“The logistics industry has shown that it can survive the crisis”

“Whether by train, road or ship: In times of pandemics, inflation and high energy costs, the logistics industry has shown that it can also handle crises”, says Peter Umundum, Director of Parcels and Logistics at Swiss Post. The logistics industry has fulfilled its supply mandate. Umundum spoke yesterday at the Austrian Logistics Day in the Design Center in Linz, also in his role as Deputy Speaker of the VNL Advisory Board (Verein Netzwerk Logistik). Its representatives used the 30th anniversary to take a look into the future.

According to Franz Staberhofer, VNL chairman and head of the logistics center at the Steyr University of Applied Sciences, the factors recycling management, emission-optimized supply chains, resilience and the human factor will play a major role.

For example, it is about keeping products and packaging in the cycle for as long as possible. In line with this, Swiss Post tested packaging with trading partners last year that can be returned and reused. Start is in July.

Hubert Zajicek, spokesman for the VNL advisory board and head of the steel division at voestalpine in Linz, reported on what resilient supply chains can look like: 15 million tons of raw materials and products are moved by the group every year. Half of this is accounted for by rail. Trucks, inland waterways and deep-sea shipping also play a role. However, one never relies on one type of transport, but secures oneself with an alternative. Unlike the competition, production never had to be curtailed due to logistics problems during Corona.

In the spirit of the circular economy, attempts are made to avoid empty runs, for example when steel strips are delivered, to take the scrap that has accumulated back with them on the return trip.

According to Umundum, 4,000 small e-vehicles are in use at Swiss Post every day. The question of how heavy traffic will continue is open: hydrogen will play just as much a role as e-mobility, and e-fuels will also be tested: “It needs openness to technology.”

Systemically relevant truck drivers

Unlike many other professions, according to Staberhofer, truck drivers are not classified as systemically important: “That needs to change.” Careers in logistics are attractive and demanding, and they also make a contribution to security of supply. More people should be excited about it. With the help of artificial intelligence and pattern recognition, future developments could be mapped well: “But cracks are also to be expected in the future.”