First Sandow Media Logistics Conference draws 135

Atlanta meeting sheds light on transportation issues

Heath E Combs -- Furniture Today, June 16, 2011

About 135 retailers, suppliers and logistics professionals attended the 2011 Sandow Media Logistics Conference in Atlanta Wednesday.

ATLANTA — UPS Freight President Jack Holmes let attendees at Sandow Media's first Logistics Conference here on Wednesday know up front he had skin in the game with them.

"Mrs. Holmes has personally tried to keep you all prosperous.... When I told her I was coming to speak to you today she thought that was a good opportunity to let me know she didn't like her living room set anymore and there would be a new one when she got home," he added.

Holmes - the keynote speaker at the 2011 Sandow Media Logistics Conference, which was attended by about 135 retailers, suppliers and logistics professionals - said his furniture shopping experience shed light on some of the challenges the industry faces - including achieving low cost delivery and managing returns.

Holmes said the home furnishings industry is shifting its focus from its traditional reliance on brick and mortar stores to a number of different retail models now.

"We were very excited about the opportunity to talk to you today because you're trying to figure out things in your business we're trying to figure out the space that you're in right now and how we can best serve that space," Holmes said.

The conference included several panels with retail and supply side logistics experts and remarks focused on regulatory challenges the industry faces. It was held at the AmericasMart Atlanta complex.

Complete coverage of the conference will be featured in the June 27 issue of Furniture/Today.