As many as 1,300 exhibitors from over 50 countries will present the latest solutions in the field of logistics, transport, and telematics at the Transport Logistic 2005 trade fair, taking place in Munich from May 31 to June 3. The fair will be accompanied by 30 congresses, conferences, and workshops organized by leading European institutions associated with the logistics industry. Everything indicates that the Munich fair, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, will break another popularity record.
The rich offer of companies coming to the Bavarian capital will include, among others: integrated transport management systems (IVMS), freight transport systems, control systems in ports, airports, and terminals, tracking and navigation systems, and services in the field of freight and passenger transport.
In Munich, we will see all the world’s major logistics operators. Of course, market leaders such as Schenker, Stinnes, DHL, Gefco, Rhenus, TNT, and UPS will be present. A meeting with global logistics is also guaranteed by the presence of port authorities (Hamburg, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Bilbao, Seville, Cartagena, Ghent, Rijeka, Oslo, or Turku). Information obtained from the Munich trade fair press center indicates that many European logistics centers will also present their competence offers: Bologna (Interporto Bologna), Padua (Interporto di Padova), Trieste (Interporto Alpe Adria), Lübeck, Bremen (GVZ Luebeck/GVZ Bremen), Graz (Cargo Center Graz), and also – which is worth paying special attention to – the logistics center in Dubai (Dubai Logistics City). Certainly, for many visitors from Poland, meetings at the stands of these exhibitors will be a valuable source of information about models of creating, financing, or development plans for logistics centers around the world.
There will also be domestic accents in Munich – the trade fair catalog includes entries for 20 logistics companies from Poland (two years ago there were only 12 Polish stands). Our country will be represented by, among others: PKP CARGO, CTL Logistics, Kolchem Rokita, Mirtrans, Trade Trans, Spedcont, Port of Szczecin-Świnoujście, and Port of Gdynia.
Meetings with global logistics in Munich are not just about visiting the exhibition itself, which covers a total area of over 75,000 square meters. During the four days of the fair, there will be an opportunity to take part in 30 congresses, conferences, and seminars. A novelty of Transport Logistics 2005 is the inclusion in the accompanying program of the “Marilog” congress dedicated to logistics in seaports and maritime transport, which until now had been held in Hamburg. The increase in the importance of this event is perhaps due to the fact that last year German ports recorded an 8 percent increase in transshipments. Another event will certainly be the “Air Cargo Europe 2005” congress, presenting the know-how of international airlines, cargo logistics operators, air carriers, and suppliers for the aviation industry. The importance of air transport is evidenced by studies by German analysts, who predict that the volume of transshipments at Frankfurt Airport will increase by as much as 75 percent by 2015. For trade fair participants interested in the present and future of rail transport, the Pan-European Railway Congress – Eurail Freight 2005 will be an attraction.
The program of the series of conferences organized by the largest logistics organization in Europe – the German Logistics Association (BVL) – is also promising. “Globalization and flexibility. A challenge for logistics” – this slogan will accompany the topics of speeches by logistics managers of leading European corporations, who will share their knowledge and experience in building international supply networks.
Of particular note is the conference organized on June 1 by the Italian region of Emilia Romagna, Rimini Airport, the seaport in Ravenna, and the logistics centers of Parma and Bologna. The goal of the conference is to present the idea of creating European centers of competence in logistics. A very important point of this program will be the presentation of the European ENLoCC program (European Network of Logistics Competence Centres), of which the Institute of Logistics and Warehousing is a partner. For both organizers and participants, the conference will become a forum for the exchange of experiences and good practices in the area of cooperation between various entities (logistics organizations, enterprises, and authorities) working for the development of logistics and transport.