Dr. Dietrich Birk, State Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Research and Art, today spoke to representatives of the press, pointing out the importance of intralogistics as a key technology for the economic development of Baden-Württemberg. In contrast to logistics, intralogistics investigates and develops processes, systems and technologies for coping with and improving the flow of material and information within a company.

"In Germany, Baden-Württemberg occupies a leading position in intralogistics. The agency entitled 'Intralogistik-Netzwerk in Baden-Württemberg e.V.' (= intralogistics network in Baden-Württemberg) will help to further expand this lead in competence in national and international competition. Just under two per cent of all employees in the state work in this important growth market. Especially in this branch of industry, a lot can be achieved quickly through innovations", said Birk in Stuttgart on 17 December.

800 companies and 200 scientific centres are concerned with the issue of intralogistics in Baden-Württemberg. Most of the companies are small and medium-sized firms. The scientific centres are especially the universities of Karlsruhe and Stuttgart as well as other institutes of higher education. In the intralogistics network, competencies from science and industry are to be pooled.    

Birk: "The state has set aside a total of around 1.2 million euros to support research over the next three years". According to the state secretary, the companies involved are supplying at least the same amount. The aim is to trigger close collaboration between companies and research institutes in order to create innovations which are quickly adopted by the companies in order to ensure and further enhance their overall competitiveness. 

In conjunction with partners from industry, the Ministry of Science, Research and Art intends to promote expansion of the intralogistics network and three further cooperation projects. A precondition for this state support was that industry should contribute at least 50 per cent of the project costs. In fact, industry contributed far more than this amount.

Source: Ministry of Science, Research and Art