The challenges are considerable, says Thomas Wimmer, Chairman of the Board of the German Logistics Association (BVL). Decarbonization, digitalization and AI, skills shortages and resilience in supply chains are on the agenda at the Logistics Congress in Berlin from the 18th to the 20th.
"Germany is slipping from the top spot as the world's leading exporter in the logistics rankings to third place," says Wimmer. "Industrial companies are threatening to relocate, the dilapidated state of the infrastructure is a constant topic of discussion: we're talking ourselves down" – and we need to be careful not to create a self-fulfilling prophecy. "We need to look at how we can do better together, to shape this global 'turning point' to our advantage. For this, we need openness, trust, and a willingness to think outside the box of our own companies.".
Th. Wimmer
"Think Networks" is therefore this year's guiding principle. Participants from previous conferences were surveyed about their desired new features. The result: The exhibition area will be redesigned. An integrated forum and interactive workshops will create space for knowledge exchange, including masterclasses, "content-to-go" formats, briefing sessions, and additional networking opportunities.
Before the plenary session, Thyssenkrupp board member Ilse Henne will speak about materials trading and the design of global supply chains, which are currently undergoing a profound transformation. "These challenges can only be solved through a collaborative network approach with all players along the entire value chain," she says. Michael ten Hompel, head of the Fraunhofer IML, will discuss how artificial intelligence methods are conquering logistics.
Photos: BVL
Of course, Major General Gerald Funke, Commander of the Bundeswehr Logistics Command, will also have his say, followed on Thursday by Gabi Dreo Rodosek, Chair of Communication Systems and Network Security at the Bundeswehr University in Munich. The technical sessions are once again numerous, and the after-work hangouts are guaranteed to be interesting.
The guest of honor will be Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport. The intralogistics sector will be represented by companies including Jungheinrich, Still, Linde, Knapp, Synaos, and Siemens. The science prize is eagerly anticipated, as is the German Logistics Prize, which will be awarded on the evening of the first day of the congress.
The following year, 2024, the congress will be held at a different location – capacity is limited at the current venue. It will then move to the Estrel Congress Center, also in Berlin.
Eagerly awaited: The German Logistics Award.
The preliminary program for the German Logistics Congress as a PDF
