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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.
Speeding through the tube at 7200 km/h
Speeding through the tube at 7200 km/h
Image: Virgin Hyperloop
Deutsche Bahn has often struggled with delays. If the ideas of an engineer from the DB network control center are implemented, "early arrival" could become the norm. The hypersonic train, based on vacuum maglev technology, is reminiscent of Hyperloop and Cargo sous Terrain.
Hyperloop in the crystal ball: From London to New York in less than an hour, or from Milan to Paris in twenty minutes? "For many decades, a new transportation system, the 'Vacuum Tube Train,' has been under discussion—but so far, it remains a fantasy with no prospect of realization," writes Andreas Scholz, a planning engineer at DB Netzzentrale, in the introduction to his book "Hypersonic Train." The more audacious the idea, the more likely its sales figures are to multiply dramatically with the release of the most fantastical figures. Which would certainly be better than sensationalist headlines from the tabloid newspaper owned by the same company.
Image: Springer-Verlag
Scholz, in his view, places the hitherto incomplete picture of such a transport system on a broader conceptual foundation. What opportunities would arise and what challenges would need to be overcome if the hypersonic train were to become operational worldwide in the second half of the 21st century, thus potentially competing with air travel? Scholz envisions such a high-speed network within a tube, operating as a European network and in conjunction with intercontinental lines. He believes that the hypersonic train, as a high-performance mass transit system, has the potential to displace air travel from its leading position in the continental and global transport market in the distant future.
"There's no doubt: we want to travel better and more efficiently in the future," the author states. The hypersonic train described could meet this requirement over long distances. However, according to Scholz, many questions remain unanswered, including – almost as an aside – the question of its technical feasibility.
Fig.: CST
The complex hypersonic rail system also requires globally coordinated route planning based on uniform principles. And last but not least, the hypersonic rail system needs to be integrated with existing and planned transport infrastructure: "The hypersonic rail system can usher in a new era for magnetic levitation technology combined with vacuum technology and offers great future opportunities for the further integration of Europe into a globalized world," Scholz is convinced. However, due to its global scale, its realization will be a multi-generational project. With his book, he therefore particularly wants to address future generations. Because: "The future prospects of a hypersonic rail system will be significantly determined by today's young generation."
In contrast, Cargo sous terrain's plans already seem "hyper-realistic".
