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“Best of Intralogistics” in the test camp
As part of the Test Camp Intralogistics and the International Forklift of the Year (IFOY) competition, the preliminary certificates for 2026 were presented today in Dortmund by Jan Drömer, Chairman of the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Section, to the 17 nominees who will now go into the final round.
SVTL meets in a historic setting
The general assembly of the Swiss Association for Temperature-Controlled Logistics at Lenzburg Castle on May 8th will address, in addition to the usual agenda items, personnel management, modern advertising for skilled workers on social media and the question of whether humanoid robots will one day be helpful .
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.
Digital coupling is progressing
Digital coupling is progressing
The Digital Automatic Coupler for freight trains (DAK) is gaining momentum. A multi-month field test on lines and marshalling yards across Europe has been successfully completed. The consortium carrying out the project includes DB, DB Cargo, and SBB Cargo.
The manufacturers of the new coupling are now entering the next development phase. Over the next few months, the new standard for freight trains is expected to reach series production readiness. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDV) is providing an additional seven million euros for a further testing phase. The manufacturers and the Europe-wide consortium are working closely together on this.
The DAK (Digital Automatic Coupling) enables what is currently done manually: DB Cargo alone has to perform up to 70,000 coupling operations per day across Europe, all by strenuous manual labor, to assemble trains. With the DAK, wagons can be connected in fractions of a second, including brake and digital control lines. This means that, for the first time, freight wagons are equipped with continuous power and data lines.
The Europe-wide introduction, it was stated at a demonstration for Members of the European Parliament, is "the decisive lever for making rail more competitive with road transport and achieving European climate targets." Over the past 18 months, the test train, consisting of 18 wagons and 40 prototype couplings, has covered a total of 10,000 km in seven European countries. During this time, it visited 25 different marshalling yards and tested its operation in lowland areas, in the Alps, and under extreme weather conditions ranging from minus 25 to plus 40 degrees Celsius.
The DAC4EU consortium includes Deutsche Bahn (DB), its subsidiary DB Cargo, the Swiss and Austrian freight railways SBB Cargo and Rail Cargo Austria, as well as the wagon owners Ermewa, GATX Rail Europe, and VTG.
