MHEDA president Duncan Murphy talks about the materials handling industry and strategies to succeed in a challenging economy.

At the first of the year, Jack Phelan concluded his term as MHEDA president and Duncan Murphy stepped up to the challenge. MHEDA, the Material Handling Equipment Association, has always been dedicated to improving the proficiency of independent material handling distributors, now their mission is more important than ever.

Murphy, co-owner of Riekes Equipment Company in Omaha, said this is a difficult time for the materials handling industry; there’s fear in the marketplace. “My challenge is to lead the board and member companies, to show the marketplace that MHEDA members are not only concerned about our customers but are very cognizant of the challenges they’re facing. The MHEDA-U education agenda and convention program has been tweaked to prepare us to do just that.”

Powerful Positioning is the theme for 2009. This agenda has guided some changes in MHEDA’s education programs, convention workshops and speakers invitations for the coming year.  The objective is to provide tools that will enable member firms to weather the economic storm.

Murphy has been in the materials handling industry since 1984, and remains motivated when it comes to building the awareness of what each member firm contributes to America's economic engine.  “Our industry is very progressive as a result of annual improvements in professionalism.  MHEDA is dedicated to raising this professionalism at all levels of its member companies.  By doing so, the value of MHEDA, and the value we bring to the marketplace, becomes more visible.”

Of course Murphy encourages participation, especially at this time in history. “Whilenetworking remains one of the primary reasons to join MHEDA, the opportunities for development are the real attraction.  We are strategic and pertinent, offering more value to members and our industry than ever before. We live in a very cost conscious world today and the investment MHEDA members make in their people will enable them to reduce the costs of material handling, and in the long run, offer avenues of success.”

Murphy also noted, “This is a time to ask questions, listen carefully and then act decisively.”

Taking a New Approach

In October 2008, MHEDA prepared a 2009 Industry Forecast for the materials handling industry. It was informally reviewed at their February board meeting, but not updated since the volatile marketplace continues to make news everyday.  Murphy explained, “Our board, by design, has representation by size, geography and materials handling focus, and as such, we find that there are sectors doing well and others that are not.  We concluded that opportunities exist for all companies, but that each firm must be prepared to act, and be active in the search for the opportunities.”