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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.
Freight trains are back in the base tunnel
Freight trains are back in the base tunnel
Photo: SBB
Last night, the first freight train – a RailCare unit – was able to pass through the eastern tube of the Gotthard Base Tunnel. A mail train from Härkingen to Cadenazzo followed later from the north. According to Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), starting today, almost 100 freight trains per day can again travel through the intact parallel tube.
Furthermore, three SBB double-decker trains were returned from Ticino to German-speaking Switzerland overnight. They had been blocked in Ticino since the disruption because the panoramic route is not suitable for double-decker trains.
In recent days, test runs were conducted on the parallel track to the tunnel where the accident occurred. The mobile gate, installed as a replacement for the severely damaged track-changing gate, has proven effective. This ensures the safe operation of freight traffic in the eastern tunnel and safe work at the accident site in the western tunnel. SBB declined to comment to LogisticsInnovation.org on whether the considerable tonnage of the derailed wagons in the western tunnel might have compromised the structural integrity of the concrete lining.
The currently implemented single-track concept involves four freight trains traveling through the base tunnel one after the other. Subsequently, four freight trains will travel through the eastern tunnel in the opposite direction. The maximum capacity via the Gotthard axis has thus been further increased compared to the last update and now amounts to 130 freight trains per day, including the mountain route, which continues to be used. In autumn 2022, an average of around 120 freight trains per day traveled through the base tunnel on weekdays. Diversions via the Lötschberg-Simplon axis will still be necessary.
Passenger trains will continue to be diverted via the panoramic route, adding an hour to their journey time. Cleanup operations at the accident site are underway. The majority of the 16 derailed wagons remain in the tunnel. Several wagons are so badly damaged that they must be dismantled in the tunnel before being removed. Parallel to the cleanup work, SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) is planning repairs to the railway infrastructure. It will take several months to repair the damage.
