In March, Savannah Georgia is home to the second largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the United States (after New York); about half a million people attend. This year, it was also home to the IWLA Convention and Expo – with a more select attendance. (Yes, we recognize this as random – perhaps for that reason alone … it’s interesting.) Embracing this, the IWLA convention had a secondary theme of Luck o’ the IWLA – because, really … why not?

Our own Tamas and Lee were at the convention and, as has been the case for the last 6 years, had a very worthwhile time. First, a shout-out to Jay Strother and his team for their work pulling it all together. IWLA is a bit unique amongst trade shows in that there is a real sense of community; year after year we look forward to reconnecting with people as well as welcoming newcomers into the fold. Integral Group has become fully integrated into the IWLA community and feel confident saying that not only would we feel the loss if we didn’t attend, but also, we know that we’d be missed: That’s a nice feeling and not something you can say about most trade shows.

IWLA, itself, dates back to the 1800s and there is a pattern of corporate longevity throughout the warehouse industry – many multi-generational family-run businesses. Integral Group, too, is family run and has been around for over 30 years: We embrace the commitment of having deep roots in the business community. As we’ve come to know the people who participate in and visit the show, we find the common thread is their dedication and a real desire to build and strengthen all facets of the industry.

You might think that a close-knit group could end up getting a bit stale over the years, but that is far from the case. There is always new dialogue about what’s top of mind as well as curiosity around new ideas. As a tribute to the show’s organizers, the convention attracts a significant number of senior decision makers, so it is also an ideal venue to cultivate new business relationships.

This year people were talking about robots as the standout emerging idea. Robots hold a practical place in the future of the warehouse industry … and, let’s be honest … they are just super cool. We had many conversations about robot technology and in particular, with 6 River Systems. Integral Group is about blending people and technology to make EDI and integrations faster, easier, less susceptible to errors and more cost efficient. 6 River Systems applies the same philosophy to warehouse robotics. Interesting synergy … some heroes wear capes and some carry baskets …

And, finally, as time in Savannah drew to an end, Tamas and Lee enjoyed the city. They found the city streets charming – flanked by live oaks draped in Spanish moss and dotted with parkettes. Cataloguing the delights of the city, honourable mention needs to be given to some quite memorable peach martinis. Back at their hotel, they had an up-close-and-personal view of container ships moving along the Savannah River: Our thanks to the unknown man in the photo who serves to illustrate our hotel lobby’s proximity to the ships.

Thank you to all of our fellow IWLA Convention attendees for your company and inspiration.We'd love to hear about your experiences at the show.

To be continued ... next year in San Diego.