About the event

Multimodal is the UK’s premier supply chain, freight forwarding, and logistics exhibition. Held annually at the NEC in Birmingham, it brings together the full freight community under one roof — road, rail, sea, and air — making it one of the most truly multimodal events in Europe.

For air cargo professionals, Multimodal offers direct access to a large base of UK-based freight forwarders, 3PL providers, and shippers — all of whom are key customers of air freight services. It’s less a pure air cargo show and more the place where air freight meets the wider logistics ecosystem.

2026 — Expanded format

The 2026 edition is particularly significant: for the first time, Multimodal will co-locate with Warehouse. (formerly IWLEX) and Yard. (formerly YARDX) at the NEC Birmingham, creating an end-to-end logistics showcase spanning transport, warehousing, and site operations.

Who attends

• UK and European freight forwarders and 3PLs
• Shippers and importers/exporters
• Road, rail, sea, and air cargo providers
• Port, airport, and terminal operators
• Logistics technology and TMS vendors
• Customs, compliance, and trade finance providers
• Warehouse, yard, and fleet management companies

Conference programme

Multimodal’s conference is free to attend alongside the exhibition. The 80+ sessions span panel debates, keynote addresses, and interactive workshops — covering topics from Brexit trade flows and port congestion to sustainable freight and the future of last-mile logistics. Air cargo-relevant sessions typically address air freight market conditions, rate trends, and cargo technology.

Relevance for air cargo

While Multimodal is not exclusively an air cargo event, it is highly relevant for anyone looking to engage with the UK forwarding and shipper community. Airlines, GSAs, and cargo tech vendors exhibit here to reach UK-based freight buyers who need air freight solutions. It complements pure-play air cargo events like IATA WCS and TIACA Forum by providing access to the demand side of the market.