The internal Technology department is responsible for evaluating the use of appropriate technical solutions at existing BLG locations, with the aim of increasing the degree of automation and digitalization at these sites by deploying technologies that are both economically viable and operationally effective, while making logistics processes simpler and more efficient for our customers. To accomplish this objective, the technology experts continuously monitor current market offerings as well as emerging technological developments and trends, including in the fields of robotics, autonomous driving and artificial intelligence. In addition to technology projects for existing customers and sites, a key focus was on the technical design and planning of new customer business.
In parallel with its operational activities, BLG LOGISTICS continues to participate in research and development projects together with partners from academia and industry to develop innovative and highly advanced concepts. In the 2025 financial year, a total of three such projects were undertaken in the Technology department.
The Mobility2Grid project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and was launched on March 1, 2022. In collaboration with many other research and industry partners, the goal through to February 28, 2027, is to develop efficient and networked systems for a climate-neutral city. In this context, BLG LOGISTICS is developing approaches to assess the large-scale electrification potential of truck transport within its own logistics network. In addition to technical framework parameters, such as the available connected load, BLG LOGISTICS is examining the logistical effectiveness of the concepts using simulation studies. The aim is to ensure that delivery schedules are adhered to and that vehicles have sufficient battery capacity. One of BLG LOGISTICS’ main project objectives is to demonstrate the feasibility of electrification in continuous operation.
The HyBit joint research project has also been running since 2022. The central research question addresses how local hydrogen hubs can contribute to a sustainable and climate-neutral Europe. BLG LOGISTICS’ project activities mainly focus on the Mobility and Logistics project cluster, which is concerned with producing methodologies for analyzing and assessing various possible uses for hydrogen. BLG LOGISTICS is contributing to both the development of these methodologies and their subsequent testing under real world conditions. A further project goal for BLG LOGISTICS is to identify and roughly map out possible pilot applications for the use of hydrogen. HyBit involves a consortium of 18 partners and runs for 4.5 years.
In the Resource Development in Service Work – RessourceE research project, technical solutions and strategies for workplace design that promotes health, as well as diversity-oriented competence and skills development in low-skilled work, are being tested and evaluated for generalizability. BLG LOGISTICS is represented as an application partner and is testing innovative ergonomic solutions in practice. In the reporting year, two different back-support exoskeletons were tested and implemented in selected processes at the Bremen logistics center. Studies accompanying the tests evaluated employee acceptance and ergonomic improvements, and examined the implications of the introduction of assistance technologies with regard to process-related and human-centered factors. The project is supported by the Karlsruhe Project Management Agency of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and began on July 1, 2023, with a duration of five years.
In 2025, BLG LOGISTICS therefore participated in a total of three cooperation projects with a total project volume of EUR 56.1 million.