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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.
Hydrogen corridor in test operation
Hydrogen corridor in test operation
The planned hydrogen network via inland ports, intended to accelerate the energy transition, was recently celebrated during a visit by Dutch King Willem-Alexander to Duisburg. The first ship carrying low-carbon ammonia arrived there from Rotterdam via the planned hydrogen corridor.
The royal visit to duisport was part of a tour through North Rhine-Westphalia, to which NRW Minister-President Hendrik Wüst had invited him. The program included visits to various companies and institutes in the state, allowing Willem-Alexander to learn firsthand about the status of current hydrogen projects. In addition to the Port of Duisburg, the delegation also stopped at the Marl Chemical Park and the Center for Fuel Cell Technology (ZBT) research institute in Duisburg.
H. Wüst, Willem-Alexander, M. Banken (from left)
Mona Neubaur, North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy, was also present, having already demonstrated her keen interest in technology at the test camp held earlier this year on the sidelines of the IFOY trade fair. At the Rheinkai Nord terminal in Duisburg-Hochfeld, the delegation witnessed a premiere: the first ship carrying low-carbon ammonia from Rotterdam docked at the "duisport" terminal. The precursor, bio-ammonia, was produced using biomethane from landfills, sewage sludge, and wastewater treatment plants. This eliminated the need for liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is based on fossil fuels and used in conventional ammonia production. The result is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions estimated at more than 70 percent compared to conventional gray ammonia production.
In the future, ammonia is intended to be used primarily as an ideal hydrogen storage medium and energy carrier. It is not only more energy-efficient than transporting hydrogen, but ammonia also allows for the transport of larger quantities of energy over long distances in a smaller space. «duisport» and Rotterdam aim to play a leading role in the development of European hydrogen transport chains to meet the growing industrial demand for hydrogen and its derivatives, and to act as intermediaries between policymakers, industry, and future players in the hydrogen market. A first pipeline is planned for completion by 2027 as part of the Delta Rhine Corridor (DRC) project to meet the increasing demand for green hydrogen.
Photos: Dusiport
Companies that are not connected to a pipeline or do not require full ship loads rely on supply via a tank or container depot, ideally with trimodal connections and integrated into a robust rail and road network. Accordingly, new storage capacities are needed to provide industry with the necessary products. To this end, duisport and Koole Terminals BV, a Dutch developer and operator of liquid bulk terminals, are planning the development of a tank depot for liquid renewable fuels and raw materials such as ammonia in the Port of Duisburg.
Duisport CEO Markus Bangen: “By developing robust transport chains between the western ports and thus concrete solutions for a sustainable path to hydrogen production and use, we, together with the Port of Rotterdam, are making an effective contribution to activating the market and accelerating the energy transition.”
Following the tour, duisport, the Port of Bilbao, and the Port of Amsterdam, together with the Basque Government's Energy Agency, Petronor, Evos Amsterdam, and Zenith Energy Terminals, signed a memorandum of understanding at the H2 Connecting Event in the presence of King Willem-Alexander and Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst. The aim is to develop an intra-European corridor for renewable hydrogen.
The letter of intent builds on an agreement concluded earlier this year between Bilbao and Amsterdam. This agreement aims to establish a viable corridor enabling the export of renewable hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives produced in the Basque Country to the Port of Amsterdam. With the participation of duisport, the corridor plans are being expanded to allow for the direct delivery of Basque hydrogen to major industrial consumers in the Rhine-Ruhr region.
