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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.
Train for AI in good time
Train for AI in good time
Many companies haven't gotten the message yet. A study says that AI training will be essential for employees to remain successful, because AI applications will double within the next 12 months. Time to get moving.
Photos: IFS
IFS is a leading provider of industrial AI and cloud business software for enterprises. A survey of 1,700 decision-makers in industrial companies, conducted by the AI specialists, revealed that 99% of global workforces will require extensive retraining due to AI. This is because the adoption of industrial AI in companies is expected to nearly double within the next year, from 32% to 59%. Already, 88% of companies report profitability improvements as a result – yet only 29% would trust AI to make strategic decisions.
The study identifies the “revolution” as “invisible” insofar as it describes the long-initiated shift away from GenAI experiments towards embedded operational AI in all core business processes as having received “too little attention” so far.
IFS CEO K. Sharma
The IFS Invisible Revolution Study 2025 shows that while companies are currently introducing AI, they are not yet prepared for its full implementation. This leads to a situation that IFS calls the "AI implementation gap." It arises because companies have transitioned to AI faster than their employees have had the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills.
The study reveals a striking contradiction that strikes at the heart of the AI boom. While the technology is already delivering impressive results, most companies are not yet ready to scale its effects. More than half of the executives (53%) admit that their company still lacks a clear AI strategy.
ROIs better than expected
However, the study clearly demonstrates the opportunities presented by AI: 70% of companies report a better-than-expected ROI on their AI investments. On average, 88% state that AI has already improved profitability; in the US, this figure is 92%, and in Germany, it is even 94%.
Interestingly, 68% of companies worldwide (65% in Germany) have structures in such a way that a human must still confirm or approve the results generated by AI. Encouragingly, 65% of the world's leading companies support the creation of an independent, international AI regulatory body to address this lack of trust.
54% of companies worldwide are already using automation AI (Germany: 52%), while 45% are using predictive AI (Germany: 41%). 35% are already experimenting with agent-based AI, which is capable of autonomously making decisions across workflows; in Germany, this figure is 42%. Traditional business models are being impacted by AI.
“AI is the decisive factor for the performance of companies. Therefore, it is time to close the AI implementation gap and bring together people, processes and products to achieve tangible results,” said Kriti Sharma, CEO of IFS Nexus Black.
www.ifs.com
