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MAGA in the approach path
German technology remains highly regarded when it comes to rapid material handling, the elimination of weaknesses, and service quality. Following successful projects in Oklahoma and Texas, the steel trader " Steel and Pipe Supply " (SPS) in Kansas City once again relied on Kasto saws and storage systems.
Rent warehouse equipment instead of buying it
Bito is launching an offensive with an economical alternative for companies that want to re-equip, expand, or temporarily supplement their warehouse and production areas, but don't want to tie up their capital long-term: renting instead of buying is the motto. The advantages – especially in " dynamic times " – are obvious.
«Kanpai» with sake on the pharmaceutical chain
Logistics provider Yusen is presenting an expanded global platform for the healthcare sector at LogiPharma in Vienna, where companies such as Novartis, Bayer, Takeda, and hospital supplier UCB are currently participating. The platform focuses on the professional delivery of specialized healthcare solutions.
Streamlined logistics
Coop's own rail connection for urban logistics in Zurich, streamlined logistics vehicles and the outsourcing of all operating room logistics in a cooperation between the Seeschau Clinic and the Swiss Post are the projects that are entering the final sprint for this year's Swiss Logistics Award from GS1.
Vacuum technology makes mobility possible
Compressed air has traditionally been used primarily for fixed installations. Schmalz's vacuum grippers also mainly operate with lines that often have to run across halls and facilities. However, mobile robotics increasingly requires flexible solutions – a need that Schmalz now intends to address more effectively.
A foray into drive technology
Safelog, the specialists for software for controlling intralogistics processes, have entered into a cooperation with the drive experts from SEW Eurodrive at LogiMAT in order to jointly develop a high-performance software for controlling mobile and stationary processes in intralogistics.
Networking with perspectives
“Never walk alone” could be the motto of a networking event hosted by the consulting experts from “Adnovum”, where the Digital Product Passport (DPP), cybersecurity and IT opportunities with Petra Merino (GS1 Switzerland) and security expert Andreas Achterholt are on the agenda on May 7th in Zurich.
Maintenance in Austria
With a new workshop in Obersiebenbrunn near Vienna, rail manufacturer Stadler is expanding its capacity for the commissioning, approval, and servicing of modern rail vehicles in Austria. The workshop has been used to maintain Westbahn's high-speed trains since March 2026.
Idealworks pushes into the US market
Idealworks, part of the Munich-based Agile Robots Group, with more than 1,700 AMRs and AGVs worldwide and one of the pioneers in industrial automation through AI in robot-controlled logistics processes, has founded a US company headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina.
New chain belt sorting
At LogiMAT, conveyor technology provider Interroll attracted attention with a new chain-belt sorting system developed after the acquisition of Sortteq. Together with MCP Play, this creates a material flow ecosystem that combines single-item transport with intelligent sorting.
Digitalization Bregenz style
Digitalization Bregenz style
A cautionary tale against the transformation into a "paperless age"? The heaviest piece weighs 300 tons and appears to float weightlessly on the water. The staging on the lake stage, this time featuring "Madame Butterfly," is always a masterpiece of stagecraft, including elevators, cranes, and rope constructions.
Lifting technology companies, machine and cable car manufacturers, electronics engineers, and mechatronics specialists are always closely involved when it comes to the festival. Whether it's "The Flying Dutchman," "West Side Story," or "The Merchant of Venice"—mobile systems, supply chains, and gang warfare always seem to be involved. This year, the stage set is 23 meters high and consists of a magnificent, gently undulating sheet of paper.
Festival technicians are working together with employees from 33 companies on the production. "The particular challenge is to make the sheet of paper appear light, almost weightless, and seemingly float on the water, even though it weighs several hundred tons," says Technical Director Wolfgang Urstadt.
The planning phase typically lasts two to three years, while the manufacturing, assembly, final acceptance, and last corrections usually take around ten months.
The floating stage itself is built on 119 piles in the water, which – made of spruce wood and steel – are driven up to six meters deep into the lakebed. The paper sculpture, seemingly defying gravity and 33 meters wide at its widest point, consists of 117 individual pieces. A paper boat also plays a special role; it, in turn, consists of a steel frame connected by wooden ribs and covered with fiberglass-reinforced plastic. It is approximately eleven meters long and is pulled through the scene not by a fuel cell or diesel engine, but by a winch. So there's still plenty of room for future emission-free systems.
This production is directed by Andreas Homoki, with set design by Michael Levine, costumes by Antony McDonald, and conducted by Enrique Mazzola and Yi-Chen Lin. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra performs.
www.bregenzerfestspiele.com
