"70% of the Top 20 European logistics service providers have already registered, including Geodis, Norbert Dentressangle and Kuehne+Nagel, to which can be added more than 200 transporters and logistics suppliers who are present either directly or as part of groups such as Astre, Evolutrans, France Lots, France Benne, Pall-ex, Tred Union. This means that SITL Europe 2014 will present an exceptional offering of transport and logistics, standing up to the great international challenges of today", says Alain Bagnaud, director of the Reed Exhibitions global transport and logistics group.

For the project developers

This strong take up is matched by new initiatives in help in finding projects. Assisted by a telemarketing programme, qualified visitors are interviewed in order to identify projects under development either currently or in the future. Following analysis of the responses, they are put in contact with exhibitors whose offering matches their needs.

For unidentified programmes, visitors can go to the Project Space at the entrance to the exhibition where they will be welcomed by a consultant who will suggest a personalised visit plan including the possibility of arranging meetings with exhibitors who might be able to help.

To complement highlights such as the 14th Innovation Awards and half day conference cycles organised around the key themes of the show, the 4 days of SITL Europe 2014 will be marked by 4 important new events.

On Tuesday, the World Transport & Logistics Forum will open the main international day. In association with Ubifrance and consultancy Transport Intelligence, a plenary conference will be held on the theme of "Logistics strategies to take advantage of global growth" and will present a preview of the World Bank's 2014 study into logistics performance. This will be followed by a debate between shippers, providers, economists and institutions. In the afternoon, official delegations from 6 countries*, in the presence of French Government ministers, will reveal their logistics and transportation issues. The World Transport & Logistics Forum will close with a conference on global customs developments.

Maritime, river, rail

On Wednesday, SITL Europe gets on board with the Maritime Day, developed with consultancy Eurogroup Consulting on the subjects of maritime and river transport. A time to review the opportunities offered by new shipowner alliances, new port and river services. Containers, cereals....the sectors of the waterways will also be represented with a presentation on developments of the Trans-European Transport Network (RTE-T). This will provide an ideal transition to Thursday's European Rail Freight Day.

With the involvement of Eurogroup Consulting, the 5th edition of the European Rail Freight Day will reveal the results of the 2014 barometer which focuses on how shippers perceive the rail offering. Carried out amongst around one hundred European manufacturers and distributors, it introduces a cycle of conferences on rates, rail corridors, network access and slots which will be illustrated by actual examples.

Future for Logistics

In order to forecast the main supply chain trends, a new concept will be launched on Friday, the last day of the show. Branded Future for Logistics, consultancy Transport Intelligence, Mines PariTech and the ASLOG will address many possible evolutions in the sector.

The rôle of the physical Internet in the consolidation and aggregation of movements, evolution of skills and professions are some of the themes covered in this first edition of the Future for Logistics.

"This global summit on humanitarian logistics will enable a comparison of logistics organisations between the NGO's and business especially in terms of their shared stocks, information systems design or the training of staff",says Jean-Christophe Crespel, co-founder of HLA.

All the above are good reasons to put SITL Europe in the diary now.

*Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, Algeria, United States, Thailand