From materialfluss 8-9/2020
Editorial: Reason and will
The coronavirus pandemic has brought us unprecedented ups and downs so far in 2020. Confusion, fear and change in March, initial relief in early summer. Now, at the beginning of September: disillusionment and a certain fear of the cold season. Corona and no end in sight, neither in terms of its spread nor the news about it. Federalism and the apparently inevitable resulting different interpretations of the word "hygiene" are slowly driving us all mad.
In between are the organizers of congresses. Have you ever noticed that companies that belong to a foundation or are publicly owned act more defensively and cancel events more quickly and with more foresight? This uncertainty has the potential to sow mistrust and divide. Both the "security faction" and those who are now using strange slogans such as "So, take a chance. Come to us, we'll take care of your health" are polarizing. There are hardly any sectors of the economy that are not suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, but it is precisely the convulsive adherence to in-person trade fairs or events and the optimism that is fueled by fears of a loss of revenue (I'll allow myself this "steep thesis") that leaves a stale aftertaste. Health should always come first and the facts should be the deciding factor. If these are followed, it will no longer be possible to hold meetings with hundreds of participants from all over Germany and perhaps even Europe this year with a clear conscience.
Don't get me wrong - I would give a lot to be at the TEAM Logistics Forum in Paderborn at the end of November, for example, to have a personal and professional exchange with intralogistics experts, but I'm starting to miss the shared beer or cup of coffee as much as you probably do. Unfortunately, the forum had to be canceled. But life is not a concert of wishes, so patience is still required. There will be other times that will allow us to exchange ideas without closed bars, pre-portioned food, closed drinks and a lot of distance. We are not there yet. Stay healthy!
Best regards
Martin Schrüfer
Editor-in-Chief
You might also be interested in
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The materialfluss team wishes you a Merry Christmas and a successful and healthy 2026.
read more...Partner country Canada shows the future
Under the motto "The future's here", Canada is showcasing its industrial strengths in areas such as automation, energy, digital transformation and green technologies.
read more...LogiMAT 2025: Trade fair with consistently high visitor numbers
Under the motto "Passion for Solutions", the international intralogistics world came together at LogiMAT 2025 in Stuttgart from March 11 to 13. After three days of presentations, information and trend checks, trade visitors, exhibitors and trade...
read more...Effects on trade and strategies
Results of the reader survey on the Trump administration
In our reader survey, we examined the impact of Trump's presidency on international trade and business strategies. Most respondents fear trade difficulties, tensions in transatlantic relations and political uncertainty. Many companies are focusing...
read more...Focus on sustainability and AI at the trade fair
With more than 120,000 square meters of exhibition space, LogiMAT 2025 will once again occupy all ten halls of the Stuttgart exhibition grounds. From March 11 to 13, global players, medium-sized companies and start-ups will provide an overview of...
read more...The nominees in the Project of the Year category
In the competition for the materialfluss products of the year 2025, five nominees are competing in the project of the year category. Find out more about the projects up for election here.
read more...IfW, DIW, IWH, RWI and Ifo Institute
Economic researchers lower their growth forecasts further
The leading German economic institutes see hardly any growth impetus for 2025, but instead rising unemployment figures and persistent weaknesses in the location. According to experts, only a stable government with a clear economic policy strategy...
read more...Exports shrink - exports to the USA collapse
The headwind for Germany's exporters on the global markets remains strong. In October, they had to cope with sharp declines - especially in their most important sales market, the USA.
read more...Tackling challenges
The year 2024 is almost over and was characterized by drastic economic and political events. Most recently, the break-up of the German government's traffic light coalition and the results of the US elections at the beginning of November made...
read more...