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Month: March 2026

Mainova Consolidates Spare Parts in new DC

Posted on by David Priestman

With the construction of a new Regional Warehouse in Frankfurt’s East, German utility supplier Mainova AG is consolidating its previously decentralised spare parts logistics at a single location. The goal is to increase the availability of spare parts for the technical infrastructure while simplifying logistics processes.

Jungheinrich is implementing a new Regional Warehouse East for Mainova in Frankfurt-am-Main to supply spare parts for the company’s technical infrastructure. The central element of the new warehouse solution for the energy supplier – who supplies more than one million people with electricity, gas, heat and water – is a narrow-aisle warehouse with around 6,200 pallet storage spaces and a rack height of up to 17.1 metres. Two Jungheinrich EKX 516 trilateral trucks will be used for storage and retrieval operations, enabling economical operation even at great lifting heights thanks to their high positioning accuracy and energy-efficient drive technology.

The pallet warehouse is complemented by a small parts warehouse with a storage height of 7.5 metres. A total of eleven Jungheinrich vertical lift modules ensure compact goods-to-person picking and short access times – a decisive factor for the rapid provision of spare parts when required, even with a high variety of items.

In addition, Mainova is integrating a wide-aisle warehouse into the new hall complex. Handling operations are carried out by an EFG 425k electric four-wheel counterbalance truck. In the ten-metre-high hall section, double-deep pallet racking is also installed and operated by the EFG using telescopic forks.
Cantilever racking for the storage of long goods is installed both in the new building and in a neighbouring existing hall. While the cantilever rack in the new building is also served by the EFG 425k, Jungheinrich, acting as general contractor, is supplying a specialist vehicle from Hubtex for handling the cantilever racks in the existing hall, thus also integrating this area seamlessly into the overall concept.

A separate hazardous materials storage area with manually operated shelving is also being set up in the new hall, where materials such as oils and paints will be stored. In total, three newly interconnected hall sections with heights of 25, 10 and 5 metres, along with an additional existing hall, are being equipped with warehouse technology. The hall sections are designed to ensure continuous material flow without structural interruptions.

“With the new regional warehouse, we are significantly increasing the efficiency and supply reliability of our spare parts logistics while making optimal use of the existing property,” says Leonid Feldman, Project Manager and Civil Engineer/Architect at Mainova AG.

“The solution by Jungheinrich maps our very diverse storage requirements – from small parts to long goods – within a single integrated system, creating the basis for fast and reliable processes,” adds Sascha Kaden, Head of Warehouse Management and future user of the facility.

The contract was awarded following an EU-wide tender procedure in which Jungheinrich emerged as the best bidder based on objective award criteria, building on the successful cooperation between the two companies in recent years. Jungheinrich had already implemented two smaller warehouse projects for Mainova in 2022, demonstrating its expertise as a system provider. The new regional warehouse is scheduled to go live in March 2027.

High-performance Warehouse Automation

Posted on by David Priestman

Jumbo, the second-largest food retailer in the Netherlands, has been operating a highly automated fresh logistics centre that sets the pace for the entire supply chain without taking the lead role.

At its National Distribution Centre in Nieuwegein, Jumbo and WITRON unveil a concept that redefines the role of modern logistics hubs. The focus: speed, availability, and agility. Covering 40,000 square meters, the facility supplies over 725 stores in the Netherlands and Belgium with nearly 3,000 different fresh and ultra-fresh items, including dairy products, a wide selection of cheese, meat products, tapas, salads, chilled beverages, and much more. At an ambient temperature of +2 degrees Celsius, more than one million units can be picked daily using OPM (30 COM machines), AIO, and CPS modules. A fully automated shipping buffer ensures just-in-time dispatch of store-friendly stacked roll containers to the markets.

The fresh distribution centre marks the second successful collaboration between Jumbo and WITRON, following a high-performance dry goods facility. Equipped with OPM (31 COM machines), DPS, and CPS, this site can pick up to 565,000 cases on a peak day from a range of 14,300 items.

DC Heart of Supply Chain

The Dutch retail group faced a series of challenges that necessitated the construction of one of Europe’s most ambitious logistics platforms. These challenges included expected labour shortages in the future, expanding assortments in both the dry and fresh food sectors, rising consumer expectations – especially for fresh products – and growing demand for speed in both stores and online channels. Today, the highly automated fresh logistics centre in Nieuwegein, designed and implemented by WITRON as a lifetime partner, serves as the strategic centrepiece of a supply chain that is seamlessly orchestrated, adaptive, and more customer-focused than ever before. Because the consumer is the true pacesetter.

Mechanics and IT

The central distribution centre for fresh products (CDC) is designed for a daily peak capacity of 1.06 million picking units. A modular expansion for future growth has already been considered in the overall concept. All logistics areas are connected by a conveyor network that includes more than 670,000 pallet, tray, and tote storage locations, as well as 120 stacker cranes. Everything is controlled by a highly functional WITRON warehouse management system. All IT and mechanical components have been designed, manufactured, and put into operation by WITRON.

Labour, Range, Freshness

When Jumbo began shaping the future of its supply chain a few years ago, it became clear that existing structures could not meet the challenges ahead. “We expected to face challenges in the labour market, anticipated a growing number of SKUs, and set out to fundamentally redesign our fresh logistics with a clear focus on maximum customer service, freshness and sustainability,” recalls Karel de Jong, Supply Chain Director at Jumbo. The company aimed to broaden its SKU portfolio, sharpen assortment differentiation, and drive greater agility across its fresh logistics operations. At the same time, regional warehouse space became increasingly constrained as the product range continued to expand. The solution developed focused on centralizing, automating, and streamlining processes.

Precise time management is of critical importance, especially in the ultra-fresh segment. Temperature, daily operations, and weather conditions immediately impact volume.

“For us, agility means being able to respond very quickly to changing demands. A shift in weather means a shift in demand, and we need to be ready to respond,” says de Jong. “Freshness must reach the consumer’s table without delay – and not remain in the warehouse.”

The project marked a significant shift in WITRON’s internal approach. The warehouse has evolved from a standalone entity into a seamlessly integrated organ within the supply chain orchestra. Johannes Meissner, WITRON’s Technical Managing Director describes the development as follows: “The DC is no longer an isolated system, but an integral part of our customer’s organism. Only then can supply chains truly be optimized.” This transformation turns the warehouse from a pure consolidation and buffering point into a key control instrument. de Jong adds: “However, the DC does not lead the orchestra. The customer does.” Symbolically, he portrays the warehouse as the ‘first violin’ in a finely tuned supply chain orchestra – vital, leading, and setting the tone, but always part of a greater harmony.

Technology in XXL

The Nieuwegein logistics hub, featuring both dry goods and fresh food distribution centres, ranks among WITRON’s largest projects worldwide. It is equipped with more than 60 COM machines, over 1.1 million pallet, tray, and tote storage locations, approximately 200 stacker cranes, and is designed for a maximum capacity of 1.6 million picks per day. With OPM, AIO, CPS, and the automated shipping buffer, the Upper Palatinate team leverages proven technology. It guarantees peak availability, since the DC is the core of supply for Jumbo customers in the Netherlands and Belgium. An onsite service team ensures seamless operation of all IT and mechanical processes.

Both partners emphasize that success is not a matter of machine count, but of the specific requirements within each area of use. How can the system be balanced? Since all items are delivered to the stores on roll containers, seamless coordination between the subsystems is crucial to achieve maximum consolidation and space utilization. According to de Jong: “Success is not about the next machine. It’s about a perfectly tuned overall concept, with a vital role for the operators and control room team.”

Result in the Store

Automation delivers measurable benefits for the stores:
• More SKUs – with an upward trend
• Automated stacking of goods onto roll containers, tailored to the store’s shelf layout
• Consolidation of cases (picked in OPM and CPS) with pieces and totes (picked in AIO)
• Highly efficient, route-optimized truck loading enabled by advanced optimization processes within the automated shipping buffer

As a result, shelves in the store are replenished more efficiently, faster, and with less handling effort. In addition: processes previously managed via direct delivery – such as fresh fish – are now consolidated via Nieuwegein. And thanks to advanced forecast and replenishment processes, Jumbo delivers exactly what the stores truly need. The outcome for customers is enhanced freshness, a perfectly tailored assortment, and faster availability.

Packaging is a Core Competence

Automated processes require standardization, and this is reflected in the way various types of packaging are managed. “That’s why we have trained colleagues who have developed extensive expertise in this area,” says de Jong. Carton design, adhesive properties, stretch film, as well as cardboard and pallet quality are critical for material flow and load stability. WITRON and Jumbo took early action to identify critical packaging and deliver transparency to suppliers. The outcome is enhanced inbound control, resulting in more stable processes within the DC.

Employees at Jumbo were able to adapt effectively to their new tasks, moving from manual operations to an automated production process. Employees were able to gain detailed insights into future tasks within operated systems and engage in extensive exchanges with experienced users. “With a wealth of experience from projects implemented across Europe, North America, and Australia, we can offer customers comprehensive support in this vital field of change management,” emphasizes Meissner.

Technology can be purchased – culture cannot. Jumbo adopted lean principles with the Jumbo Production System (JPS), including shopfloor transparency, shift stand-ups, and a high degree of autonomous problem-solving by employees. Once a day, a central control meeting is held at the very centre of operations – not in an office, but in the work area. “Here, the colleagues analyse the previous day and review the tasks and goals for the upcoming shift. If this half hour goes well, it will be a good day,” says de Jong with a smile.

What measures can be expected next? Jumbo considers the supply chain to be an end-to-end network structure rather than a set of separate warehouses. Integrating stores, connecting with suppliers, optimizing transport routes, and automating processes – including in e-commerce, which is still handled manually today – are key pillars of the future strategy.

“Automation is not a standalone objective, but a tool applied where needed. Variety in our product range continues to define our corporate philosophy – driven by a clear focus on efficiency and economic viability,” states de Jong. Meissner gets straight to the point: “Automation built the foundation. The next chapter is all about end-to-end optimization.”

Carbon Inset Trial Launched for Forwarders

Posted on by David Priestman

DP World is launching Insetify, a dedicated carbon inset trial for ocean freight forwarding customers in Belgium, Portugal and Sweden, to deliver immediate, measurable reductions in customers’ Scope 3 emissions across key European trade lanes.

Starting 1st April, credits will be applied automatically to customers booking ocean freight forwarding services with DP World in Belgium, Portugal and Sweden, meaning qualifying importers and exporters will receive carbon credits directly every quarter.

Qualifying customers will receive Carbon Inset Credits at 100 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) of containerised ocean freight per TEU shipped per quarter, at no additional cost. The offer applies once a threshold of 25 TEUs per quarter is reached. For example, a customer shipping 50 TEUs in a quarter will receive credits equal to 5,000 kg (5t CO2e) that quarter.

This new trial builds on DP World’s ongoing Carbon Inset Programme in the UK ports of Southampton and London Gateway. Launched in January 2025, the UK programme registered more than 250,000 TEUs and issued more than 9,000 tCO2e of Carbon Inset Credits.

Unlike traditional offsets which fund projects like tree planting, carbon insets reduce emissions within the value chain by using lower-carbon fuels or more efficient transport, helping customers tackle their Scope 3 emissions. Both programmes use carbon credits generated by deploying incrementally lower carbon fuel in DP World’s subsidiary, DP World Shipping Solutions.

The Insetify trial is supported by sustainability training, which will help customers learn more about the trial and how to better address supply chain emissions.

John Trenchard, VP – Sustainable International Supply Chains, Europe said:

Providing customers with multiple solutions to enable the decarbonisation of supply chains is important to DP World. As part of our proactive approach to working alongside clients, we are recognising an immediate focus on inland activity and a high level of residual emissions within ocean legs. The Insetify trial allows for a pragmatic approach to managing these residual emissions as part of a longer term, holistic plan. I would encourage organisations to explore how carbon insets can be used as part of intentional progress.

Bojan Knightly, Country Manager Sweden, Freight Forwarding said: “The launch of the Insetify trial will coincide with the opening of DP World’s new Stockholm and Gothenburg offices, which were recently announced as part of DP World’s landmark freight forwarding expansion into Scandinavia. Supporting DP World’s global net zero by 2050 ambition, DP World Sweden is also aiming to offer up to 25% of shipments via rail and sea in the first operational year to reduce road emissions and 100% e-documentation and online invoicing to eliminate paper processes.”

Innovative Belting Solutions at LogiMAT

Posted on by David Priestman

From March 24th to 26th, Ammeraal Beltech, a global manufacturer of conveying solutions, will be presenting the latest in its extensive range of high-performance belts at LogiMAT 2026, the European showcase for the logistics industry, to be held at the Messe Stuttgart Messe.

The theme of this year’s LogiMAT show, expected to draw 1600 exhibitors from 40 nations, is ‘Passion for details – discover the difference’, and the Ammeraal Beltech product range for the industry is an example of how a passion for perfection in design and manufacturing results in clear differentiation in efficiency and reliability.

Luca Zironda, Senior Global Key Account and Industry Manager, and Florian Kley, Global Key Account Manager, will be on hand at Hall 1, Booth G31 to explain how worker safety and satisfaction can be boosted by low-noise, anti-static and flame-retardant belting solutions that include industry standards such as the Rapplon, AMMdurance (made from recycled material) and Flexam belt lines, and why the impact-resistant and efficient-drive properties of these long-lifetime belts means lower overall energy use and costs as well as reduced downtime.

Founded in 1950 in the Netherlands, Ammeraal Beltech is a provider of premium conveyor belting solutions across a wide range of industries. A member of the Ammega Group, the company has a large selection of high-performance conveying solutions for every working environment.

AI and the Future of Supply Chains

Posted on by David Priestman

How can we turn supply chain volatility into foresight? We are at an inflection point for AI, writes Jonathan Jackman, Kinaxis‘ VP EMEA, who discusses impacts on the future supply chain.

In today’s world, warfare, sanctions and climate instability are fracturing global supply chains and upending business plans with little warning. In fact, we must accept that volatility has shifted from being an exception to a defining feature of the operating environment.

In response, organisations are accelerating their adoption of AI, drawn by its promise to improve decision making and build resilience in an increasingly unstable world. Yet, as the enthusiasm for AI grows, so do the risks associated with how it’s being deployed.

Many businesses have already embraced early generative AI tools that operate alongside existing processes, though without fully embedding them. While these systems can speed up analysis, they often lack access to critical data and an understanding of wider business context, resulting in new forms of risk rather than increased protection.

Unlike earlier tools, agentic AI can not only analyse information but simultaneously take action, considerably expanding its potential impact. It also increases the consequences of getting it wrong, though.

When AI systems operate without full situational awareness or clear governance, the outcomes can be immediate and damaging, ranging from misdirected inventory and excess production to costly compliance failures.

This is a pivotal moment for AI adoption; agentic AI will play a central role in the future of supply chain decision making, but its success will depend less on the speed of adoption and more on how responsibly these systems are integrated in core processes.

A choice for leaders

As organisations begin to use AI to help them navigate disruption, they face a clear choice. On one side, generative AI tools and copilots are added onto existing processes, offering quick wins and impressive demonstrations. Yet because they sit outside of the workflows where decisions are made, they rely on fragmented data and produce outputs that lack context and accountability.

In complex supply chain environments, any shortcomings can escalate rapidly, with misaligned decisions leading to undermined trust and increased risk exposure.

On the opposite side, organisations can begin embedding intelligence directly into decision making workflows. At its most advanced, this involves agentic AI systems that operate on real-time data alongside the wider business context, allowing them to coordinate responses across the organisation.

When AI is embedded like this, organisations can move beyond reactive responses and gain the ability to anticipate disruption and act decisively before any issues can escalate.

Designed for human-in-the-loop

With all this, maintaining human oversight and accountability when using AI systems should remain a design requirement. While there are concerns that AI might replace people, agentic systems will only deliver the most value when they are designed to work alongside humans.

People are and will remain responsible for the most important decisions. They define objectives, approve actions with significant impact and remain accountable for outcomes.

Within these outlines, autonomous agents can monitor signals, coordinate activity across functions and generate response options. As a result, human decision makers can then focus on areas where judgement and morals, as well as regulatory understanding, are crucial.

More importantly, embedding agentic AI into decision workflows enables oversight to be applied from the beginning. Unsafe or non-compliant actions can be prevented automatically, rather than identified after the fact. As regulators, particularly in the EU, place greater emphasis on transparency and explainability, this level of control is becoming increasingly necessary.

Trust as the foundation

Supply chains are at risk due to a lack of systems that enable transparent, coordinated decision-making.
As uncertainty and instability continue to rise, advantage will come from adopting AI responsibly and embedding it into core decision processes with clear governance and human accountability.
Ultimately, trust is not the result of faster decisions. It is what makes them possible.

Globalisation Holds Firm, US and China Decouple

Posted on by David Priestman

Globalisation remains at a historically high level – despite escalating geopolitical tensions, rising U.S. tariffs, and unprecedented uncertainty about future trade policies. This is one of the key findings of the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026, released today by DHL and New York University’s Stern School of Business. Based on more than 9 million data points tracking international flows of trade, capital, information, and people, the report offers the most comprehensive view of globalisation available.

The report tracks globalisation on a scale from 0% (no cross-border flows) to 100% (borders and distance have no impact). The world’s level of globalisation was 25% in 2025, in line with the record high set in 2022.

Globalisation is holding its ground – and that alone speaks volumes about its value… From poverty to climate change, the world’s biggest challenges can only be solved through global thinking. The DHL Global Connectedness Report shows that countries and companies are not retreating behind national borders. That is good news. We strengthen global ties by connecting markets, businesses, and people so they can adapt, diversify, and unlock new opportunities – even in uncertain times.

said John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express.

At the same time, today’s globalisation level of 25% underlines how far the world is from being fully globalised. In many areas, international flows could expand further in the absence of policy constraints.

AI boom and race to beat tariff hikes fueled trade in 2025

Global trade grew faster in 2025 than in any year since 2017, excluding the volatile Covid-19 period. U.S. importers accelerated shipments early in the year ahead of tariff increases. U.S. imports later dropped below prior-year levels, but rising Chinese exports to non-U.S. markets helped sustain global trade volumes. Trade in AI-related goods surged as countries and companies raced to build AI infrastructure. AI-related products drove 42% of goods trade growth in the first three quarters of 2025, according to WTO figures.

Trade outlook: growth continues, even with higher tariffs

Looking ahead, recent U.S. tariff increases are expected to modestly slow trade growth in 2026 – but not stop it. Global goods trade is projected to expand by an average of 2.6% per year through 2029, in line with the past decade. One reason trade can keep growing despite U.S. tariff hikes is that most trade does not involve the U.S. In 2025, 13% of imports went to the U.S., and 9% of exports came from the U.S. In addition, many countries are pursuing new trade agreements to secure access to alternative markets.

Information flows face barriers, people flows reach new highs

Beyond trade, the report finds diverging trends across other international flows:

  • Capital: There is no broad shift of investment from foreign to domestic markets. Multinational firms still earn near-record shares of sales abroad. While announced greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) fell in 2025, overall FDI flows rose, and cross-border M&A activity remained resilient.
  • Information: Over the past two decades, information flows delivered the largest globalisation gains. Since 2021, growth has slowed and become more volatile. Geopolitical tensions and restrictions on data flows may now be materially limiting the globalisation of information.
  • People: After collapsing during the Covid-19 pandemic, people flows have fully recovered. The latest data show international travel, student mobility, and migration all at record highs.

Singapore leads country ranking, Europe tops regions

In the report’s country ranking, Singapore again ranks as the world’s most globalised nation, followed by Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Europe is the most globalised region, followed by North America and the Middle East & North Africa. The United Kingdom has the most broadly distributed flows worldwide. The United Arab Emirates recorded the largest increase in globalisation since 2001.

U.S.–China tensions affect only small share of global flows

The report also finds that ties between the world’s two largest economies – the U.S. and China – continue to weaken. However, these ties are surprisingly small in a global perspective. For example, trade between the U.S. and China accounted for 3.6% of world trade at its peak in 2015, before falling to 2.7% in 2024 and to only 2.0% during the first three quarters of 2025. The U.S.–China share of international business investment is even smaller – less than 1% in 2025.

No global split into rival blocs

Even as the U.S. and China decouple, most countries continue to engage with their longstanding partners. Over the past decade, only 4–6% of global goods trade, greenfield FDI, and cross-border M&A have shifted away from geopolitical rivals. Of these flows, most have not moved to close allies but to countries with flexible geopolitical positions, such as India and Vietnam. Overall, the world economy remains far from a broad split into rival blocs.

The politics and policy surrounding globalisation are much more volatile than the actual flows between countries… “Global trade patterns changed more in 2025 than they do in a typical year, but less than they did during other recent disruptions such as the early stages of the war in Ukraine. Sound decision-making requires a calibrated view of how much global business ties are really changing. The risks to globalisation are real, but so is the resilience of global flows.

said Prof. Steven A. Altman, Director of the DHL Initiative on Globalisation at NYU Stern’s Centre for the Future of Management.

Traded goods and greenfield FDI reach record distances

Geopolitical tensions and supply chain concerns have led many observers to expect a shift from globalisation to regionalization. In 2025, however, traded goods travelled the longest average distance on record (5,010 kilometres). The average distance for greenfield FDI projects also rose to a new high (6,250 kilometres). Most other international flows are stretching over longer distances as well, and longer distances indicate less regionalization. Predictions of a broad move from global to regional business have not materialized – at least not yet.

Published regularly since 2011, the DHL Global Connectedness Report provides reliable insights on globalisation by analysing 14 types of international trade, capital, information, and people flows. The 2026 edition is based on more than 9 million data points. It ranks the connectedness of 180 countries, accounting for 99.6 percent of global gross domestic product and 99.0 percent of the world’s population. A set of 180 one-page country profiles summarizes each country’s pattern of globalisation.

Read the full report here.

Instant Visibility & Automated Logistics Execution

Posted on by David Priestman

Efficiency, sustainability and transparency are the key success factors of modern transport networks. The increasing complexity of global supply chains, the shortage of skilled labour and the growing pressure to meet environmental targets require solutions that intelligently connect data, processes and operational control.

Against this backdrop, the new strategic partnership between EPG (Ehrhardt Partner Group) and Bluerock TMS, a provider of a globally deployed transport management system, is creating a platform that combines mathematical route optimization with real-time transport management. The goal of the collaboration is to integrate EPG’s routing engine ‘Greenplan’ directly into Bluerock’s cloud-based TMS platform. This will give companies access to a fully connected system that unifies planning, execution and analysis of their transport operations in one central process.

As a global company with locations in Europe, North America and Asia, Bluerock coordinates millions of shipments each year through its modern and comprehensive TMS. Greenplan enhances these capabilities with a decisive next step.

While Bluerock provides full transparency on delays, capacity constraints, and operational deviations, Greenplan takes action where visibility alone reaches its limits. Greenplan doesn’t just calculate optimal routes that meet all customer criteria but continuously reoptimizes them. Using advanced mathematical models, routes automatically adapt to changing conditions in real time and can be released instantly at the push of a button.

The result is a genuine ‘beyond visibility’ effect: companies no longer just see what is happening, instead, they receive immediate, data-driven solutions and concrete options for action. This translates into measurable cost savings, improved on-time performance, and reduced emissions.

Dr. Clemens Beckmann, CEO Greenplan at EPG, explains: “With this partnership, we are combining mathematically precise route optimization and high-performance transport management in one system for the first time. Companies gain not only trans-parency but also immediate ability to act – automatically and in real time.”

Efficiency as a Key Competitive Advantage

Global supply chains are becoming increasingly volatile and interconnected. Fluctuating demand, traffic congestion and rising sustainability requirements increase operational pressure on fleet operators and shippers alike. Static or rule-based route planning methods that used to be sufficient can hardly keep up with these new challenges. The Greenplan algorithm analyzes traffic flows, delivery priorities, time windows and vehicle capacities simultaneously and simulates multiple scenarios within seconds. The most efficient routes are identified and automatically adjusted to current conditions.

Combined with Bluerock TMS, this creates a learning system that not only detects disruptions but can also react automatically upon them. Dispatchers immediately see delays, late arrivals or capacity constraints in the Bluerock dashboard, and Greenplan generates the optimal alternative without manual intervention. Rico van Leuken, CEO of Bluerock, adds: “Greenplan expands our TMS with a dimension that goes far beyond traditional visibility. Our customers receive a solution that combines the power of a globally deployed transport management system with the precision of mathematical optimization. The result is resilient, dynamic and future-ready networks.”


Global Reach and a Sustainable Outlook

Bluerock is used today by companies on three continents and is known for its intuitive usability and strong transparency features. With the integration of Greenplan optimization, the TMS gains an additional dimension and route planning becomes an active con-trol tool that unites economic efficiency with environmental responsibility.

For EPG, this partnership marks another milestone in expanding its international partner network. The company aims to connect technological innovations worldwide and to establish new standards in digital transport logistics together with leading providers. The combination of Greenplan’s routing technology with Bluerock’s global reach creates a strong foundation for this vision. “Sustainability and efficiency are not opposites but mutually reinforcing factors,” concludes Dr. Beckmann. “The same data that helps reduce costs also enables precise measurement and reduction of emissions. Modern logistics is becoming more economical and more responsible.”

Warehouse Technology Predictions

Posted on by David Priestman

Forecasting is easy. Getting it right isn’t. We asked four spokespeople at warehouse robot and intelligence platform specialists Dexory to put on record the likely trends for the year ahead.

Autonomous robots

First up is Dr. Marcus Scheunemann, Head of Autonomy for Dexory, who believes the top trend will be the subject of autonomous robots: “2026 will mark a significant step towards full autonomy for robots. Advances in AI paired with increasingly sophisticated robotic control systems are allowing autonomous machines to interpret their surroundings more precisely and manage unpredictable situations better. As these technologies mature together, we will see a noticeable shift in what autonomous robots can reliably handle without human input.

“This shift will pave the way for organisations to operate entire fleets with far less day-to-day oversight. If this pace continues, it’s fair to say we will reach a point where most routine operational tasks could run independently, with only very unusual scenarios still requiring human support. Achieving this level of autonomy within the next two to three years would set a new standard for how autonomous systems perform in real-world environments and represent a significant milestone for the entire robotics sector.”

Warehouse visibility

Todd Boone, Vice President North America, Dexory picked the issue of visibility in warehouses: “In 2026, true warehouse intelligence based on data rather than assumptions will shift from being a novelty to becoming a standard expectation. Customers will increasingly require insights they can act on, drawn from rich and comprehensive data sets rather than simply faster inventory counts.

“As this shift accelerates, the limitations of drone-based solutions will become more apparent because they do not capture enough of the right data to meaningfully influence operations at scale. As warehouse visibility and analytics mature, organisations will expect full-spectrum intelligence, making partial solutions far less viable.”

Agentic warehouses

Divya Gautam, Head of AI, Dexory focuses on agentic AI: “2026 will be the year the warehouse becomes ‘agentic’. The industry will move beyond passive visibility, where AI surfaces endless unprioritised alerts, to active intelligence where autonomous systems interpret context, reasons, and recommend the next best action. Competitive advantage will shift to warehouses that turn raw data into autonomous decision-support by using AI agents that collaborate with human teams to resolve issues faster and more accurately.”

Collaborative agents

Finally, Oana Jinga, Chief Commercial & Product Officer & Co-Founder of Dexory, opted to discuss collaborative agents: “In 2026, multi-AI agent systems will become the backbone of next-generation warehouse automation. Instead of a single monolithic software controlling operations, warehouses will deploy collaborative AI agents — each specializing in tasks such as real-time inventory perception, traffic optimization, predictive maintenance, labour allocation, and exception handling. These agents will communicate continuously with each other and with fleets of autonomous robots, enabling a fluid, self-optimizing warehouse ecosystem.”

8 Areas to optimise

The warehousing industry is evolving faster than ever. Rising customer expectations, growing SKU complexity and global supply chain pressures demand faster fulfilment, better use of space, and uncompromising safety. Yet for many warehouses, inefficiency persists – lost pallets, underused aisles, and inconsistent data updates. The question is no longer if automation drives ROI, but how fast you can capture it.

That’s where optimisation comes in. High levels of stock integrity mean warehouses can operate with faster, more reliable workflows and optimal use of resources. But once inventory health and visibility are firmly in place, the next step is to unlock the full potential of your operations through targeted, AI-driven optimisation strategies.

By enhancing the flow of goods, maximising space utilisation, and refining processes, operations can keep pace with rising demand with precision and speed. Dexory outlines eight areas for warehouse optimisation – from real-time visibility and block stack digitisation to AI-powered consolidation planning and weight restriction monitoring:

  1. Inventory integrity as the cornerstone of efficient operations
    High levels of stock integrity mean warehouses can operate with faster, more reliable workflows and optimal use of resources, while enabling confident decision-making and minimising operational disruptions.
  2. Real-time visibility that turns blind spots into insights
    Only 6% of logistics companies report full visibility over their operations. This gap can mean missed opportunities, safety risks, and slower fulfilment.
  3. Block stack storage visibility without disruption
    What if you could eliminate the blind spots in deep storage areas? No more guessing, lifting, or forklift repositioning. Just evaluating discrepancies in real time, such as missing, miscounted, or incorrectly placed items.
  4. Pick face optimisation for smarter cycle counts
    Every day, the WMS generates a cycle count list. You know most of it is wasted effort, but you still have to check every single location. Instead, how about shrinking the cycle, freeing up resources, and finally getting control of your pick face locations with maximum efficiency?
  5. Maximising storage utilisation
    AI-powered consolidation planning can identify opportunities to group compatible items together while avoiding conflicts like mismatched batch codes or incompatible products. This reduces wasted space and unproductive travel time between storage locations. Optimal space utilisation and efficient stock handling bolster long-term reputational gains by showcasing operational excellence and dependability.
  6. Improved compliance and safety with advanced slotting verification
    Every warehouse faces risks from incorrect slotting. By aligning slotting with both safety and efficiency, warehouses ensure that they remain audit-ready, compliant, and secure.
  7. Faster fulfilment, no picking delays
    Poor replenishment leads to picker delays, slow order fulfilment and reduction in storage efficiency. But with advanced robotics and automation systems, warehouses can achieve faster fulfilment and throughput without extra headcount.
  8. Weight restriction monitoring for safer, risk-free warehouses
    Overloaded bays and racks put staff and infrastructure at risk. Manual checks are slow, error-prone, and often inconsistent. At the same time, WMS rules are static, they don’t
    prevent live overloads. With the right use of automation, warehouses can ensure risk-free operations where safety is never compromised.

Specialist Deliveries in Franchise Logistics

Posted on by David Priestman

InXpress, a specialist in international and complex logistics solutions, has reached a key milestone after completing over 100,000 specialist delivery loads through its strategic partnership with TEG, a fintech-enabled platform serving transport and logistics, as e-commerce growth reshapes customer expectations.

For InXpress, this challenge became critical as rapid global e-commerce growth fundamentally changed customer expectations – driving demand for same-day delivery, white glove services, and bespoke urgent shipments that traditional franchise networks couldn’t provide.

We were at risk of losing customers who needed same-day delivery, white glove handling, or urgent shipments that our network couldn’t provide… This partnership combines our customer relationships and local presence with TEG’s carrier network and technology. Together, we’re enabling same-day, white-glove and urgent services.

said Jon White, Chief Commercial Officer EMEA at InXpress.

Through TEG’s end-to-end platform, InXpress franchisees across 450 offices in 14 countries gained access to specialist carrier networks without building new infrastructure, enabling them to compete for business previously beyond their reach. The integration provides franchisees with improved service reliability, real-time tracking, and data-driven performance benchmarking.

Through the platform, InXpress franchisees have won contracts with e-commerce businesses and retailers demanding premium services. “The scale InXpress has achieved shows how the right platform gives distributed networks the same capabilities as centralised operations – without the infrastructure costs. Technology removes barriers to scale – enabling distributed networks to compete at any scale without capital investment,” added Sam Wilkinson, Chief Revenue Officer at TEG.

InXpress is now targeting 1,000 franchise locations in key markets as it capitalises on the e-commerce boom, supported by TEG as it accelerates plans to scale operations through 2030.

AI-based Simulator to Optimise Inventory

Posted on by David Priestman

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Transportation & Logistics and Mecalux have developed an artificial intelligence-based simulator capable of optimising inventory distribution across different warehouses within the same logistics network. The platform, called Genetic Evaluation & Simulation for Inventory Strategy (GENESIS), uses advanced machine learning models to analyse thousands of possible scenarios and determine the optimal stock level at each warehouse and when replenishment should occur.

The AI-based simulator takes into account variables such as forecast demand in each region, transport costs and the operational capacity of each warehouse to test various inventory replenishment policies without affecting real-world operations. “The genetic algorithm enables multiple simulations to be run using different parameters until the most efficient logistics strategy is identified. Companies can compare scenarios and select the one that best fits their operations,” says Dr. Matthias Winkenbach, Director of Research at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics and the Intelligent Logistics Systems Lab.

Once data and variables are entered into the system, GENESIS generates the optimal solution along with advanced statistical dashboards. Users can analyse indicators such as consumption patterns, regions with high demand variability, SKUs with a greater risk of stockouts or warehouses experiencing supply issues.

Redistribute before purchasing

One of the system’s key features is its ability to rebalance inventory across warehouses. Instead of automatically placing new orders with suppliers, the tool analyses whether it is more efficient to transfer products from another facility within the network where excess inventory is available. In this way, companies can reduce costs and make better use of existing stock.

The system also recommends how to organise transport. For example, it suggests whether shipments should be consolidated to optimise truckloads or whether specific orders should be fulfilled from a particular location to reduce delivery times and costs.

“The real challenge wasn’t finding the right algorithm — it was making it fast enough to be practical. We developed GENESIS from the ground up to evaluate thousands of scenarios simultaneously rather than sequentially. What used to take days now takes minutes, which means companies can use it for real tactical planning, not just theoretical analysis,” says Rodrigo Hermosilla, Research Engineer at the MIT Intelligent Logistics Systems Lab.

Unlike analytical solutions reserved for specialised users, GENESIS is designed for both technical teams and business decision-makers. “The goal is to help companies minimise the total cost of their logistics network while ensuring the highest service level,” says Javier Carrillo, CEO of Mecalux.

Upcoming AI applications

The AI-powered simulator is one of the first tangible results of the joint initiative between Mecalux and MIT CTL. The collaboration is now entering a new phase focused on expanding the application of AI to other logistics processes, such as internal replenishment, digital twins in high-density automated storage systems, and slotting optimisation.

The MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (MIT CTL) is a world leader in supply chain management research and education, with over 50 years of expertise. The centre’s work spans industry partnerships, cutting-edge research and driving supply chain innovation into practice through three pillars: research, outreach and education

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