This years Transport & Logistics fair in Munich once again proved why it’s the place to be for anyone serious about the future of freight. As always, the Messe was buzzing — not just with announcements and tech, but with the kind of real, human connection you simply can’t replicate on Teams.
Here are my top takeaways from this year’s event:
The Talk of the Town: CargoWise & E2open
Leading up to the fair, all eyes in the FreightTech world were on one headline: CargoWise’s acquisition of E2open. What will it mean? How will it shape the competitive landscape? No one knows for sure, but the presence of Richard White, CargoWise’s founder, at T&L for (as far as I know) the first time, certainly raised a few eyebrows. It could be that he just didn’t want to miss the party, but probably more business related reasons. Time will tell, but it’s clear that consolidation and strategy are ramping up in our space.
AI Is Everywhere — But It’s Not Everything
From the halls to the panel stages, AI was the star of the show. Every booth had its take — from chatbot-powered support to invoice automation and predictive ETA models.
But here’s the real story: AI won’t replace your core systems. Not now, not ever. What’s emerging is a hybrid model — strong, structured databases and operational platforms augmented by AI. It’s the mix of fixed systems and flexible intelligence that creates real value: faster data entry, improved data quality, and insights that actually help humans make better decisions.
Face-to-Face Still Wins
Online meetings have made us faster and more frequent communicators, no doubt about that. But standing in the aisles in Munich, shaking hands, debating ideas over a quick espresso… it reminded me (and many others) that face-to-face is still unbeatable when it comes to building real trust.
In just a few days, I had more meaningful conversations — with partners, customers, and even competitors — than I could have had in months of scheduled video calls. These events recharge not just your roadmap, but your relationships.
Final Thoughts
I left Munich inspired and a little exhausted (the good kind). The market is shifting, expectations are rising and FreightTech is maturing into something deeper than just digitization. It’s about collaboration, structure, and insight — and the people behind it.
Thanks to everyone who made the time to connect. And if we didn’t get a chance to meet — reach out. There’s more to talk about than ever.