The Swiss Intralogistics Association (ILS) completed an informative program with 50 participants, providing insights into state-of-the-art facilities at the GLC Container Logistics Center, Swiss Post Cargo in Villmergen, TGW on a BIM construction site, Meier Tobler in Oberbuchsiten, Avosano and Schindler.

Accompanied by overwhelmingly positive feedback, this second ILS study trip was once again fully booked and offered not only exclusive insights into modern logistics facilities over two consecutive days, but also diverse opportunities for professional and personal exchange. To kick things off, Aniko Hornyak from Transit Management led a tour through the "Port Innovation Lab" of elevator manufacturer Schindler, where the elevator provider's vision and work left a lasting impression .

The Port Innovation Lab at Schindler City offered an opportunity to discover the future of mobility and learn exciting details about pioneering solutions for efficient transit management in buildings. 3D animations of the cities of tomorrow were followed with great interest.

Schindler, headquartered in Ebikon and founded in 1874, is a leading provider of intelligent urban mobility solutions (Schindler PORT Innovation Lab | Schindler Group), where it significantly pioneers new technologies and innovations.

3D experience at Schindler

The company helps to organize cities and to make urban spaces more comfortable, inclusive and sustainable through the transport of people and goods.

Intelligent sorting technology in the GLC

The GLC container logistics center in Villmergen stands for intelligent sorting technology and ensures significant efficiency gains and optimal planning in the food and retail sectors. Half a million reusable containers are sorted, cleaned, and redistributed daily.

The packaging logistics center in Villmergen.

In addition, the blue CHEP pallets are inspected – a crucial link in the supply chain of countless customers. GLC had faced the challenge of optimizing its internal material flows. With new packaging types and increased volumes, a more efficient, automated solution was needed to meet rising throughput demands and current technological standards.

Up-to-date

Gilgen Logistics implemented a new, automated conveyor system for the GLC (GLC Container Logistics Center). Spanning several halls, it connects all processes into a single functional chain. Two buffer systems are central to regulating the flow of goods. Pallets and stacked containers are automatically detected and sorted upon arrival. The entire conveyor system is highly automated, enabling smooth and optimal control of the flow of goods.

The Swiss Post Cargo LZV. Photos (3): L. Lauffer

Since summer 2025, a highly automated and multifunctional facility has been operating at the Swiss Post Cargo Logistics Center in Villmergen (LZV). It offers comprehensive fulfillment solutions: from operational procurement and receiving, through professional storage and order picking, to transport and on-time delivery of customer goods.

Highly automated

The expansion into the largest warehouse logistics center for Swiss Post will sustainably strengthen Villmergen as a business location. With 57,000 m² of floor space, the expanded warehouse in Villmergen offers room for everything that needs to be stored – from pallets and small parts to electrical appliances, hazardous materials, and pharmaceuticals. State-of-the-art high-bay racking, digitized AutoStore systems, flexibly usable areas, and a dedicated team ensure efficiency.

Swisslog was responsible for the installation of the automated high-bay warehouse with 23,000 pallet spaces, an automated medium-sized parts warehouse with 20,000 trays, and the AutoStore small parts warehouse including material flow control for 125,000 containers and the MFR module of the SynQ software.

BIM-based implementation

The group visited TGW, one of Switzerland's most modern construction sites, where all shop and assembly planning is implemented using BIM (Building Information Modeling). The construction project replaces an old production building that has reached the end of its service life after approximately three decades.

Building Information Model at Roche

TGW Switzerland is implementing the state-of-the-art and innovative system, which will include four aisles of TGW Shuttle with 21,200 storage locations, as well as three aisles of high-bay warehouses with 6,300 storage locations. In addition, the high-performance systems and the 12 picking workstations will be equipped with container and pallet conveyor technology. A TGW material flow computer controls the entire flow of goods.

Fast delivery

Meier Tobler's Oberbuchsiten Service Center (DCO) replaced two former logistics locations in Nebikon and Däniken starting in mid-2023. The consolidation into a new, modern warehouse allows for more efficient, flexible, and faster workflows, enabling the company to quickly and reliably supply customers with ordered equipment, system components, assembly materials, and spare parts for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and plumbing (HVAC) .

Meier Tobler in Oberbuchsiten.

The enormous building, with a footprint of almost 15,000 square meters, five floors, and a volume of 350,000 cubic meters, was constructed according to Minergie, the Swiss standard for low-energy buildings.
Gilgen Logistics implemented the future-proof intralogistics system. Storage and order picking processes are supported by an automated high-bay warehouse with 32,000 pallet spaces, an AutoStore system with 43,000 bins and 35 robots for small parts, and pallet conveyor technology on multiple levels.

The warehouse management system with its material flow computer controls the overall logistics processes. The high-bay warehouse is equipped with five state-of-the-art high-performance storage and retrieval machines. The lightweight design of the machines, combined with a positive-locking drive system, enables maximum throughput.

Custom-made

Avosano's industrial services enable delivery to customers within two hours, thanks to state-of-the-art logistics centers and a flexible delivery structure. As a pre-wholesale company, Avosano specializes in pharmaceutical logistics services. In this capacity, it handles the entire warehousing, processing, and distribution of pharmaceuticals on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry. Its approximately 160 qualified employees ensure the supply of health and beauty products in Switzerland .

 Avosano: Peak load is not a problem

The Knapp Group implemented the expansion of Avosano. The high-speed automated picking system (Central Belt System) is a picking system that processes order items fully automatically, ensuring the required throughput times even during peak periods. The majority of order items are processed highly efficiently at the picking stations, which are automatically supplied by an OSR Shuttle Sorter system . In addition, completed orders are temporarily buffered in the OSR system before being transferred to the shipping area precisely at the loading time.

Beyond the technical tours, the supporting program at the Sursee campus offered the ideal opportunity for informal networking. A convivial reception, the entertaining activity "Baggero" – which required technical skill and teamwork – and the festive banquet in the "Baulüüt" restaurant ensured a pleasant atmosphere.

Last year's event, which was the first to be organized by the ILS, took participants to renowned logistics locations such as Migros Aare Schönbühl, SBB Bahntechnik in Hägendorf, Swiss Post in Härkingen, Imbach Logistik in Emmen and Armasuisse in Thun.

Enthusiasm was palpable during this year's study trip as well – both for the logistics facilities visited and for the supporting program, says Lea Lauffer (Frei Fördertechnik), organizer and Vice President of ILS Switzerland. "The feedback clearly shows that the study trip has established itself as a significant industry event in Swiss logistics."

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