Belgium is one of the toppers in transportation and logistics, and there is no doubt about it. When we think about international transportation, there is the Dutch port of Rotterdam and the obvious port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium. As far as we know and follow recent data on shipments, volume, and tonnage handled in ports all over Europe, the port in Belgium is the largest in 2024. It brings much to consider for the logistics, supply chain, and transportation sectors. It is also why T&L events in this EU region are so important.

We visited the Transport & Logistics: Flanders Expo Gent event between 17 and 18 September 2024. It was an amazing opportunity to engage with peers and listen to keynotes about recent developments in transportation. See a short wrap from the event and look at current sales and marketing trends for the B2B industry in logistics, transportation, and supply chain.

To not beat around the bush, we’ve encapsulated the event's highlights in Gent for you. Here’s the essence of the fair that left a truly amazing impression on visitors from all over Europe.

Highlights from Transport & Logistics in Gent 2024

It is the 100% go-to event for anyone involved in the transport and logistics industry. Over 6,000 professionals from across the supply chain and beyond came together during this three-day gathering.

Frankly speaking, attendees experienced what they expected and more. There were plenty of opportunities to network with industry peers, explore the latest innovations from over 250 exhibitors, and gain valuable insights from 50+ expert speakers. The event provided a unique learning, collaboration, and business development platform. The main topic of discussion, of course, was sustainability and green energy in transportation.

Beyond transport and logistics, the event also covered related areas like industrial buildings and packaging. It gave visitors a more holistic perspective, ensuring that all aspects of the supply chain were addressed. Warehouse operations are closely tied to transport management, so they should always be considered.

We left the event with positive feedback. Many attendees, including previous participants like industry giants Michelin and Volvo Cars, shared the same sentiment. Transport & Logistics has firmly established itself as a must-attend event for logistics professionals. The high level of participation from major global companies underscores its importance.

When observing marketing developments at the venue in Gent, we can say there are always high budgets involved. However, these budgets don’t necessarily need to be as high as they often are. A common mistake companies make is overestimating their success based on marketing spend, which skews the return on investment (ROI). Marketing teams aim to be more data-oriented, delivering detailed reports on results, but they often remain disconnected from sales departments. We’ve learned that while sales may operate as an autonomous unit, the fact remains that it should be carefully controlled, and marketing must pinpoint what has been achieved.

For example, one poor practice we observed involved a company that spent over $100K on an event but failed to properly follow up and nurture leads. As a result, leads from this very expensive event were dropped. This failure was due to incompetence and a lack of skills within the marketing department, which didn’t know how to manage the situation and deliver results.

Learning from situations like this, we advise that marketing should always take 100% control of sales efforts during fairs, tightly managing sales teams and holding them accountable for results. It is the only way to accurately measure ROI and ensure the success of such initiatives.

To better collaborate with sales, as a marketer, you need to think and act like a sales representative. You cannot afford to be disconnected from your sales team, especially when attending fairs. We even advise marketing teams to temporarily switch roles—from marketing manager or any other title—to direct sales representative. Learn about the solution or service you’re promoting and understand how your prospects think. It’s not about hiding your true role as a marketer; it’s about becoming more aware of business problems and stepping into the prospect’s world to truly offer solutions. This will also help you better communicate with sales peers and get from them what you want, which means trust and results during trade fairs.

If you don’t have a marketing team, don’t think it’s necessary for your company. You can always adopt a more holistic approach to your business operations as we do at Expler. We focus on transforming your current base into a success. With our direct experience across multiple industries—including hands-on logistics and supply chain projects—we genuinely understand the problems and struggles the IT industry faces as it strives to deliver cutting-edge solutions for logistics, transportation, and supply chain management.

The Transport & Logistics 2024 trade show in Ghent proved to be a valuable platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and learning about the latest industry trends. The event demonstrated the importance of sustainability in transportation and highlighted the need for strong collaboration between sales and marketing departments.

At Expler, we understand the challenges facing the IT industry, logistics, transportation, and manufacturing in delivering effective presales and marketing solutions. We offer a holistic approach to business transformation, helping optimize operations and achieve business goals.