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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.
A spatial image via hologram
A spatial image via hologram
© Zeiss
A visit by German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Zeiss in Jena provided a glimpse behind the scenes of new optical – including holographic – forms of representation, which could be useful in the future for monitoring overall logistics systems.
The R&D visit series at the Federal Presidential Office is running under the heading "Workshops of Change". The destinations are "places of successful transformation" that no longer concern – as they once did – the actions of the trust company during the time of reunification, but rather new technologies.
Photos: Zeiss
The company, founded 177 years ago in Jena, concluded the past fiscal year very successfully – measured by revenue, innovation, and growth. Zeiss CEO Karl Lamprecht announced the start of a comprehensive high-tech transformation of the company.
Lamprecht briefed the Federal President on the current status of the large construction site of a new Zeiss high-tech facility in Jena. During his tour of the plant, the Federal President gained insights into the modern production of optical and mechanical components. Among other things, Lamprecht presented the "Multifunctional Smart Glass" technology. This technology, developed by Zeiss, makes it possible for the first time to functionalize transparent glass or plastic in a variety of ways and over large areas.
This allows information and entertainment content to be projected onto transparent surfaces or – almost magically – even turned into a camera using an image sensor. The camera function can be used, among other things, for facial recognition on a transparent pane in a front door, in access control systems, for security monitoring in vehicles, in car windshields, or as an add-on system for displaying important information to air traffic controllers.
Head-up displays have been around for some time. Until now, however, they have been relatively expensive and required considerable effort and space to install. A new film technology from Zeiss now allows for their production on an industrial scale and in high volumes. Zeiss will not manufacture these films itself, but will instead focus on its core competence in optical design when creating master holograms. The technology for producing these films, however, will be made available to all manufacturers and suppliers who want to enhance their products with features that are currently—if at all—only accessible to astronauts and pilots.
© Zeiss
Alongside the Federal President's visit, so-called "workshop discussions" took place for the second time, providing a forum for experts from science, business, and society to exchange ideas. Within this series of events, the Federal President visits companies, research institutions, and projects that demonstrate how the future in Germany can be shaped with ingenuity, initiative, and commitment. The "Workshop of Change" is an event series organized by the Federal President in cooperation with the BMW Foundation and the Carl Zeiss Foundation. It is implemented in collaboration with the Center for Responsible Research and Innovation at the Fraunhofer IAO.
