Message from the Chairman

Presidential Address, Homepage of The Japan Institute of Material Handling

Material Handling (MH), refers to the handling of the movement of things such as storage, transportation, sorting, etc. of various goods in production, distribution and service, and greatly contributes to the improvement of corporate logistics and productivity.

The Japan Institute of Material Handling (JIMH) was inaugurated in 2008 focusing on logistics system and equipment manufacturers involved in MH and is engaged in various activities to promote the understanding of logistics system equipment for society and problem solving in the logistics system equipment industry.

In recent years, the Logistics System Equipment is realizing the response to labor shortages due to population decline, declining birthrate and aging population, promotion of business continuity plan (BCP), improvement of logistics value with automation and labor saving as keywords, and has been positioned as social infrastructure. Furthermore、it is expected to accelerate technology introduction and to create new logistics value such as cooperation/ collaboration with various robots and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI), and support for the Internet of Things (IoT), etc.

It is thought that consideration for the environment and changes in the industrial structures such as increasingly serious decline in the working population, diversification of changes due to the spread of EC, sophistication of supply chain due to globalization, and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will have a great impact on society and the economy in the future.

With greater expectations being placed on the logistics system equipment industry than ever before, the JIMH will make continuous and unremitting efforts to further develop the logistics system equipment industry.

We thank you most sincerely and look forward to your continued support and active participation in the future.

Activity Policies

In collaboration with government agencies, industrial groups, and manufacturers of material handling systems, equipment and components well versed in the requirements of material handling, JIMH will strive to realize the various needs of material handling in industry and society, and in solving the problems both face.The following three policies have been selected as JIMH activity policies to accomplish its missions.

Labor Saving and Automation at Production and Material Handling Sites

A variety of challenges are awaiting solutions at material handling worksites, such as improving operations and their efficiency, which have been triggered by diversifying market needs, and a labor shortage and aging society, which is a result of the declining birthrate.

In response to these challenges, JIMH will continuously strive to supply material handling systems and equipment that will reduce the workload at production and material handling worksites, and that will flexibly meet changes in the labor force and diversifyingmarket needs through information collection and utilization of state-of-the-art technologies such as “IoT (Internet of Things),” “Industry 4.0,” and “Robot Revolution” while considering the collaboration between people and machinery.

Material handling systems that place importance on reducing environmental impact

As in other industries, a great theme encountering the material handling industry is the dissemination and promotion of energy-saving systems and equipment to reduce environmental impact and to realize a recycling-oriented society.

Fully utilizing its material handling technology gained in the past, JIMH will continue to propose systems and solutions that attach importance to the environment.

Collaboration of industry and international standardization towards globalization

The material handling market is expanding globally as seen in the globalization of the supply chain and growing needs for material handling systems and equipment in emerging economies.
Industry collaboration that moves beyond the framework of individual businesses will be necessary to meet this trend.

JIMH will accelerate its activities in creating and expanding the material handling market in the ASEAN region and in further promoting technological innovation and standardization by working closely with the 4-partners exchange meeting, the World Material Handling Alliance (WMHA) among Japan, USA, EU, and China.