Networking - digital and across all borders - was the dominant theme of the leading trade fair transport logistic 2017 of which Air Cargo Europe is part of., summarized Stefan Rummel, Managing Director Messe Muenchen.
"We have seen future technologies for automated driving, telematics, smart data, or solutions from the cloud," said Stefan Rummel, Managing Director Messe Muenchen in his introductory
remarks.
Game changer
Key speaker Alexander Dobrindt, Germany Minister for Transport and Digital Infrastructure, confirmed this: “For an ongoing success of our economy, the transport sector with its many facets is a
key industry,” Dobrindt exclaimed. “Digitalization is a game changer and will further intensify competition,” he stated. “Only those who put themselves at the e-forefront can shape the business
and win the race,” he predicted. “Digitalization, robot modules or 3D printing will challenge traditional physical work in the logistics industry. However, they won’t kill jobs at the end of the
day but lead to more employment instead,” he stated, indirectly addressing the scaremongers and nay-sayers.
iPhones don’t build airports!
Munich’s Airport Chief Kerkloh agreed to this but emphasized that digitalization needs to go hand in hand with analog steps. “iPhones and apps have become indispensable tools in business and
everyday life but they are not able to build a third runway at Munich Airport badly needed by us in view of growing air traffic. This can only be accomplished by physical work and analog
processes.”
Finally, in their remarks at the opening ceremony of Transport Logistics and its smaller sister Air Cargo Europe, Dobrindt, Rummel and Kerkloh warned about protectionism in the U.S., the UK and
elsewhere. “The global exchange of goods, knowledge and ideas is an essential factor of prosperity,” Dobrindt concluded.
Heiner Siegmund
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