LogiMAT 2018 – First-hand intralogistics
Jan 09, 2018
The 16th LogiMAT is already breaking records, before it's even started. Never before have trade visitors been able to compare products from so many international exhibitors and so many innovations and world launches in one place.
The sector treats LogiMAT 2018 as the primary platform from which to launch its latest developments. A central theme running throughout will be the integration of modern technologies and materials into future-proof solutions for the challenges posed by Industry 4.0, Logistics 4.0, the Internet of Things (IoT) and the associated digitisation.
Bigger than ever before, the 16th LogiMAT – the International Trade Fair for Intralogistics Solutions and Process Management – will reaffirm its importance as a world-leading information platform and "working exhibition" where the intralogistics sector can do business directly. Between 13 and 15 March 2018 at LogiMAT in Stuttgart, more than 1,500 exhibitors, a quarter of them from European countries outside Germany and elsewhere in the world, will present 'First-hand intralogistics: Digital – Connected – Innovative". LogiMAT is thus the first guest event to occupy the entire Stuttgart exhibition centre including its new Hall 10. "The early focus on one of the most important and most innovative technology and business segments, flanked by an innovative exhibition concept, have ensured LogiMAT's growth into the leading platform for the industry," is how Ulrich Kromer von Baerle, Managing Director of Landesmesse Stuttgart describes the event. "The increasing internationalisation of exhibitors and the trade audience not least also reinforces the image of the Stuttgart trade fair as one of the most important exhibition centres in the heart of Europe."
On 117,000 square metres of exhibition space, exhibitors from some 40 countries, including around 360 new exhibitors and more than 50 notable suppliers from Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan and the USA will showcase their range of products and solutions for efficient intralogistics processes. Throughout the sector segments, the majority of exhibitors will be using LogiMAT as a platform to launch their latest innovations and present new products to the world for the first time. "LogiMAT has become established as THE intralogistics and process management event of the year for exhibitors and trade visitors from all over the world," sums up Peter Kazander, Managing Director of the LogiMAT organising company EUROEXPO Messe-und Kongress-GmbH of Munich. "Presence at LogiMAT is an absolute must for every company operating as a supplier or user of intralogistics. This is backed up by all key trade fair and exhibition indicators determined by the society for the voluntary control of trade fair and exhibition data as well as the opinions of exhibitors and trade audience."
The overriding theme among all exhibitors is the integration of modern technologies and materials into future-proof solutions for the challenges posed by Industry 4.0, Logistics 4.0, the Internet of Things (IoT) and the associated digitisation. "This is reflected in the LogiMAT 2018 motto 'First-hand Intralogistics: Digital – Connected – Innovative' as well as the ongoing theme of 'human/machine interaction'," Kazander explains. "The majority of international exhibitors are presenting – many of them as world premieres – intelligent and innovative solutions to the current challenges in intralogistics. They are driven by the digitisation of business processes and the requirements for the collection, processing, filtering and provision of digitised data needed for the control of efficient and increasingly automated processes in intralogistics and supply chain management."
Exhibitors from the AutoID and packaging technologies sectors are represented in Halls 4 and 6 and in the exhibition centre entrance lobby. They will be showing a broad range of products, from new high-output packaging lines, packing stations with camera-based item recognition, 3D-packing schemes and smart recyclable packaging through to innovative scanner hardware, RTLS and RFID solutions and integration of augmented reality through to radio-controlled digital labelling, e-paper labels or lotus-effect labels. "LogiMAT 2018 is a crucial exhibition and networking platform for the AutoID community," says Peter Altes, Managing Director of AIM-D e.V. In the newly-created 'Intelligent containers and warehouse solutions' exhibition area, complete cross-sector solutions can be seen from world-leading suppliers.
In Halls 1, 3, 5 and 7 materials handling and systems engineers will exhibit their latest developments for efficient material flows and smooth interaction between humans and machines or robots. Debuts will include innovative shuttle solutions and combined warehouse/order picking systems designed to reduce picking costs to 15% per order line. Compact complete SME solutions for automated small-component warehouses including materials handling technology, picking station and software as well as innovative, free-running driverless storage and retrieval machines (SRMs) for shelving systems are among the exhibits. Moreover, the suppliers represent new software-based tools for integrated assembly and logistics planning in 3D. In Hall 7, trade visitors will also find a large number of suppliers of innovative fire-protection equipment and solutions.
The ongoing development of driverless transport systems, support systems and electrification will define the displays of the forklift manufacturers in Halls 9 and 10. Several manufacturers are making use of LogiMAT to present this specialist international audience with completely new products in the materials handling technology sector. For example, LogiMAT will host the premier of new counterbalanced trucks, narrow-aisle equipment and industrial trucks series, a compact 48-volt electric side loader for small operations, an innovative lifting gear series with integrated NFC sensor and service app and new PC and vehicle terminal solutions for seamless data exchange. In parallel, exhibitors will be demonstrating innovations in the sphere of battery technology to cover the growing demand for energy-efficient electrification of internal flows of goods. "LogiMAT has established itself internationally as one of the most important materials handling sector trade fairs," says Ken Dufford, Crown Vice President Europe, summing up the significance of LogiMAT to the industry.
A smart IT infrastructure forms the basis for integrated information exchange in intralogistics and supply chain management, alongside AutoID technologies for coding and data entry. In Halls 8 and 10 the software companies will showcase their latest developments and approaches to solutions for future-proof warehouse, transport and supply chain management with fully-networked data exchange. In addition to efficient process control as well as functions and algorithms for the intelligent filtering and analysis of data, the focus is also on apps and IT platforms in particular. The innovations on display will enable, among other things, with IoT chips, innovative tracking solutions including Cloud-based fill-level monitoring.
LogiMAT's ever-popular accompanying programme will also address current issues and development trends in detail, with more than 30 high-profile trade forums, three serial live events and, in the context of the 'Innovations Forum' will host more than 40 specialist lectures on successful practical solutions. "In 2018 once again, the trade audience will not find any more comprehensive overview of the range of products and solutions currently available in the sphere of intralogistics than they will in March in Stuttgart," declares Exhibition Director Kazander. "For all that, LogiMAT still brings everything close together with its clear concentration of various industry segments and the newly designed admission via the West entrance to the exhibition centre."
The importance of LogiMAT for the industry as a platform for presentation and communication as well as a working exhibition is summarised by its representative Manfred Lachauer, General Manager of Advantech-DLog, one of the world´s leading suppliers of industrial automation: "Any manufacturer who isn't at LogiMAT just isn't in the market."
