily in a fresh researched data set and with the support of our media partners and the associations we have an enormous reach. We hope that our more inclusive and modern approach will attract visitors from demographics that would not historically visit these types of exhibitions.
How many companies will be exhibiting at the show?
We are targeting a minimum of 100 exhibiting companies, but with the response to date we believe we could smash through that target. One of the benefits of the Telford International Centre is that we have room to expand the show floor should we need to.
What kind of content can we expect from the IWLEX conference?
The content at IWLEX will be focussed on leadership and education. IWLEX has appointed industry expert Paul Brooks to curate the conference streams. We will avoid “self-promotion” slots by exhibiting companies and rather focus on informative and best practice seminars from headline and c-suite speakers. We will also have an array of keynote speakers talking about a broad range of topics from practical leadership to mindfulness.
Who will be presenting at the conference?
I don’t want to spoil the surprise pre our announcements, I think the industry will sit up and take notice of the calibre of both our new advisory board and our speakers.
Can you tell us a bit about IWLEX’s core pillars and why you chose these particular topics to be the core pillars?
Inclusivity, Commerce, Innovation, Community, Sustainability and Wellbeing.
We are so passionate about these. The pillars will underpin our mission and inform every decision we make.
Inclusivity has two interpretations, firstly we will allow a broader range of visitors to attend, including end-users, system integrators and consultants. But we also incorporate diversity under inclusivity, we want to ensure that everybody is welcomed, represented, and included at IWLEX. We will actively encourage under-represented groups to help us steer IWLEX while providing inclusive support for our traditional audience in terms of mental wellbeing.
IWLEX is fundamentally about doing business, creating a community and marketplace where relationships are built, and business done. We will augment our proposition with a 365 community to add value to visitors and exhibitors year-round. IWLEX aims to be a facilitator and a valued business partner to clients.
Innovation is a word that is commonly overused, but we are going to focus on bringing practical and implementable ideas for our audience.
Both our event and the industry have a duty to be more environmentally conscious. We have decided to contribute a percentage of our turnover paid via STRIPE to carbon off-setting. Sustainability will also inform all the decisions we make.
I have already touched on mental wellness and wellbeing and it is needless to say that today our industry needs to ensure the professionals within it are supported. The pressures of Covid and now the cost-of-living crisis have created challenges for many. We want to ensure that employers know how to protect their teams and individuals have access to techniques to reduce stress. It’s a “win win” for the industry, a healthy community is a productive community. There is too much suffering in silence.
How will IWLEX help build a community that supports each other?
Firstly, at the event we will have an open forum to discuss this issue. Our association partners are willing to work with us to promote this initiative. Equally we are creating a digital community that will allow our community to help and support one another.
IWLEX has the strapline “Shaped by the industry, for the industry”. Can you explain more about how it will be shaped by the industry and how it will serve the industry?
IWLEX is driven and shaped by what the industry is asking us to do. We will shortly announce our diverse and influential advisory board, from the industry. They will help us steer content and strategy for our community year-round. We are open to input and involvement from anyone.
Can you reveal some of the warehouse logistics practitioners who will be attending the event?
We are drip feeding news of our exhibitors to the market. But we already have several bellwether organisations signed up alongside the associations including UKWA, RTITB and IOC.
What industry sectors will be represented at the event?
Retail, Manufacturing, 3PLs, automotive, manufacturing, Food & Beverage, Pharma and many more.
What would you say are the biggest trends shaping the warehousing and logistics industry?
Automation. The adoption of robotics, agv/amr technology.
How can the industry cope with the cost-of-living crisis?
This is a specific conversation we will be having at IWLEX. The cost-of-living crisis is clearly a challenge, compounded by the rise in fuel prices and lending interest rates. This winter will be a challenge for many. The industry is lucky in the sense that it is a growth sector and there are so many new opportunities that recruitment is a key challenge. However, organisations have a responsibility to recognise the challenges that certain segments of their workforce are faced with and where possible they should implement fiscal remedies, albeit short-term or long term.
IWLEX
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