Pointing the way to the future of intralogistics

These processes, as well as the products and solutions for their future viability and efficiency, are currently dominated by digitalization - i.e. the challenges posed by the future-oriented Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things projects. They are the focus of this year's LogiMAT. Numerous exhibitors across all product segments are explicitly addressing the megatrends of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things in the focus of their developments.

Consumer ordering behavior as a driver

Digitalization and e-commerce, with the changing ordering behaviour of consumers and the resulting atomization of orders and shipment units, are the main drivers for fields of action and solutions in intralogistics. According to a recent survey by the industry association Bitkom, half of industrial companies (51%) that use or plan to use Industry 4.0 applications expect an increase in turnover as a result. By 2025, Industry 4.0 will enable productivity increases totaling around 78 billion euros in six economically important sectors alone.

In addition to automation, retailers and service providers are therefore increasingly focusing on linking their system worlds with production. Numerous exhibitors at LogiMAT 2016 will be presenting trade visitors with the latest product developments for overcoming the associated challenges at ergonomically optimized workstations for the human-machine interface.

On a total of 95,000 square meters

For the first time, LogiMAT will occupy the entire exhibition grounds at Stuttgart Airport with all eight halls (an increase of twelve percent compared to 2015). The largest area will be taken up by exhibitors from the fields of conveyor technology, racking construction, warehouse and factory equipment. In Halls 1, 3 and 5, system and plant manufacturers will be showcasing their products and innovations for material flows. Logistics software providers can also be found in Hall 5, as well as in the whole of Hall 7. In Halls 8 and 9, manufacturers of industrial trucks, automated guided vehicles and loading technology offer a complete overview of the latest developments in the forklift truck sector.

Exhibitors present themselves in eight halls for the first time More than 1,200 international exhibitors from 33 countries, manufacturers, developers and suppliers offer trade visitors a compact overview of unique diversity. For the first time, LogiMAT 2016 will occupy all eight halls and a total of 95,000 square meters of exhibition space and thus the entire exhibition grounds at Stuttgart Airport. With this high level of exhibitor interest, LogiMAT 2016 covers the entire range of products and services for intelligent, future-proof intralogistics, from plant and mechanical engineering to identification and packaging technology, industrial trucks and software for modern transport management and warehousing. Accompanied by the traditionally high-calibre, informative supporting programme and the information provided by exhibitors and participating organizations, the largest annual intralogistics trade fair in Europe not only underlines its position as a trend barometer and important working trade fair. It is also a contact and information platform for exhibitors and trade visitors alike - a proven guide to the future of intralogistics.

Innovative strength of SMEs

Peter Kazander is Managing Director of Euroexpo Messe- und Kongress-GmbH, organizer of the annual LogiMAT trade fair.

And this has already begun: Electric mobility, alternative drive technologies, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and transport robots or RFID-based process management systems are just a small selection of the range of topics that exhibitors in Stuttgart will cover with future-proof, versatile products and solutions that are often designed for technological retrofitting. By integrating technologies such as sensor technology and image processing, which are characterized by rapid leaps in development, into their range of solutions, the largely medium-sized suppliers are demonstrating their innovative strength. Medium-sized companies in particular are predestined to implement the ideas of Industry 4.0 and generate new products and business models from them due to their size and associated flexibility. In fact, the predominantly medium-sized German economy alone spent a good 60 billion euros on research and development (R&D) last year - more than ever before and the highest figure in Europe.

Software as the basis for process efficiency

However, developing business models and products for Industry 4.0 applications is one thing, aligning your own company with future requirements is another. Against this backdrop, commercial enterprises, especially SMEs, are investing heavily in the expansion and modernization of their IT infrastructure. In addition to the adaptability of intralogistics facilities and systems, software is the basis for process efficiency, flexibility, competitiveness and the networking required to meet the challenges of digitalization. Industry 4.0 not only stands for the replacement of hierarchical, centrally controlled processes by flexible structures with autonomous, self-organizing production units in industrial manufacturing. In particular, it also stands for the exchange of information in real time and the linking of the data level with operational processes - across the entire supply chain. LogiMAT exhibitors from the software industry will be presenting cloud applications for small and medium-sized companies, omnichannel-capable systems for central control of the entire retail logistics or optimization processes with a combined view of production and logistics - approaches and entry-level solutions for networked information flows under Industry 4.0.

TradeWorld: Focus on digital trade

Networked data flows and coordinated operations also characterize the challenges of cross-channel processes, the cross-channel linking of sales channels in offline and online retail. Euroexpo GmbH, the organizer of LogiMAT, is reflecting this situation by integrating the TradeWorld trade platform, which is being held for the third time as part of LogiMAT. TradeWorld presents - from purchasing, marketing and sales, distribution and returns management to payment, aftersales and IT solutions and products that contribute to success in digital trade and the entire multichannel. In addition, numerous LogiMAT exhibitors will be presenting intralogistics products and services for the smooth running of retail processes.