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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.
Groundbreaking ceremony in Ticino
Groundbreaking ceremony in Ticino
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) is investing a total of 755 million Swiss francs in the new Arbedo-Castione plant (Nuovo stabilimento industriale ferroviario, or NSIF for short), for which the groundbreaking ceremony took place on Friday. The plant, which will offer 360 jobs and 80 apprenticeships, is scheduled to begin operations in mid-2028.
Photos: SBB (visualization)
In the presence of cantonal authorities and SBB top management, State Council President Norman Gobbi, Mayor of Arbedo-Castione Luigi Decarli, Mayor of Bellinzona Mario Branda, and SBB CEO Vincent Ducrot symbolically launched the construction work. With this groundbreaking ceremony, SBB not only celebrated the official start of construction on the new facility but also explicitly stated that it underscores the importance of the Canton of Ticino. SBB is investing in key projects in the region, thereby creating skilled jobs for the future.
Qualified jobs
The focus will be on the light and heavy maintenance of the new multiple units (Giruno, ETR, and Flirt TILO), with an increasing proportion of electromechanical work and a high degree of digitalization. Thanks to a green roof with solar panels and the elimination of fossil fuels, the new facility also sets a benchmark for sustainability. The plant covers a total area of 150,000 square meters, with the building itself occupying 40,000 square meters – equivalent to eight football fields.
In June 2025, the first work on the new plant began: This included the usual site setup, excavation for the basements and foundations, and work on the underground area of the future train washing facility. The first concrete work will follow in the coming months.
Preparatory work was carried out in 2023: Two temporary switches were installed on the main line, and underpasses for the new infrastructure were constructed beneath the main line. In addition, part of the project site was prepared and a new railway technology building was erected and installed. This building will house the new control system for rail traffic with ETCS Level 2 technology. At the beginning of December 2024, track group 600 was put into operation. This allows trains traveling from the north to the Coop distribution center to be diverted, thus relieving congestion at Castione-Arbedo station. This enables the start of the extensive modifications to the railway infrastructure there, which will continue until the NSIF (National Railway Infrastructure Fund) is operational.
