Facing the challenge of rapid growth and the need to relocate its operations, Asco Foods, a UK importer and wholesale supplier of South East Asian ambient and frozen foods, entrusted a comprehensive storage solution to support their new logistics platform. The project, delivered by STS Storage Systems with technical support from AR Racking, has equipped the new Thame warehouse with capacity for over 5,500 pallet positions, maximising space usage and boosting operational efficiency.

Asco Foods had outgrown its previous facility, prompting not only a move but the need for a scalable solution that would maintain service levels and minimise downtime. The new distribution centre, covering over 51,000 ft², required a strategic storage design to accommodate growing volumes and a diverse product range, many of which require temperature-controlled environments.

“Our growth meant we needed to act quickly but strategically. The storage solution implemented has enabled us to relocate seamlessly while improving inventory management and stock visibility, making the most of every cubic metre of the new warehouse,” said Sunny Chadha from Asco Foods.

The system selected was a high-rise Pallet Racking installation (11,500 mm) covering both ambient and chilled areas. The flexibility of the design, adapted to the pallet type used (1000 x 1200 mm), was crucial to meeting tight project deadlines, with the customer eager to start operations quickly to avoid additional rental costs.

The project was completed in two phases: the first in January and finalised in May, with all timings strictly adhered to. Close coordination between AR Racking and its official distributor, STS Storage Systems, ensured a smooth and efficient execution.

“At AR Racking, we applied our structural design expertise to tailor the system to the customer’s technical and scheduling requirements. The close collaboration with STS’s engineering and installation team was key to delivering a robust and scalable solution,” said Gonzalo Crovetto, Project Manager at AR Racking.

Richard Tyrell, Project Lead at STS Storage Systems, added: “The success of this project came down to fully understanding Asco Foods’ challenges and translating them into a flexible, efficient, and high-quality solution. Working with AR Racking gave us the confidence to meet every commitment to the customer.”

With this new infrastructure in place, Asco Foods has strengthened its logistics capacity and is now well positioned to support its continued expansion in the UK market and beyond. A solution designed for today, with a clear vision for the future.

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What Is LogiBRAIN?

Sales & Customer Insights: Stop Revenue Leakage Before It Grows

Sales Funnel Visibility: Fix Where the Deals Fall Through

Operational Performance: Know Where Delays and Costs Are Building

Team Activity Tracking: Connect Efforts to Outcomes

Comparative & Agent Analysis: Optimize Across Teams and Locations

What Real-Time Looks Like: Decision-Making in Action

Know What’s Working (and What’s Not)—Without the Wait

Customs Support Group (CSG), provider of customs clearance and trade solutions, is introducing a new AI-powered Customs SmartAssist solution for documentation processing at all its locations in Europe to significantly enhance documentation efficiency and quality, while enabling faster movement of goods across borders.

As a specialist in customs digitalisation and automation, CSG already processes every second customs declaration digitally. With the Europe-wide rollout of AI-based document processing, this share is expected to grow even further – potentially setting a new benchmark for the industry.

The Customs SmartAssist solution uses artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to process documents accurately in various formats and qualities – including handwritten information or low-resolution copies and mobile phone photos. The tool also takes language complexity away by automatically extracting all relevant customs-specific information and instantaneously translating it.

Designed to be self-learning, the SmartAssist solution flags any unclear data fields for CSG experts to review before submission. Once corrections are made, the AI learns from the feedback and continuously improves its ability to interpret and process similar documents accurately in the future. This minimises errors and significantly reduces processing times.

Thanks to its scalability, the SmartAssist solution can efficiently handle large volumes of documents. After the first round of testing in the United Kingdom, the efficiency of documentation processing improved by over 30 per cent even for complex goods declarations

John Wegman, CEO of Customs Support Group, confirmed: “Transferring, consolidating, and processing information from various documents consumes valuable time and is prone to omissions or errors, which can lead to delays in customs clearance, non-compliance risks or even fines. AI-powered document processing eliminates manual data entry, freeing our customs experts to focus on higher-value tasks such as reviewing customs declarations, resolving complex issues, and delivering personalised client support.”

Customs SmartAssist is already operational across CSG’s offices in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Ireland, marking a major milestone in the company’s drive to support its customers both physically and digitally. With a presence in 14 countries across Europe, CSG aims to achieve a wider rollout network in the second half of 2025, while increasing efficiencies by up to 50%.

As the demand for digital customs services continues to increase, the company anticipates passing over one million customs declarations through the SmartAssist system this year – focusing primarily on high-volume transactions. Given the scale and geographic reach of CSG’s operations, this initiative is poised to set a new benchmark for digitalization and efficiency in the global customs industry.

“A customs declarant typically needs several hours to input and check the data,” added Wegman. “AI and automation can do this in a fraction of the time. However, the finalisation of the customs declaration remains with our experts. Once the document has been completed by the AI, it still requires the complex expertise and judgement of our customs professionals – ‘Real Intelligence’ – to review all entries, sign off the declaration, and submit it to the authorities.”

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Ecommerce, fulfilment, automation and sustainability trends have pushed the packaging machinery sector into the limelight and forefront of handling and logistics. David Priestman spoke to Coesia’s Fabrizio Sasdelli to learn about the wide range of products and solutions now available.

Coesia, head-quartered in Bologna, are perhaps a well-kept secret in the ecommerce and logistics sector, being a much bigger company than perhaps people realise, with 8000 staff, 20 companies, 87 manufacturing plants and a turnover of €2 billion. What readers will be interested in is what the company does in terms of wrapping, palletizing, robotics, carton boxing and end-of-line, fulfilment products. I asked Fabrizio Sasdelli, E-Commerce Business Line Director, about the different brands and divisions.

Fabrizio Sasdelli, Coesia

Fabrizio Sasdelli: As you mentioned, Coesia includes more than 20 companies, grouped into three main divisions. The Regulated Markets Solutions (RMS) division covers areas like packaging systems. The Consumer Market Solutions (CMS) division focuses on products typically found in a supermarket, such as powders, liquids and solids. The Industrial Market Solutions (IMS) division handles automation and includes companies brought together for strategic synergies.

Our aim is to combine expertise across industrial automation, software and process engineering. We have a strong engineering core and a central division that supports all group companies in accelerating solution development, including tools like digital twins for project evaluation. What sets Coesia apart is our ability to integrate specialised know-how across the group. The collaboration between companies acts as a shared platform, enabling the creation of customised and scalable solutions.

We provide packaging systems within fulfilment workflows, while also developing finished products. Our technologies support right-size packaging and efficient shipment composition, which help reduce environmental impact. The result is a smoother process, faster response times and high operational reliability. With our global footprint, we ensure continuous support to customers around the world.

Logistics Business (LB): What are the key product developments?

Sasdelli: We have two big groups: packaging-on-demand, and automation. When required we can also integrate the two. In terms of solutions, this includes carton packaging, box resizing, digital printing on demand, and printing in the box. Then we have all the robotics: palletising, robot picking, and AMRs, plus conveying systems, where we are very strong, and vertical sorters. Right-size boxing means that we do not have standard boxes, but we can customise size, based on random products, creating the right parcel.

LB: I want to go in detail about the Emmeci business and the fit-to-size carton machines.

Sasdelli: Yes, Emmeci offers a range of fit-to-size machines. For example, we can produce custom-sized American boxes that adapt to different product dimensions, from small items up to larger parcels. Each box can be individually adjusted, using data from the warehouse management system (WMS). The system supports both automatic and manual box definition, and the packaging process begins as soon as the product arrives.

The E-BFS is ideal for single or multi-item orders. It creates right-sized clamshell boxes, integrating box making, filling, sealing and labelling. It also supports personalisation, including printed invoices or marketing inserts, based on customer data. Return handling can be built into the design as well. The E-SWL produces right-sized paper bags in various formats. It includes an automated carton erector for minimal manual intervention and precise adjustment of box height. We also offer the Autobagger, a compact modular machine for shipping bags. It fits easily into existing operations and can run up to 1,200 boxes per minute, or less, depending on requirements.

We also provide a vertical bagger and a wide portfolio to cover diverse packaging needs. Few competitors can match this breadth. Our systems are highly customisable and scalable, with options for both automated and semi-automated setups. We tailor our solutions to match different warehouse configurations and customer workflows.

LB: You mentioned a few other products which we can talk about, such as Flexlink’s conveyors, palletizers, robotics, sorters, AMRs as well?

Sasdelli: Flexlink manages all the automation, which affects everything. It is very strong and is used to working with other group companies, connecting different machines and providing direction.

LB: Palletising, particularly robotic palletising, is very much in vogue now, isn’t it? A lot of companies are partnering and automating that part of the outbound process. What palletizer machines do you have? What is it that Coesia manufactures? Everything including the robotic arm? Or are you buying that from a supplier?

Sasdelli: We recognise the growing demand for robotic palletising. At Coesia, our company FlexLink offers smart, space-saving and easy-to-integrate solutions for both inbound and outbound operations. One of our key offerings is the RC12 collaborative palletiser, now in its third generation. It is ideal for end-of-line processes where space is limited, as it uses more than 50 percent less floor space compared to standard industrial robots. It is also very user-friendly. Operators can create pallet patterns without needing any programming skills, thanks to the intuitive software.

The RC12 can handle up to 14 boxes per minute using a double gripper. It meets international safety standards for collaborative robots and works safely without cages or barriers. For larger and faster operations, we also offer the RI20 industrial palletiser. This solution is designed for continuous use and delivers high throughput with great precision.

We also focus on software and system intelligence. Our in-house algorithms manage different box sizes efficiently. For example, we can use scanners to detect incoming boxes, buffer them, and then optimise pallet building. The system ensures fast operation, stable pallet formation and maximum volume use, even when box sizes vary by just a few millimetres. We are flexible when it comes to robotic arms. The RC12 integrates an Omron arm, but we can work with whichever brand the customer prefers. What matters most is providing a reliable and efficient palletising system that fits the customer’s needs.

LB: In terms of right size packaging, not wasting or shipping air has been a trend in recent years. We see this with companies that we report on in the sector like Spark and CMC. Bottom line, what kind of savings have you been able to make customers in recent years with e-commerce in terms of the right size packaging and reducing the amount of packaging waste, space and void in the final package?

Sasdelli: It depends on the application. There are cases where we used to have a standard size, where we have seen a lot of cases where they put inside 1:10 and 1:00. Just one book and 99% of the volume is fully empty! Like this we can save packaging by using the right size that can help in this way. When you are used to having a standard box and you have volumes that can change a lot, I think that you can really save a huge amount.

LB: Sustainability and automation. What would you say would be another big issue that you’re focusing on with customers?

Sasdelli: Sustainability is a major focus for us. We’re investing significant resources into programmes that directly influence the design and efficiency of our machines. We help customers reduce energy and material consumption, and our solutions often include tailored automation that meets specific sustainability goals.

Another key strength is our engineering capability. The Coesia group has built deep synergies across its companies, which allows us to offer flexible and highly customised solutions. We also have a strong environmental certification department that supports customers with compliance and optimisation. Ultimately, our aim is to design systems that reduce waste, minimise packaging volume and lower the overall environmental impact.

LB: I was talking to Jo Bradley at Spark Technologies about a year ago and I asked what’s your biggest competition? Expecting her to name other companies, she said actually, it’s the unavailability of manual labour. Lots of customers are buying automated packaging machines because they simply cannot get the staff to do the manual process. So most of their wins are actually replacing manual operations, rather than directly going head-to-head with another automation supplier. Do you find the same in most of your markets now?

Sasdelli: Yes, we see that trend in many markets, especially in Germany. Finding skilled labour is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly during peak periods or when companies scale quickly. Automation becomes the only practical solution to maintain efficiency and reliability. It’s not just about reducing manual effort, but also about ensuring consistent performance where labour simply isn’t available.

LB: Are there any typical packaging products that you don’t manufacture yourselves? I’m thinking of stretch wrap or shrink-wrapping machines, do you do you provide those as well or do you buy those in?

Sasdelli: In most cases, we can provide what the customer needs. When specific packaging products like stretch or shrink-wrapping machines are not part of our standard portfolio, we collaborate with trusted suppliers. We are always open to integration partnerships to deliver a complete solution. FlexLink, part of the Coesia group, has over 40 years of experience as a systems integrator. They are experts in designing complex automation setups and often work alongside both internal companies and external partners, including market companions. This flexibility allows us to choose the best technology for each project and ensure it fits the customer’s requirements perfectly.

LB: What would be the largest scale e-commerce projects that you’ve worked on recently, in terms of the implementation, number of machines or facilities?

Sasdelli: In our largest e-commerce projects, we typically combine two or three core machines with a full automation setup. End-of-line palletizing is almost always included. One of our key strengths is delivering both the packaging systems and the automation that connects everything into a complete solution. Depending on the project, we might integrate labelling units, palletizers, and robotic or manual workstations. For larger operations, we have deployed up to ten robots. We also create a digital twin of the entire system, allowing us to fine-tune performance together with the customer and ensure the solution is exactly right.

LB: You’re using a lot of simulation while you’re consulting for projects?

Sasdelli: Yes, we have dedicated staff who support simulation activities and can assist in creating complete models for each project. It is not just about visualising the flow, dimensions or footprint, but also about accurately sizing the system’s capacity. This includes determining how many workstations are needed to handle different scenarios. We evaluate various possibilities, verify the most effective solution and design the integration accordingly.

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Excellence in e-commerce Fulfilment Automation

Eurosort recently appointed Rens Gehling as its new Commercial Director, with a brief to chart and deliver an even brighter future for the Netherlands-based sorter supplier. Paul Hamblin meets him.

In the increasingly dizzying world of logistics integration and automation, it pays to be a specialist. If you’re known – and more importantly, admired and respected – for a core offering, it gives you two tasty bites of the cherry; as a go-to choice OEM supplier for the big integrator players, as well as a trusted resource for direct customer sales.

Fact: the Dutch are good at sorting. Many of the big players in the field are Netherlands-founded and based and they continue to lead the way in innovation and efficiency in a sector which, thanks to ecommerce, has enjoyed a strong growth path over the past decade and more.

A fine example of all of the above is Eurosort, which also operates under the Distrisort brand. Tell us the difference between the two, I ask Rens Gehling, the new Commercial Director, appointed in a key leadership role to the Amsterdam-based company in January this year.

“Eurosort and Distrisort are two brands, but one company, same location, same people,” he explains. “Eurosort is a sorter OEM, developing, building and selling high-quality sorters, usually to integrators. Technically, when we deliver to integrators, we control the system with our PLC/software. However, in general terms, the word ‘software’ is considered to refer to the WCS, which is always integrator-based. Projects are flexible – they can be turnkey, they can incorporate controls or they can be mechanical only, using separate controls and software preferred by the customer. The point is that the customer has control and we provide what they ask for.

“Distrisort sells sorters direct to end customers. Usually, these are turnkey solutions, mainly in the fashion, consumer goods, and postal spaces. Our speciality is in providing our customers with solutions for high-speed, high-capacity lightweight products with examples of systems sold capable of handling 100,000 items per hour, which have given us a dominant market position.”

The company grew exponentially during the ecommerce boom part-driven by the pandemic, but Eurosort is certainly not resting on its laurels. Gehling is at Eurosort to scale the company still further. “I’m here to establish how we scale, how we make our success repeatable and predictable, to push on our business development and market intelligence to pinpoint where we see ourselves in 10 years time,” he reflects.

It’s a task for which Gehling is well qualified. Steeped in sortation technology after a successful career at Bowe Intralogistics, he holds two master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Physics and brings expertise in ecommerce, as well as significant legal, organisational development, and R&D experience.

Future Customer Needs

He knows the company is already successful at finding and retaining a loyal customer base – one client alone has bought as many as 90 sorters – and sees the challenge to be about identifying future customer needs and being ready to meet them quickly and cost-effectively. “For instance, we are making great strides in combining traditional retail sorting processes with ecommerce sorting processes, and greatly increasing the potential number of exits,” he reveals.

Are ecommerce and retail not the same these days, I query? “Ecommerce generally comprises batch picking of a low number of SKUs per order, whereas retail sorting may comprise dozens of SKUs per single order,” he explains.

Favoured solutions are often those which enable the customer to make maximum economic and practical use of precious space. Eurosort examples include the Chute Pitch Reducer, a door sited to stop a product from sliding down the chute in its track. The benefit is the opportunity to increase the number of exits in the sorter loop.

A further exciting innovation due to come on stream later this year is the Prote-E (a Vertical Exit Multiplier Module). It massively increases the opportunity to boost the number of exits for products of many sizes and weights, allied to an automated put wall system that exploits space to increase storage and separation options. “We specialize in customised, engineered exits, whatever is relevant and appropriate for the customer’s operations,” he comments.

Eurosort’s not-so secret weapon is its patented split tray sorter (also known as a Bombay or flat sorter), a simple, but ingenious idea to increase capacities at a stroke. “Single loop, cross tray, push, cross – whatever sorter type you need, just use a dual split and you have twice the capacity at the same cost. You just can’t beat it,” he smiles. “Everything you would want to do on a loop sorting operation, deploy a split tray, because it will give you simply the best ROI ever.”

Sorter Types Defined

To new customers not versed in the language of sortation, the terminology can be confusing. He provides an easy summary of each sorter type.

“With split tray sorters, the product drops downwards when it is selected for a tote or other destination. Most of the time that’s fine, but of course not every SKU or package can be allowed to drop, usually due to size, weight or fragility restrictions. So, anything non-breakable we can’t allow to drop, we then move to push tray sorters, where we push out the product to a destination on the same level.

“A crossbelt sorter is designed to accept items of greater weight and size and offers tremendous speeds and throughputs. Crossbelt sorters are very effective for fast movement of bulkier items but the downside is that they are more expensive, can’t handle small items well and add maintenance complexity. That’s where our cross tray sorter comes into its own, which I’d describe as a mini crossbelt. It’s cheap to buy and run, designed for small to mid-sized, non-conveyable items that are enclosed in a tray. Because this is our specialty, we wanted to offer this option to our customers. In fact, it can often be a much better fit than many crossbelt sorters.”

One future opportunity for Eurosort is in supplying space-efficient secondary sorters focused on small items to supplement existing larger solutions in a DC. Separately, the company is starting to see projects in which customers with lower capacity requirements are looking to combine inbound, outbound, consolidation and returns into a cost-effective single, closed sortation system.

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EuroSort introduces ‘smart’ sorter

In an interview with Stefan Budweit, President and CEO of Clark Europe, Peter MacLeod detects the brand shifting strategically in a more high-tech direction.

As the global materials handling sector undergoes seismic shifts – driven primarily by sustainability mandates, technological innovation, and evolving customer demands – Clark Europe is on a mission not just to keep up but to leap ahead. At the helm of this ambitious transformation is Stefan Budweit, its President and CEO, whose three-decade career spans major names like Jungheinrich, Toyota, and now, Clark, having replaced Rolf Eiten on 1st January this year. In an exclusive interview with Logistics Business, Budweit discusses the brand’s growth strategy, product innovation, and how a century-old name is reinventing itself for the electric age.

Growth-Driven Challenger

Budweit’s career journey mirrors the evolution of the industry itself. Starting in parts sales with Jungheinrich before taking on international sales roles, and later leading global key accounts at Toyota, he’s no stranger to operating at scale. “The transition to Clark was a chance to build something new,” Budweit explains. “At Jungheinrich and Toyota, you’re maintaining a large ship. At Clark, we saw the opportunity to grow from a lower base with fresh thinking. We had nothing to lose – only ground to gain.”

Now, with his promotion to CEO, Budweit is tasked with steering the next chapter in Clark’s storied history. “Taking Clark from a global ranking of around 14 or 15 to a top-10 position, that’s a task that excites me.”

Clark’s strategy isn’t about chasing every trend or copying market leaders. Instead, it focuses on aligning its products with customer needs, especially those of its core base: small to mid-sized businesses with fleets of up to 20 units. These customers, often underserved by larger OEMs, are facing the same pressures to cut carbon emissions and improve efficiency as the major logistics players.

“The role of the forklift hasn’t fundamentally changed – it still moves pallets from A to B,” says Budweit. “But the environment in which it operates has. That’s where we see opportunity.”
One of Clark’s key growth initiatives lies in its newly-announced crossover models, electric trucks designed for outdoor use, previously a stronghold of internal combustion (IC) vehicles. These rugged, high-clearance trucks can handle conditions where diesel and gas once reigned supreme, such as mud, rain, and uneven ground.

“These crossover models meet customer needs for performance and sustainability,” Budweit notes. “And because many big players don’t yet offer a comparable product, we see a real chance to carve out market share.”

Sustainability with Substance

For Clark, sustainability is a sales imperative. Across Europe, emissions regulations are accelerating the decline of IC trucks. Meanwhile, companies of all sizes face growing pressure to report on their ESG metrics.

“Even smaller customers now need to reduce their carbon footprint and report it in their annual reviews,” Budweit says. “We’re helping by providing electric alternatives and also by offering transparency in our own production and logistics emissions. ESG is now a core part of our value proposition.”

This shift is most visible in Clark’s electrification strategy. While IC trucks remain important in less regulated markets like Africa and parts of the Middle East, in Europe, electric models dominate, particularly in warehousing where electric account for around 65% of the market.

To serve this demand, Clark offers both lithium-ion and lead-acid battery options across its electric range. “Flexibility is key,” Budweit says. “Many customers start with lead-acid and upgrade later. Our trucks are designed to accommodate both.”

Another sign of Clark’s transformation is in branding. Gone are the cryptic model names, and in come the bold new product lines Raider and Renegade introduced at LogiMAT.
“The names help us position products for specific markets,” Budweit explains. “Raider is the entry-level option, cost-effective and durable. Renegade is for more demanding applications, with advanced features and premium ergonomics.”

The differentiation also allows Clark to tailor offerings across regions. While Eastern Europe may favour budget-friendly models, Scandinavia expects high-end features and comfort. With centralised product groups now coordinating global development, Clark is better equipped than ever to deliver region-specific solutions.

Going Digital

As the forklift industry evolves beyond the mechanical into the digital, Clark is embracing the shift. Its new fleet management system – developed in-house rather than outsourced – is a response to changing customer profiles and the rise of larger fleet operators.

“In the past, our customers didn’t necessarily demand fleet management,” Budweit says. “But as our client base grows to include bigger operators, we’re providing smart solutions, factory-installed, and fully integrated.”

Looking ahead, Clark sees potential in leveraging AI for predictive maintenance and safety features, particularly in real-time hazard detection. “AI is already playing a role in fleet optimisation,” Budweit says. “We’re integrating these capabilities to meet the demands of a more sophisticated user base.”

The Brand Comes Home

Founded in 1917, Clark invented the modern forklift. Today, Budweit sees that legacy as both a differentiator and an asset. “In many countries, when people say ‘forklift,’ they still say ‘Clark,’” he notes. The company is tapping into that heritage with a symbolic move: on 10th April, it officially returned its global headquarters to Dallas, Texas. “Clark is coming home,” Budweit says with a smile. “We’re reopening our US manufacturing base and reconnecting with our American roots.”

From rugged electric crossover trucks to AI-enabled fleet solutions, Clark is reimagining itself for a future that demands sustainability, flexibility, and performance. And under Budweit’s leadership, the company is not just talking about transformation, it’s building it one truck and one customer at a time. “The sky is the limit,” he concludes. Clark has no pretences to become another Toyota or Jungheinrich – it’s cornering a healthy market where a heritage brand meets future-ready thinking.

Transparency of the global supply chain is becoming the weapon of choice for smart logistics operations, as Peter MacLeod discovers in a conversation with Setlog’s Ralf Düster.

As the supply chain world hurtles toward a more interconnected and complex future, it is clear that end-to-end visibility is a necessity. Ralf Düster (pictured below), Managing Director of Setlog GmbH, advocates that managing global supply chains effectively means seeing the whole picture, from raw material readiness to last-mile delivery. And with the company’s digital platform, OSCA Global Logistics, Setlog is equipping its customers with the tools to navigate an increasingly unpredictable logistics landscape.

In a recent conversation following Setlog’s appearance at LogiMAT, Düster broke down how Setlog’s approach aligns with the top 10 supply chain management trends of 2025, as outlined in its latest industry report. From AI to cybersecurity, labour shortages to sustainability, he explained how Setlog is helping customers prepare for tomorrow’s challenges today.

End-to-End Visibility

At the core of Setlog’s value proposition is deep visibility across the entire supply chain. “Today, it’s not enough to know where a container is,” says Düster. “You need to know when production starts, what the quality control results are, and if your materials are available in time. That’s the level of granularity we offer.”

Setlog’s OSCA platform allows businesses to gain SKU-level visibility very early in the development cycle, all the way up to the packing stage. Here, an electronic packing list generated at the factory enables accurate, real-time insights long before goods are shipped. This means DCs can prioritise container unloading, prepare resources more effectively, and ultimately serve their customers faster and with greater accuracy.

Ralf Duester, Setlog

Responding to Disruption

In a world rocked by geopolitical tension, climate events, and port congestion, supply chain disruptions are inevitable. Düster isn’t in the business of predicting wars or volcanic eruptions – “I’m not a Trump advisor or a volcano specialist,” he jokes – but he is in the business of building resilience through data. “When production delays happen, our system alerts you early,” he explains. “You can then make decisions like adapting the production, upgrading from sea freight to air freight or arranging two-driver express trucks to reduce delays. You don’t wait until the goods are on the water, you act at the production stage.”

By integrating supplier, lab, and logistics data into one collaborative platform, OSCA empowers businesses to adapt quickly and communicate changes to stakeholders, from internal planners to end customers.

Sustainability & Carbon Reporting

One of the most critical priorities for modern supply chains is reducing carbon emissions. Setlog’s platform offers detailed CO₂ tracking not just by shipment, but by SKU. This enables brands to analyse the environmental impact of individual products or ranges, helping them make greener logistics choices and meet evolving reporting standards.

“Companies can use this information to optimise transport modes, maybe to send mission-critical parts by air, and everything else by sea,” says Düster. “We give them the data to reduce emissions and maintain service levels.” With cyberattacks on the rise, Düster emphasises that Setlog invests heavily in security. “We’re handling sensitive data such as pricing, designs, product images, so we’ve built robust systems with strict access controls,” he says.

The platform is designed with role-based permissions, ensuring that only authorised users can view or modify specific data. Setlog also works with certified European and American data processing partners to maintain the highest security standards. As the supply chain becomes more digital and connected, this kind of protection is essential.

Labour Shortages

Another looming challenge is the growing scarcity of skilled logistics personnel, particularly in customs, warehouse operations, and intralogistics. Setlog is tackling this by supporting the shift toward Fourth-Party Logistics (4PL) models, where a single provider manages and orchestrates the full logistics operation on behalf of the customer.

“Companies want to focus on their core business: making products and serving customers,” says Düster. “They don’t want to worry about customs clearance or warehouse management. That’s where 4PL comes in.” Setlog is currently supporting the development of such a model for its customer Rhenus, a major logistics provider. The goal is full orchestration of everything from carrier selection to distribution centre operations, allowing businesses to remain agile even with fewer in-house logistics professionals.

AI Where it Matters

While many companies claim to use AI, few apply it where it counts. At Setlog, artificial intelligence is being embedded directly into operational workflows. From automated document processing to AI chatbots that answer real-time supply chain questions, OSCA is learning from every user interaction.

“We’re using AI to read laboratory QC reports and automatically trigger workflows,” explains Düster. “We’re also launching chatbot support so users can ask questions like ‘Is this order on the vessel?’ and get instant, accurate answers.” This reduces the need for manual intervention and allows merchandisers and logistics coordinators to focus on exception handling, rather than chasing routine updates.

While Setlog is headquartered in Germany, its footprint and its competitive mindset is international. “The US market is ahead in some areas, especially in adopting digital-first logistics platforms,” says Düster. “But we’re learning fast, and building solutions for both European and American clients.”

He points to the company’s involvement in the Open Logistics Foundation, and its participation in recent hackathons focused on digital air waybills and delivery documents. These innovations are helping reduce manual work and increase speed, which are two major drivers of supply chain efficiency.

The supply chain of 2025 demands more than fragmented software and Excel spreadsheets. It requires an integrated, collaborative ecosystem, one that gives all stakeholders the data they need to act quickly and intelligently. The OSCA platform offers that ecosystem, combining real-time visibility, intelligent automation, and robust security in a single solution. “If you want to be ready for the unknowns, whatever form they take, you need transparency and collaboration,” says Düster.

In an industry defined by complexity and change, that kind of clarity may be the most valuable cargo of all.

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Setlog and Rhenus Join Forces

In response to today’s high demand for resilience in the world of physical operations, Samsara Inc., pioneer of the Connected Operations® Platform, announced its new Upgrade for Smarter Operations programme across the UK and Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg markets. The programme is designed to make it easy for organisations that rely on systems with inadequate capabilities and customer support to upgrade to Samsara’s advanced and comprehensive AI-powered platform. Eligible companies to upgrade include organisations like Lightfoot, Microlise, Webfleet, Trakm8, Lytx, Geotab, Verizon Connect, VisionTrak, and Masternaught among others.

“We switched technology providers because our previous telematics and cameras were unreliable – the data was poor, and our drivers didn’t trust it, hindering bonus planning. We were close to choosing Microlise, but Samsara’s ability to identify key events and behaviours stood out, offering a path to improve our culture through training,” said Peter Cox, Head of Transport, Clean Linen.

Advantages of the Platform

As the most widely-used and fastest-growing connected operations platform, Samsara is committed to continuous innovation and customer success. In fact, the company holds hundreds of patents and has proven to deliver 8x ROI. This commitment translates into many tangible benefits as organisations that use Samsara’s platform can experience:

• Unrivalled AI Insights and Safety: Samsara’s AI is trained on more than 14 trillion data points, more than any other in its industry. Customers leverage its industry-leading AI to gain actionable insights that improve safety, efficiency, and decision-making across operations.
• Expert Partnership, Dependable Supply Chain, and Unwavering Reliability: Customers can rely on Samsara’s solutions for their mission-critical operations, benefiting from secure, scalable, and flexible technology, 99.99% platform uptime, extensive European coverage ensuring top-tier connectivity, rapid 48-hour hardware shipping, and a limited lifetime hardware warranty, all backed by dedicated 24/7 expert support. From day one, customers work with Samsara’s customer success managers and implementation consultants, who stay with them through every stage of their journey.
• Technology Drivers Love: Improve driver satisfaction and retention with leading safety technology and the industry’s number-one rated driver app, designed to be easy to use and to make administrative work simple for drivers.
• Committed to a sustainable future: Samsara customers globally have collectively saved over 1.3 million metric tons of CO2 emissions through the platform’s features designed for efficient fuel use and reduced emissions.
• Future-Proof Stability: Samsara is a long-term, financially strong partner, growing more than 30% year-over-year, and is continuously innovating for its customers, as evidenced by its more than $1B invested in research and development to date.

Thousands of organisations have switched to Samsara because of these advantages and more. Below are a few of their stories with perspective on Samsara’s differentiated solutions and support:

• “It was only when we started investigating alternatives that we discovered Samsara’s AI-based technology. We soon realised it was the perfect fit for us, providing information we needed in real-time,” commented Olivia Fagan, Compliance Officer, Fagan & Whalley
• “We see Samsara as a strategic partner that not only helps us to achieve our current goals, but also supports our long-term vision of a sustainable and successful company… We particularly appreciate the transparent and predictable cost structure that Samsara offers us. Unlike other providers, we get an all-inclusive solution that impresses with its intuitive, user-friendly platform,” added David Intruglio, Head of National Logistics, Alsco
• “When we studied the market, we realised that Samsara differentiated itself from its competitors with particularly effective, latest-generation solutions. We also appreciated their ability to respond very quickly to our specifications with great precision. For the installation of the first gateway, a Samara technician guided us by videoconference and it took us barely 15 minutes. We installed the subsequent units completely independently and very easily, taking just 5 minutes per vehicle,” said Karim Aït Soumane, Co-Founder, TMA Express
• “The Samsara safety score has been a runaway success. It’s given myself and other drivers something to compete over, I can’t count the number of times we’ve joked about beating each other’s score, it’s a fantastic system,” concluded Eddie Burns, Driver and Driver Manager, Midland Tyre Services

“The world of physical operations is the engine of our economy, driving over 40% of global GDP and impacting everyone’s daily life,” said Philip van Der Wilt, EMEA SVP and GM, at Samsara. “The legacy solutions some are relying on simply aren’t built for today’s economic uncertainties and operational complexities, eroding the confidence leaders need. That’s why we’re making it even easier for them to upgrade to the clear advantages Samsara’s platform delivers.”

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Samsara Unveils New Solutions at Beyond ’24

Loftware, a global supplier of Enterprise Labelling, and SATO Corporation, developer of auto-ID and labelling solutions, have announced the availability of their cloud-connected label printing solution for AEP-equipped SATO printers. This comes at a time when the adoption of cloud-based technologies is on the rise, with the Loftware/SATO partnership supporting this shift to streamline business processes and enhance supply chain agility.

The joint solution, which connects Loftware Cloud with SATO’s cloud-connected printers, eliminates printer driver dependencies, allowing IT teams to avoid installation, troubleshooting, updates, and management. This significantly reduces maintenance and support costs, while enabling businesses to print from any PC browser, providing flexibility to scale or adapt operations without technical constraints. Additionally, users can access the latest approved label templates from anywhere, at any time, through a secure browser and seamlessly print from their SATO printer. The platform also streamlines user management, enabling administrators to quickly add and approve new users in minutes without the need for license keys, reducing administrative burden and improving operational efficiency.

The Loftware/SATO partnership supports a range of industry applications. This includes supplier compliance to ensure accurate, timely labeling and RFID tagging – eliminating relabelling and improving supply chain efficiency. It also enhances in-plant labelling for better process control within factories, ensures retail labelling consistency with industry standards, and streamlines third-party logistics (3PL) labelling for seamless integration with logistics providers.

Hayato Shindo, Group Business Officer at SATO Corporation, commented: “In today’s fast-paced business environment, manufacturers face many challenges, such as changing customer, legal and regulatory requirements; remote working and collaboration; rapid scaling up of operations; and improving productivity while reducing operating costs. Traditional desktop label design applications, while effective in the past, are no longer sufficient to manage these complexities. The solution provided by SATO and Loftware addresses these challenges head-on by offering a centralized and secure platform for label design and printing.”

Loftware Cloud expands labelling capabilities across internal stakeholders, external suppliers, co-manufacturers, and co-packers, who all play a role in the complex supply chain process. With seamless integration into both on-premise and cloud-based business applications such as ERP, WMS, and PLM, Loftware Cloud optimizes workflows for greater efficiency and accuracy.

SATO’s cloud-connected printers further enhance this solution with effortless installation and mobility. Simply connecting a LAN cable ensures the printer is ready for immediate use. This plug-and-play functionality makes it easy to relocate printers as needed, giving businesses the flexibility to adapt to changing operational demands.

Denis Stojanoski, Loftware Senior Alliance Program Manager, added: “Loftware and SATO have a long-standing partnership built on a shared commitment to innovation. Together, we continue to develop cutting-edge supply chain solutions that empower businesses to operate more efficiently, adapt to evolving industry demands, and future-proof their operations. By combining our expertise, we’re driving the future of labeling to deliver greater agility, scalability, and value for our customers.”

Loftware and SATO’s global partnership extends over a quarter century. In recent years, the two have developed an advanced RFID encoding and logging solution to help businesses meet stringent traceability standards. The partnership between Loftware and SATO represents a strategic shift toward addressing specific use cases to better meet modern business needs.

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SATO Expands Auto-ID Solutions into Mexico

Bold new branding for end-to-end system integration specialists TGW Logistics represents confidence, flexibility and dynamism for a formidable presence in European and global logistics. Paul Hamblin hears about it.

The demands on logistics professionals may one day overwhelm. Take LogiMAT: now up to 10 halls (and counting), and with AI and robot technology making ever more outlandish promises to potential customers, how do you process what is actually real and what is not?

It is a landscape in which TGW Logistics – presenting new branding colours and shapes for an ever-changing world – promises an established, reassuring presence. “We are real. What you see is what you get,” says Jan-Willem Klinkenberg (pictured, below), Head of BizDev Northern Europe for the Austria-based global integrator.

End-to-end Integration

Let’s dig down into that reality a little. TGW describes itself as an end-to-end integrator, a term bandied around liberally in the marketing literature of many materials handling companies. What does it mean, though?

“It means we take full responsibility for the change your company is going through,” he defines. “Yes, that change is centred around warehouse automation, because that is our core business. But it’s important to bear in mind that we start by looking at the shed, the warehouse, as a total entity. The basic processes inside that shed comprise inbound, quality control, storage, picking, packing and shipping and this is where we will analyse the customer’s data to explore areas where we can deliver significant ROI via automation. Most of the time, but not always, this focuses on the picking and packing of small goods.”

Automation should not be simply dismissed as fewer people and more robots. Integration for experienced providers such as TGW Logistics is about partnering the customer to evaluate how to best deliver greater efficiency, speed, sustainability, flexibility and cost control. It can come in many forms.

Jan-Willem Klinkenberg, TGW

He illustrates: “One of the projects I’ve been involved with recently was a 50,000 sqm warehouse, in which we use just 8,500 sqm for automation. But 80% of the order lines go through the automation. The customer said to us, ‘Thank you, it’s fantastic, business case proven, budget and investment all signed off; now, can you help us with the other 41,500 square metres?’ They wanted us to deliver the WMS for the manual picking and packing areas, to support them in selecting the right pick and pack areas for what they called the heavy and ugly stuff, also for the pallet racking, the pick towers. That is real integration.

“Of course, the most added value for ourselves sits in the automation part, because that’s our core, it is our own kit that we have developed, produced and delivered. But ultimately we served this customer in a much wider journey to integrate five DCs into one new warehouse. It was a fantastic project, and I’d love to do more like it.”

An end-to-end integrator worthy of the definition needs agility to meet the demands of many types of customer, he explains.

“At the other end of the scale, for instance, we work with a major global ecommerce retailer, also a great customer and with fantastic projects. The added-value is a bit lower for us in their case because they have their own very accomplished in-house design teams. But they know exactly what they need from us, and so we are a significant system integrator for them, but without providing the full end-to-end processes and solutions.

“We are flexible to meet all needs – and we need both of those types of customers for our business.”

Automation is not new, of course. The technologies now refined and improved by TGW and others today have now been around for two, even three decades. Consequently, many new projects do not comprise the familiar ‘manual to automated’ transition, but a ‘legacy’ automated system to a state-of-the-art model. Decision-making is therefore on the agenda for many of those pioneers of the early 2000s.

“Take the UK, for instance. Some outstanding legacy systems were delivered to major retailers in the early years of this century. These businesses learned a long time ago the ROI potential and added value of automation. Now, 20 years later, they are in possession of outstanding technical equipment which is still there and which is still working perfectly. But they still have a decision to make in terms of remaining cutting-edge. What do they do? Do they buy new, do they reconfigure, do they dismantle?”

Easy decision, he reveals.

“Let me give you an analogy. Forty years ago, my mother and father bought a washing machine when they got married. And it’s still going strong. My father is so proud of it – ‘I replaced this, I replaced that, it’s still running!’ – and I said to him, ‘Dad, it uses five times as much water and 10 times as much energy than the latest models. Yes you’re doing OK, but if you get a new one you use less energy, less water and you’re going to make money.’”

Hardware and Software Expertise

TGW Logistics has evolved to suit customer needs as technology, habits and demands have changed. Founded 55 years ago in Austria, TGW was originally a small metalworking shop in the city of Wels; ‘software’ was barely a word in the dictionary. No longer. As software became an essential in the automation package, so TGW partnered with and then acquired specialist software companies, enabling it to accelerate and refine its in-house R&D investment.

“I always say that electro-mechanical equipment from TGW is the best in the world,” claims Klinkenberg. “That is not just sales patter; I can say it with proven confidence, because we have delivered to so many companies who are now massively successful in their own right, names such as Witron, Knapp, Vanderlande, SSI Schaefer.”

But the role of the right software, correctly applied and managed, is absolutely vital, he advises.

“Software comprises between 8-12% of the investment of an integrated system, but I believe 80-90% of the success of that system is down to the software. So it is of paramount importance. And a huge chunk of this importance is change management.

“The uninformed think that the integration and automation process is like buying a new car. Pick up the keys, jump in, drive away. That is categorically not the case here. It takes 6-12 months to make your assets sweat, to fully understand its dynamics and how it will work best for you. It’s the software that enables us to see what’s happening in real time, providing the customer with the evidence to improve future operations.”

Key Market Areas

TGW will apply itself to any relevant challenge in any sector, but is focused in four key areas: Grocery, Fashion/Apparel, Industrial and Consumer. The company has been a key part of the revolution in Grocery and Fashion over recent years.

He believes Grocery is advanced and well-defined. “It’s clear who all the players are. In the Nordics, Benelux, UK, you can count them on one hand or maybe two, all have invested in automation and all have already seen the added value of automation.

“In terms of coming trends, we’re noticing that some of our customers are trying to secure long-term partnerships with us for similar reasons. They all have the same issues: lack of labour – no one wants to work at night or in a deep freeze – so automation is the obvious answer. That means they need materials handling partners. In the Grocery sector, this translates to large-scale projects Those are good projects for us, we have the scope to take part in those tenders.”

In the Fashion sector, it’s no secret that a lot has happened over the past five years. “Covid was a massive factor. Ecommerce accelerated much faster, and now we’re seeing some evidence of the opposite happening as people show more willingness to go back to bricks and mortar stores for fashion items.” Omnichannel is therefore still very often the order of the day in fashion retail.

“As logistics experts we have to be able to deal with that, which means we need to be as flexible, scalable, and modular as we can with our solutions. Customers need to be able to handle single line orders, they need to be able to handle 25 or more lines.”

He explains that some of the new brands in fashion are very strong in marketing and sales but less so in logistics, thus presenting exciting opportunities for 3PLs. “You’ve seen 3PLs investing more in automation, in shuttle systems for instance,” he points out.

TGW’s latest tagline for its customers is ‘It’s Possible’. It’s a claim the company can make from a position of strength. Unlike some integrators, TGW develops and constructs all of its own equipment and hardware, backed by its own proprietary software. Crucially, the company is run as a Foundation, meaning that all decisions are taken for the good of the future health of the company, its people, customers and community, not to promote or protect a share price. That is a powerful starting place.

Finally, it’s projects are about partnerships. Customers learn from TGW experts; TGW is always learning from its customers. In that environment, everybody wins.

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