The transport logistic and air cargo Southeast Asia was officially inaugurated at an event at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, with the presence of key industry players including the International Air Transport Association (IATA), SAP, and DHL Express.
Organised by MMI Asia, the regional subsidiary of Messe München GmbH, the event welcomed about 100 industry stakeholders in-person across the logistics business ecosystem from airports, airlines, freight forwarders, technology enablers, service providers and shippers to association partners and government agencies. The conference is a prelude to the Southeast Asian edition of the transport logistic and air cargo (tlac) series, which includes the flagship show in Germany as well as other editions in India, China, Turkey and the United States. The inaugural Southeast Asian edition will be held in Singapore in September 2023.
“The logistics trade was adversely impacted by a widespread slowdown brought on by the pandemic. The pace of the scene’s development was considerably compressed due to its paucity of channels for industry players to network and exchange trends, developments, and solutions,” MMI Asia’s CEO and managing director, Michael Wilton expressed.
“We observed an explosion of engagement among ecosystem players. The pre-launch conference generated an active discourse surrounding macro-market trends, discussing prospects centred on strategic expansions as new technologies, business models, markets and competitions take shape. Insightful findings, discussions, and observations emerged during the event that will inform future trends and developments. The key themes for the 2023 conference have been identified as Digitalization, Resilience and Sustainability,” Julia Kwan, group project director of MMI Asia added.
Read more: transport logistic and air cargo event planned for Singapore in 2023
Transport, Logistics and Air Cargo Sectors Poised for a Strong Comeback
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and MMI Asia previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 15 November 2021, to establish a partnership to host multiple Southeast Asian editions of tlac trade shows in Singapore starting in 2023. The industry can expect the rollout of new content, programmes, and exhibition components for upcoming trade shows.
The pre-launch conference provided the industry with a glimpse of the inaugural show in 2023, which will be a pivotal catalyst to the sector’s growth as global and regional travel pick up pace.
“We are glad to see MMI Asia riding on the strong recovery of the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry in Singapore so that stakeholders from the transport, logistics and air cargo sectors can gather to address pertinent issues and exchange knowledge on the latest trends and innovations. The anchoring of transport logistic and air cargo Southeast Asia in Singapore reinforces our reputation as a leading hub for business leaders to expand their business development efforts and network. We look forward to welcoming delegates to a successful launch of the tradeshow in 2023,” Poh Chi Chuan, executive director, exhibitions & conferences, STB said.
Future-Proofing Post-Covid Logistics Infrastructure
Industry leaders such as IATA, DHL Express, Avnet, and Enterprise Singapore weighed in on the state of the current market and its journey towards future-proofing. Panel discussions were joined by other speakers from SAP, CargoAi, DB Schenker, The Logistics & Supply Chain Management Society, Group Concorde, Kuehne + Nagel and PageGroup.
“Over the past two years, the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as other disruptions, further demonstrated the importance of air cargo’s role in maintaining global trade and supply chains. Changi Airport, being strategically located in Asia, plays a key role in supporting intra-Asia and inter-continental air cargo flows, especially for pharmaceutical and perishable products. We are excited to welcome the Southeast Asia edition of the TLAC tradeshow in Singapore – we are confident this event will help facilitate dialogue and foster exchange of ideas among key air cargo players,” Lim Ching Kiat, managing director, air hub development of Changi Airport Group, said.
The inaugural SEA edition of transport logistics and air cargo (tlac SEA) will be held in Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, 13 – 15 September 2023. Exhibitors will include airlines, air and sea ports, transport and airline management, logistics providers, technology providers, and many others.
