The 2025 edition of the biennial event Transport Logistic will take place at the Munich exhibition centre from 2 to 5 June. Presenting this year’s fair, the organisers shared the findings of an online survey carried out among 1,851 exhibitors and visitors from the sector between 18 February and 4 March 2025. The results highlighted a "complex but growth-oriented vision". While none of the respondents described the current situation as "very good", 43% rated it as "good", 48% as "average", and only 9% as "negative". Despite this mixed assessment, nine out of ten participants expressed optimism for the coming years. European respondents, particularly those from Germany, appeared more cautious than their Asian counterparts, who emerged as the most confident group, with 80% expecting market conditions to improve over the next two years.
The survey points out that the biggest challenge facing transport and logistics companies globally is cost pressure, identified as an obstacle by more than three-quarters of respondents. Alongside this issue, different regions experience distinct challenges: in Germany, 58% of companies complain about excessive bureaucracy, whereas internationally, 49% identify geopolitical factors as their main source of uncertainty. Additionally, 48% of businesses continue to struggle to recruit qualified personnel.
Cybersecurity has also become a top priority for the industry. Seventy-six percent of companies surveyed have implemented active measures against cyberattacks, with the manufacturing sector leading the way at 85%. However, transport and shipping firms appear less prepared, as only 70% have made concrete investments in digital security. An alarming figure from the survey indicates that 37% of respondents are uncertain whether their company has already been targeted by cyberattacks, while among those aware of such incidents, 50% have experienced at least one intrusion.
Sustainability is another key focus, with 68% of respondents actively committed to providing environmental reporting. Industrial (83%) and commercial companies (75%) are the most proactive, followed by logistics service providers (68%) and transport and shipping businesses (64%). This commitment extends beyond Europe, involving global operators too, with at least half of all respondents worldwide actively engaged in this area.
Artificial intelligence is progressively making headway in the logistics sector, with an average adoption rate of 54%. Industrial companies and logistics service providers lead this shift, with usage rates of 58%. The main areas where AI is applied include administration, customer service, and management control. In manufacturing, 26% of businesses already utilise AI in their production processes, followed by rail transport firms (19%), logistics service providers (18%), and shipping and transport companies (9%). In Germany, 67% of respondents have integrated AI, at least partially, into their operations. Despite this increased adoption of new technologies, the human factor remains crucial: 60% of respondents see qualified personnel as the key to business success.
The survey, carried out by the IFaD institute on behalf of Messe München, involved 1,851 exhibitors and visitors from around the globe. Seventy-eight percent of respondents hold managerial positions, with a strong presence from transport and shipping companies (29%), industrial enterprises (15%), and logistics service providers (15%).
