“AIDC technologies are – mostly invisible – enabling technologies for automation and the design of autonomous processes in production, logistics, and most other industries,” noted AIM-D Managing Director Peter Altes recently, summarising the results of the latest AIM Trend Barometer. These remarks align perfectly with our own message at this year’s LogiMAT, taking place March 24–26 in Stuttgart, whose theme is: “PASSION FOR DETAILS – Discover the Difference.” It is in fact often the inconspicuous but effective features that make intralogistics processes unique and highly efficient, offering users real added value in their day-to-day work.
Small details that yield big gains in efficiency: That might also be the best way to characterise the current economic situation in the AIDC sector. If anything can offer hope in these persistently difficult times, it is the consistently upward trend in AIDC. The latest survey conducted by the trade association AIM-D for the second half of 2025 paints a distinctly positive picture for manufacturers and suppliers despite global stress factors such as the war in Ukraine, the shortage of skilled workers, regulatory burdens, and rising energy prices. Nearly 75% of member companies reported their business to be stable or growing. While many businesses in the retail, automotive, and engineering segments are seeing significant downturns in sales and new orders, the various technology segments that make up the AIDC industry report continued growth in demand: Optical readable media and direct marking are up a good 10% over the same period last year, and businesses in the vision systems segment lead the pack with growth of up to 20%. Smart details for flexible, efficient solutions drive demand.
These impressive figures underscore the industry’s critical role in crunching supply chain data, automating processes, and generally modernising workflows. And it’s not just conventional AIDC technologies at work here. As the state of the art advances by leaps and bounds, the industry is always embracing new trends and finding new applications for AIDC, merging various technologies such as AI, next-gen sensors, RFID, and machine vision to generate sustainable opportunities for labelling, information coding, data capture, product protection, and the industry itself. This secures its place in the industries of tomorrow and strengthens its long-term viability.
The companies that drive this diverse industry are coming to LogiMAT 2026, where visitors to Hall 2 can preview their latest products and solutions. The diversity of state-of-the-art innovations on display, with the integration of various technologies, offer a comprehensive overview for a wide range of applications. Users can tap into various benefits for streamlining, optimising, and automating their processes, protecting the integrity of their products, and integrating data capture. LogiMAT 2026 also offers a parallel program of events providing more in-depth knowledge about trending themes in AIDC. Just across from the joint booth where you can meet representatives of AIM-D and various exhibitors (Hall 2, Booth 2B05), the ever-popular Tracking & Tracing Theatre will host events on all three days of the show (Hall 2, Booth 2B07). Exhibitor Insights give LogiMAT exhibitors the opportunity to offer a deeper look into their own products and solutions. On the first and second day of the show, Expert Forums in the East Entrance Atrium and the newly added ICS Center venue will spotlight AIDC technologies and how captured data is processed. In the Atrium, the focus is on the Digital Product Passport (March 24). In the ICS, the themes include AI as a tool (March 24), AI-based machine vision (Mach 24), sensor-based AI solutions (March 25), and AIDC solutions to optimise and digitise logistics processes with Peter Altes and Ident editor-in-chief Thorsten Aha.
Interested in experiencing the current spectrum of AIDC solutions up close and personal? Looking for assurance in making sound, long-term investments in tomorrow’s technology? Come find inspiration at LogiMAT 2026! I look forward to welcoming you in Stuttgart.
Best regards,
Michael Ruchty
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