The shift to rail freight through the Alps has suffered significant setbacks recently. According to BLS Cargo, the main culprits are the dilapidated German infrastructure and the numerous line closures and construction sites along the north-south corridor. This is also impacting personnel policies.

Kion will be the first company in Europe to use Siemens' new simulation software "Digital Twin Composer" , thereby also seeking a degree of independence from the US market, where NVIDIA has so far been the dominant solution for merging the digital and real worlds in smart warehouses.

Now Linde MH also offers an expanded series with an integrated lithium-ion battery: The major advantage, according to the manufacturer, is the increased space in the driver's cab, which is up to 35 percent above the industry average, and the fact that the footwell has grown significantly with the elimination of the traditional battery compartment.

As part of the Test Camp Intralogistics and the International Intralogistics and Forklift of the Year (IFOY) Award, the preliminary certificates for 2026 were presented in Dortmund by Jan Drömer, Chairman of the VDMAMaterials Handling and Intralogistics Section, to the 17 nominees who will now go into the final round. 

The general assembly of the Swiss Association for Temperature-Controlled Logistics will take place on May 8th Castle and Lenzburg , in addition to the usual agenda items, personnel management, modern advertising for skilled workers on social media and the question of whether humanoid robots will one day be helpful .

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

“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.

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, 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.

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.

Crown draws a thoroughly positive conclusion from its participation in LogiMAT, which took place in Stuttgart from March 24th to 26th  . According to the company, particular attention was paid not only to the WJ50, but also to the InfoLink fleet management system and the new Proximity Assist system. 

which describes itself as "the world's largest inland port", a hub and trimodal address for numerous logistics services and freight destinations on the Rhine, is increasingly offering internal and external expertise in the crane sector through its own "crane  service GmbH" .

Following a thorough planning, construction, and implementation phase with SSI Schäfer, the clothing and homeware supplier Hanes Australasia expanded omnichannel distributioncenterits on the fifth continent. After 12 months, it is clear that it was the right solution – both now and in the future.

To keep pace with evolving regulations in the food sector, Heineken introduced the industrial identification solution ZetesAtlas in combination with automated labeling systems in France several years ago. This ensures real-time transparency and has clearly proven its worth. 

Digitalization is fundamentally changing logistics. But how can concrete solutions be effectively implemented within a company? In a practical workshop held over three dates at the end of April in Rotkreuz, Bito will demonstrate how Bito IOB can make processes more transparent, efficient, and future-proof.

 The logistics provider Koch, having already installed a high-bay warehouse with 36,000 pallet spaces, also wanted to automate its storage area for fast-moving goods. Still supplied five EVX iGo and three MX-X iGo forklifts, which can be supplemented by manual and automated forklifts as needed during peak periods.

Kardex celebrates the market launch of «PortScale», a weighing solution for AutoStore ports that combines technologies such as the Kardex IntuitivePickingAssistant (IPA), barcode scanning, and computer vision to support precise and efficient picking processes. 

After Stefan Luginbühl served as interim head of Swiss Post Cargo, Stefano Arganese will take over the position on June 1st. Arganese most recently served as Chief Transformation Officer at DHL Freight.

An industrial image processing startup called "invisium" is launching "VisionPort embedded," a range of stationary, multifunctional scanning systems. These multi-camera solutions can measure and count transport loads as they pass through, scan codes, read labels, and identify damage.

Dematic insists it is "Command Center" redefining warehouse intelligence 

Rigidly installed conveyor systems and loops – or a fleet of intelligently controlled mobile robots that move load carriers weighing up to 50 kg in a material flow that can be scaled or rerouted as required? SSI Schäfer's FastBots adapt flexibly to the respective conditions.   

The lithium-ion batteries of the «Clark Fusion»series, presented just in time for LogiMAT, can be seamlessly integrated into all of the manufacturer's electric forklifts – from the compact 48V three- and four-wheel forklifts of the S-Series Electric (STE16-20, SE16-20) to the larger 80V devices. 

What does the construction of a cross-city rail line for the S-Bahn in Basel have to do with freight transport? Quite simply, says National Councillor Florence Brenzikofer in an "Basel vernetzt"series: more capacity will be created above ground for long-distance and freight transport if the S-Bahn runs underground. 

Before the WJ 50, Crown's new electric pallet truck, goes into the final round with numerous competitors from other material handling equipment providers at the International Forklift of the Year (IFOY), it could be inspected again at this year's LogiMAT in Stuttgart.

Temperature-controlled logistics keeps our society running – often invisible, but systemically important. Whether it's food or vital medicines: without it, everything grinds to a halt. SVTL President Marco in a special supplement to the "Tagi" discuss the opportunities, risks, and future of the industry