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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 " once again relied on saws and storage systems from the Rhine Valley in Kansas City.
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.
Catching up with Silicon Valley
Catching up with Silicon Valley
«No jokes»
“ No jokes with names! ” with a pun as “ indestructible ” on the second day of the logistics, future, and AI congress “ AI24 ” However, the Westphalians are indeed serious about their intention to compete with Silicon Valley.
The state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, a region once dominated by heavy industry, appeared well-informed, standing alongside representatives from the Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) and the board of directors of the Lamarr Institute for Artificial Intelligence, which is only two years old . He praised the innovation cluster around the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, as well as the new AI institute named after Hedi Lamarr, as " true pioneers " He noted that AI expertise, combined with logistics competence and close ties to industry, had practically popped up on the world map in recent years, alongside the gravitational pull of the San Francisco Bay Area and the legendary Silicon Valley. After all, Rhine - Westphalia boasts more young academics than California currently has.
According to a study by Google and IW Consult, the value creation potential of AI in Germany is estimated at €330 billion, and in North Rhine-Westphalia alone at €68 billion. " AI is off-putting when it comes to photo forgeries featuring the Pope " says Wüst. But when it comes to early cancer detection in the life sciences, for example, the possibilities are practically irreplaceable. " If someone can play tennis again the day after serious treatment, it's almost too good to be true " In a case he knows personally, both are true: wonderful – and true at the same time. " That's not always the case in politics these days " he ventures, taking a swipe at new populist majorities shortly after the state elections in three eastern German states. He then raises the question of whether a defined defensive force, perhaps in the form of a NATO-style defense alliance, might be needed to preserve shared values in matters of artificial intelligence and the associated ethical questions.
At the conference, numerous experts, including luminaries like Jens Lehmann, had the opportunity to offer thought-provoking perspectives. The Principal Scientist for Artificial General Intelligence at Amazon, professor at the University of Bonn, and a leading figure at the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems (IAIS), pointed out that it took humanity between 200,000 and 400,000 years to develop language(s) for communication. AI, with its Large Language Models, is now poised to revolutionize communication and human interaction within just a few years. Publicly accessible " open domains " are continuously tested and improved by a larger user community .
, an uninterrupted data space is particularly important in order to leverage the advantages of artificial intelligence , explains Michael Henke, Managing Director of Fraunhofer IML, introducing a segment on AI in industrial logistics applications. The goal is to connect virtual reality (within the computer) with physical reality as directly as possible.
For Henry Puhl, Harald Schröpf's successor at the automation provider TGW, the key to optimization lies in the " predictability " of process flows. Rhenus board member Stephan Peters admits that so much data from logistical contexts is already available " that we simply can't manage it without AI " Professor Julia Arlinghaus from the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (IFF) politely insists that research must progress in order not to fall behind in the international competitive landscape. A robot that doesn't require complicated programming languages to be trained for new tasks would also be beneficial. " We are currently developing one that can be shown what to do next with a pointer " says the IFF researcher. She adds, " We will have to work relatively quickly because we are no longer able to answer all the questions that arise manually . "
With the Lamarr Directorate
An AI should – if it can – help identify emerging problems and interpret them within their context. In any case, there's still plenty to do – figuratively speaking – as a casual conversation between Alice Kirchheim and Michael ten Hompel reveals . A new platform, which everyone is proud of, is called " Don't worry about Logistics " – offering expert advice on all aspects of digital transformation.
Even without the much-cited AI, the actual digitalization of the transport sector is far from being as advanced as some would like.
www.zukunftskongress-logistik.de
