The motto of this year's Logimat is "Acting innovatively - shaping change". Numerous exhibitors at the 14th International Trade Fair for Distribution, Material Handling and Information Flow are explicitly addressing the Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things megatrends in their product developments. "Alongside e-commerce, these two megatrends are the main drivers for the fields of action and solution developments in intralogistics," says Kazander, Managing Director of Euroexpo Messe- und Kongress, the organizer of Logimat.

The largest area will be taken up by exhibitors from the fields of conveyor technology, racking construction, warehouse and operating equipment. In Halls 1, 3 and 5, system and plant manufacturers will be showcasing their current product range and innovations for coordinated material flows. The product spectrum ranges from world firsts such as a fully automated scanning portal for logistics applications based on image processing technology to transport robots that can move freely in space and pick up, move and set down small load carriers or stacks. Trade visitors can also take a look at newly developed flow racks with an integrated reading tunnel and vertical lift modules for handling and storing small parts, which can move five containers both vertically and horizontally.

Also in Hall 5 and in the whole of Hall 7, the developers and suppliers of logistics software will be presenting their innovations, systems, modules and functional scopes for efficient process control, data networking and information processing. In many cases, system and plant manufacturers in the conveyor technology sector are supplementing their classic product range with IT solutions. The IT offerings presented by them at the trade fair range from material flow control and resource and fleet management to warehouse management systems. "The two segments of materials handling technology and software, as well as the area of industrial trucks, including automated guided vehicles and systems, recorded the highest exhibitor demand at Logimat 2016," explains Kazander. "The growth in exhibitor numbers and exhibition space underlines the great importance of these three segments for intralogistics processes."

Last but not least, a special focus will be on exhibitors from the marking and identification technologies, packaging industry and packaging systems. They will be located in Halls 4 and 6, and the intralogistics topics will be complemented and explored in greater depth by a supporting program with 30 specialist forums and more than 100 speakers, as well as three live events directly in the halls.