Tuesday, January 20th, 2026
Intralogistics is becoming a strategic pillar of Europe’s logistics transformation. The session “Beyond Boundaries: Building Europe’s Smart and Collaborative Intralogistics Community” at the ALICE Logistics Innovation Summit 2025 explored how Europe can bridge the long-standing gap between transport logistics and intralogistics to build a truly synchronised and resilient supply chain.
Organised by Teemu Hämäläinen and Hannu Tapio from LIMOWA, together with Fernando Liesa and Tomasz Dowgielewicz from ALICE, the session marked a significant expansion of ALICE’s scope with a dedicated focus on intralogistics. With the European intralogistics market expected to grow from USD 16.4 billion to USD 44 billion by 2030, participants examined how collaboration inside the “four walls” of warehouses directly impacts transport efficiency beyond them.
The discussion opened with a shared diagnosis of the operational disconnect between transport and warehouse operations, often described as a persistent “blame game.” Participants agreed that this siloed approach is no longer viable. Transport efficiency frequently depends on upstream intralogistics decisions, such as pallet configuration, order release timing, and warehouse readiness. The emerging ALICE Intralogistics Community aims to manage this critical “handshake” between intralogistics and transport, enabling a shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive collaboration supported by shared, real-time data on truck arrivals and warehouse operations.
The session then turned to the technological realities shaping modern warehouses. As automation accelerates, the traditional single-supplier model is giving way to more complex environments where Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) from multiple vendors must interoperate. Participants identified the lack of standardisation as a major bottleneck and highlighted standards such as VDA 5050 as essential to avoid vendor lock-in. A specific challenge discussed was Europe’s “brownfield” reality: while new warehouses can be designed for automation, integrating advanced robotics into existing facilities requires adaptable and scalable solutions, which the community intends to catalogue and share.
Beyond technology, speakers emphasised the social and environmental dimensions of intralogistics. Labour shortages across Europe demand a rebranding of the sector – from low-skilled manual work to a high-tech profession driven by AI and IT. At the same time, warehouses are evolving into energy hubs, supporting the decarbonisation of logistics networks through renewable energy integration and improved carbon transparency.
All participants agreed on the strong need to formally launch the ALICE Intralogistics Community. Innovation in this field must extend beyond machinery to include process optimisation, data standardisation, and workforce professionalisation. Next steps include formalising the community in early 2026, mapping member interests and contributions, defining a 2026 work plan combining online collaboration, physical workshops, and technical visits, and building a shared repository of best practices, use cases, and ongoing R&I projects. The community will also explore how intralogistics integrates with the Physical Internet and Europe’s zero-emission ambitions.
Interested organisations are encouraged to share their views on the scope, structure, and priorities of the initiative by completing the Intralogistics Community feedback and engagement questionnaire: ALICE Intralogistics Community – Member Interest Questionnaire
Read the full session report (restricted access) on the ALICE Knowledge Platform: 4B. Session_Intralogistics_report_final.pdf and download the short PDF version here: 4B.-Session_Intralogistics.pdf