NetworkForum Industry 4.0 & Logistics - Digitalisation in Logistics! A challenge for suppliers and users!
Dortmund. On 21 March 2019 InterLog Management GmbH as the patron and the Kompetenznetz Logistik.NRW as the organiser jointly conducted the 7th NetworkForum Industry 4.0 & Logistics in Dortmund. InterLog Management GmbH has been part of the network for several years and hosted this year the event on the topic "The networked society, why digitalisation has become an integral part of logistics". Around 40 participants accepted the joint invitation to the extraordinary premises of the Phönix Lounge in Dortmund.
During this event four presentations were given by various speakers and companies on the subject about digitalisation in logistics.
Digital Solutions GmbH to the topic "Challenges of logistics in the digital age"
Speaker: Mario Luna Stollmeier, Sales & Marketing
The lecture included the presentation of a "logistics mall". This is a Business App Store which primarily serves the optimization of the warehouse management. Furthermore, the App offers digital solutions in the area of eCommerce and Industry 4.0. The simple web-based use, which does not require any further software development knowledge, ensures user-friendly operability. Mr. Stollmeier emphasized that for the time being there are no limits to digitalisation and that the topic of the cloud is becoming more and more important in the area of logistics.
CGI Deutschland B.V. & Co KG to the topic "Digital transformation in logistics - why Excel and e-mail alone are not digital enough...".
Speaker: Dipl.-Kauf. Hartwig Schulz, Director, Practice Head TP&L Germany
In terms of content, the second lecture focused primarily on the restructuring of business processes, with IT, as the carrier of change, assuming a high priority in the future. It is also necessary to make increasing investments in the digital sector. In this context, it was reported about the project "Port of Rotterdam". Individual processes were digitalised in such a way that there is an optimal flow of movement on the water and an efficient waterway management was created overall.
active logistics AG to the topic "Digitalisation in logistics: Digitalisation of processes in the transhipment hall".
Speaker: Dipl.-Ing. Michael Wilkenshoff, Head of Marketing & Partner Management
"The world is changing ever faster, ever more radically," states Mr Wilkenshoff. In order to keep up with this constant progress, intelligent process transformation has to be carried out, especially with regard to a transshipment hall. This includes, i. e. the monitoring shipments in real time. There would be also a certain necessity to avoid manual administrative processes and as well to digitalise them.
InterLog Management GmbH to the topic of " Digitalisation of production logistics".
Speakers: Eric Gastel, CEO and owner, Isabel Keddi, Consultant
Digitalisation can lead to a considerable increase in quality in a production operation and can help to produce cheaper and faster. The aim of the "Smart Factory" digitalisation approach is to achieve a fully autonomous organisation of the material flow in which people are no longer actively involved in production but are exclusively responsible for controlling and monitoring the machines. But it is just as important to push ahead with the digitalisation of the information flow as Mr. Gastel explained in the following.
The subsequent panel discussion, moderated by Peter Abelmann of the Kompetenznetz Logistik.NRW, served to provide comprehensive answers to questions regarding all lectures held. Important logistic trends were pointed out which the suggestion that more than 20 million devices will be networked by 2020. All the speakers ultimately agreed on one point: people have always found it difficult to cope with changes. There is also the hurdle of scepticism. These fears lead to the fact that the progress of digitalisation in the logistics sector is hampered. Accordingly, it is the task of all companies who offer services in the field of digitalisation to take these fears away from the customers.
"The large attendance and the lively participation in the panel discussion was extremely gratifying. Therefore, we will hold this event in cooperation with the Kompetenznetzwerk.NRW and the Log-IT Club e.V. as patrons in the future", says Eric Gastel, CEO and owner of InterLog Management GmbH.
About InterLog Management GmbH
InterLog Management is specialized in consulting services in the field of operative logistics. The focus is on the analysis, conception, optimization, implementation and operation of existing logistics processes and systems and their conversion into sustainable, modern and customer-oriented supply chain concepts and logistics solutions. Also in the implementation and realization of our own, as well of existing concepts, InterLog Management is the right partner. Innovation, professionalism and a distinct practical orientation in a dynamic, customer-oriented team - these are the strengths of InterLog Management GmbH.
About the Competence Network Logistics.NRW
The LOG-IT Club e.V., the supporting association of the Competence Network Logistics.NRW has collaborated with the Verband Verkehrswirtschaft und Logistik NRW e.V. (Association of the Transport Industry and Logistics) in order to further develop the former activities of the LogistikCluster NRW. And new focal points such as digitalisation, innovation or alternative drives for medium-sized logistics to prepare. The project is supported by the Ministry of Economics, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia and the EU.