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The cost pressure and bureaucratic hurdles are high. The shortage of skilled workers is still noticeable. Nevertheless, the sentiment barometer of transport logistic 2025 also shows a turnaround. In the fight against costs, emissions, and cyberattacks, industry and trade are increasingly pulling together with the logistics and transport sector. 1,851 exhibitors and visitors expressed their confidence in the market situation in an online survey conducted from February 18 to March 4, 2025.
(Munich) Uncertainty characterizes the markets worldwide. None of the 1,851 surveyed visitors and exhibitors currently describe their market situation as very good. Nevertheless, nine out of ten respondents look confidently to the future. 43 percent describe the current situation as good, 48 percent as mediocre, and just under ten percent as poor. Europeans assess the situation more negatively, especially in Germany.
Companies in Danger
The most important issue worldwide is cost pressure. For more than three-quarters of companies, it exacerbates the market situation. The second limiting factor divides opinions. While in Germany, the bureaucratic effort is mainly criticized (58 percent), abroad it is more about geopolitics (49 percent). The third barrier to success is the shortage of skilled workers, with 48 percent.
Industry Drives Forward
A large part (76%) of the industry is actively dealing with cybersecurity. Leading the way is the industry itself, where 85 percent of respondents are actively preparing against attacks from the internet. The laggards, at a high level, are respondents from the freight forwarding and transport sector, with only 70 percent being active or very active. Of the respondents, 37 percent do not know if they have already fallen victim to cyberattacks. Of the remaining 63 percent, every second person has been targeted by cybercriminals at least once.
Sustainability Reports
(68 percent) are a concern for the industry at a similar level. Many respondents from industry (83 percent) and trade (75 percent) are actively engaging with the topic. The numbers are lower among logistics service providers (68 percent) or respondents from freight forwarding and transport (64 percent). Reporting is not limited to Europe; globally, at least every second respondent is active or very active in this area.
With AI into the Future
Artificial intelligence has made its way into an average of 54 percent of companies. Among the respondents, industrial companies and logistics service providers lead the way with 58 percentage points each in the use of the new technology. Worldwide, the focus of use is in the areas of administration, customer service, and controlling. In production processes, the industry leads with 26 percent, followed by rail freight transport (19 percent), logistics service providers (18 percent), freight forwarding and transport (9 percent), and trade (5 percent). In Germany, two out of three respondents use AI at least partially. For 60 percent of respondents, humans are the most important success factor.
Breaking Down Silos
Cybersecurity, AI, and sustainability, as well as multimodal supply chains, drive technologies, data mining, and analytics are also the focus of the conference program. “The industry is dealing with many topics and is already very active. However, much can only be achieved together,” explains Dr. Robert Schönberger, Global Industry Lead transport logistic exhibitions, and continues: “Although the industry is under pressure, the mood is improving because industry, trade, and service providers are coming closer together. The transport logistic is the ideal platform for this. Here, ideas for sustainable supply chains can be developed and silos can be broken down – with a view to the environment, people, and companies.”
High Participation at Top Level
From February 18 to March 4, 2025, a total of 1,851 exhibitors and visitors from around the world participated in the online survey. 78 percent of respondents hold leadership positions. The most represented sectors are freight forwarding and transport (29 percent), industry (15 percent), and logistics service providers (15 percent). The survey was conducted by the opinion research institute IFaD on behalf of Messe München.
Photo: © transport logistic
