LogiMAT 2024 in Stuttgart - leading international trade fair

LogiMAT 2024 leading international trade fair was held in Stuttgart from March 19 to 21, 2024. The LogiMAT logistics event focused on supply chain, transportation, and warehousing development. We witnessed cutting-edge solutions and advancements in AI, such as vision AI, material handling and storage technology, as well as warehousing and operational equipment in this rapidly evolving logistics landscape. We engaged with logistics providers, which gave us a clear hint about the importance of software solutions for warehouse management and transport. It can be coupled with simulation tools to optimize processes alongside order-picking systems and fleet management. Curious about our takeaway from this competent knowledge transfer? See more in the article below about this comprehensive market overview.

LogiMAT 2024: international trade fair that changes tomorrow logistics

LogiMAT international trade was the biggest annual intralogistics exhibition and has attracted over 100K visitors from the logistics industry, media representatives, and others. These fantastic results confirm how important the logistics industry has become over the years and how important progress and logistics software development is, as all the booths presented practically became demonstrators of digitalization. Based on information shared by the organizers, there were 35% of exhibitors from outside Germany. It gives us approximately 400 companies from around the world out of the 1,610 exhibitors that presented products, software solutions, intralogistics solutions and processes, and innovative technologies. It was possible to convert this number of 16K exhibitors into 67,420 industry professionals who attended the fair. Simply put, the event is achieving significant growth and may well rise to the level of the best logistics events: almost 10% of professionals from neighboring markets attend it annually.

These are not all the results when we talk about event statistics. All those companies have met to have a common goal that helps the backbone of logistics operations and solutions and process management in various aspects, such as handling equipment, ensuring security measures, implementing loading technologies, and truck fleet management systems. Among those solutions, we could also observe intelligent packaging solutions that contribute to enhanced tracking and efficiency throughout the supply chain.

All these fantastic solutions were directly aimed at streamlining operations further, optimizing processes, and improving material flow with effective intermodal transport. We could meet many industries, such as logistics, transportation, manufacturing, maintenance, robotics, automation, and the packaging industry. In simple conclusion, we can state that all sectors have a lot in common, and very often, they are tightly connected. It mostly comes from integration components where warehouses cannot be disconnected from today's transportation operations. But we will talk about this later in this article.

Top 10 logistics events in 2024. List of 150+ events downloadable

Article by:

Iryna Stepchenko

LogiMAT venue was divided into these sections for process management and other developments

Here you can see the Video from LogiMAT and the LogiMAT event map.

Material handling and storage systems and improvements in company material flow

Exhibitors at LogiMAT from this sector cover halls 1, 3, 5, and half of 7. We could observe their warehousing equipment and system providers, hall and marquee construction, and various storage technologies from racking, autonomous robots, and others.

Storage and transport management software

The exposition's part during LogiMAT was located in hall 8, where visitors could meet software providers for logistics, such as fleet management, order-picking systems, simulation tools, and advanced software solutions for storage management.  In other words, custom warehouse management solutions, such as WMS or Inventory Management, were also showcased.

Automated guided vehicles and robotics for intralogistics solutions

At LogiMAT in Hall 6, the most prominent players in the logistics market, such as Jungheinrich, showcased their modern automated guided vehicles, but they were not the only ones. Other companies from the German market were very competitive and presented their tremendous developments and intralogistics solutions dedicated to streamlining intralogistics and removing overload with manual work performed by humans. These intralogistics solutions and processes bring a true change in logistics in upcoming years.

Packaging, packaging materials, and machinery

LogiMAT, hall 4 was covered by packaging solution providers. They presented intelligent packing and storage solutions that were constantly supported by modern software solutions.

Labeling and printing, identification - RFID/AUTO-ID

A small section at LogiMAT marked Hall 2 was dedicated to labeling solutions. It hinted at the importance of that section, as labeling is often responsible for tracking materials and preventing goods losses during shipping.

We can state that these areas were crucial for the event as they occupied most of the total exhibit space of 67,000 square meters at LogiMAT. Other areas were dedicated to ground conveying systems, cranes, fire protection, security, loading technology, door systems, and many others. These are equally important, and their space was estimated to cover about 20% of the venue at LogiMAT. However, we'll further focus on the most important subject, which is related strictly to logistics, supply chain, and transportation software solutions.

Here, we could reveal much more about custom software solutions. We observed a lack of businesses that offer custom software solutions in the venue LogiMAT, which may not completely align with the modern solutions of today's logistics business. Most businesses want to rely on agility, which is impossible with all off-the-shelf solutions proposed at the venue. True agility, or flexibility as you wish, can be delivered by custom software development services, which are much more robust as they comply with your business specifications much better.

Process management and logistics experts at LogiMAT

The event was an excellent tool for networking and getting closer to industry leaders, but we, as a business with fairly wide experience in the logistics industry, are very familiar with many mentioned technologies by the different keynotes.

During one of the panels, dedicated to MACHINE VISION — KEY TO NEXT-GEN LOGISTICS, we could listen about AI-powered automated damage detection from Ivar Keulers, Engineering Lead EMEA, ZEBRA Technologies, or other speakers such as Claus Haselmeier, Business Development Manager Embedded, Allied Vision Technologies GmbH, explained about six interfaces from one camera platform.

One of the more interesting solutions and an invitation to conversation was presented by Kathrin Martens, Product Market Manager – Marketing EMEA, Basler AG. Here, we could listen to warehouse automation handled by Basler AG, where advanced technology equipment in modern and high-quality cameras are enabling companies from various industries, such as logistics and manufacturing, to allow for smart manufacturing automation.

The last example shows evidently that the ongoing digitization trend is a fact, and companies in logistics are facing major shifts today. The application of advanced technology with software solutions has become a necessity in the modern supply chain.

Transport management solutions at international trade show LogiMAT

As we advance IT solutions in the logistics industry, we need to point out Transport Management Systems (TMS), which providers were also visible at the venue. Frankly speaking, many companies still want to rely on off-the-shelf solutions, which are not completely capable of meeting the requirements of today's logistics business.

Choosing a TMS system has many advantages and disadvantages, from custom to off-the-shelf software. During the event, it was discernible that many companies want to cope with technology demands and various connectors required for today's TMS systems, which should integrate with other parts of logistics such as Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) or inventory management and other transportation means.

Transportation management systems (TMS) can integrate with:

• ERP systems

• Warehouse management systems (WMS)

• Carrier management systems

• Order management systems (OMS)

• Supply chain visibility platforms

• Electronic data interchange (EDI)

• Route optimization software

• Telematics and IoT devices

• Customs and trade compliance systems

• Financial management systems

For the German market, SAP ERP integration is a fact any software provider company should cope with this capability. However, when it comes to more sophisticated system integration, such as financial modules or document management modules, that are often separate from the system unity, such as the document management system (DMS), there is no simple answer about system integration anymore.

This is exactly where custom software development services can come into play, enabling any business to be more agile, even when it comes to difficult-to-map integration with legacy systems.

The final takeaway for international trade 

Considering what we could learn from the LogiMAT event, the final takeaway would be that the most essential thing in adapting new solutions into business is still on the side of humans. The ability to deliver solutions within the required timeframe is as important as the solution itself. So, it's important to map business capabilities well to their deliverability, as many companies that could come with great demos at the events are only small cogs in the giant machine and might not ultimately be able to deliver what they do offer.

Taking this as quite a personal experience, I can clearly state that after some years of working directly in logistics, there will always be some companies that over-promise what they cannot deliver. Therefore, logistics companies should be very cautious when it comes to adopting new technologies into their business and evaluate what is at international trade fairs and how it can look afterward.

Adexin is a company with extensive experience in the logistics industry and process management software development. We deliver custom software development services that can help you integrate various technologies into your logistics operations. Contact us today, and let's look at how we can help your business with custom software development.