Are humanoid robots the future of logistics?
The 33rd German Material Flow Congress 2026 took place for the first time as part of the Test Camp Intralogistics at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund on April 15 and 16, 2026. Under the motto "Next Stop: Beyond Automation," 38 high-caliber speakers delivered presentations across eight specialized sessions.
Dr. Christian Jacobi, Partner at ebp-consulting, moderated the opening sequence entitled "Man. Machine. Are Humanoid Robots the Future of Logistics?". During the well-attended session, Prof. Alice Kirchheim, Director of the Fraunhofer IML, presented the results of a recently published study on humanoid robotics. Kevin Kron, Associate Director GTM Europe, represented the manufacturer’s perspective, providing insights into the current state of products and best practices in humanoid automation at Boston Dynamics. On the user side, Oliver Bilstein, Vice President Overseas Supply at the BMW Group, shared experiences using humanoid robots in the USA with Figure AI, as well as the next steps for Europe in cooperation with Hexagon. The session concluded with Dr. Stephan Peters, Board Member at Rhenus SE & Co. KG, who outlined the necessity of a consistent focus on automation from the perspective of a logistics service provider.
Humanoid Robotics: A Strategic Necessity
Logistics experts agree that automation, digitalization, and robotics will form the backbone of the logistics sector in the coming years—driven by labor market constraints, shifting market demands, and corporate cost pressures. While automation is becoming a strategic and operational necessity, traditional solutions are reaching their structural, technical, and economic limits. Conventional systems are often specialized, designed for high throughput, and require standardized processes as well as expensive structural modifications.
In contrast, humanoid robotics offers a different approach: flexible, multi-purpose robots capable of performing a variety of tasks within existing work environments. The primary focus is on manual, ergonomically demanding, and repetitive tasks that are otherwise difficult to automate. These "smart assistants" must be able to orient themselves dynamically, move safely, make decisions, and adapt to constantly changing surroundings. This requires a wide range of capabilities, including coordinated movement, grasping, perception, navigation, process integration, and human-machine interaction.
Current State and Future Outlook
Due to advancements in Artificial Intelligence, the development of humanoid robotics is progressing rapidly, and expectations are high. Nevertheless, pilot projects currently dominate the landscape. It will likely take several years to reach industrial maturity and widespread deployment in logistics operations. The market remains highly fragmented and is largely led by providers from outside Europe - primarily from China and the USA. However, as with many technologies, humanoid robots will not be a "silver bullet" for every single application.
The subsequent panel discussion explored further development and operational implementation in intralogistics. Experts addressed key questions regarding the current state of technology and market readiness, the specific roles humanoid robots can play in logistics, and the technical gaps remaining for industrial application (e.g., robustness, safety, and workplace acceptance), as well as existing regulatory and economic hurdles.
The consensus among experts was clear: humanoid robots create significant added value compared to existing automation solutions and offer immense potential for the logistics sector. While industrial maturity is still a few years away, the pace of development is breathtaking. Germany and Europe must act now to ensure they do not lose ground.
Efficient Planning with the "Warehouse Designer"
In the afternoon, ebp-consulting hosted another session focused on "Planning." Nico Schöninger and Dr. Christian Jacobi presented on "Efficient Planning with the Warehouse Designer."
Warehouse planning and logistics optimization require methods and tools that can generate tailored, value-adding solutions for customers quickly and reliably. Efficiency in this area is a high-stakes requirement. However, the number of new technologies and suppliers has surged in recent years. With increasingly powerful products and innovative solutions, new players are entering the market, making it more challenging to identify the most suitable solutions during the planning or optimization phase.
ebp-consulting addresses this dynamic with the Warehouse Designer - a tool designed to accelerate conceptual planning, not replace it. Since it is impossible for even the most experienced planner to maintain exhaustive knowledge of every new technology, the Warehouse Designer serves as a high-level tool. With just a few input parameters, it generates initial designs for various automation technologies, backed by a comprehensive knowledge database and a systematic evaluation logic.
