ID Logistics, an internationally operating logistics company, provided an overview of the future direction of contract logistics at the “Future of Contract Logistics” event in Wiesbaden. The occasion marked the group's 25th anniversary, with its focus on technological development and expansion. The event addressed the transformation of contract logistics through humanoid robotics, artificial intelligence, and automated processes.
Eric Hémar, founder and CEO of ID Logistics, emphasised that innovation-driven approaches have been an integral part of the company's philosophy since its founding in 2001. This orientation has allowed ID Logistics to develop into a leading provider in international contract logistics over 25 years. In the 2025 financial year, the group achieved a turnover of EUR 3.7 billion with 55,000 employees in 19 countries. Hémar announced plans to further expand its global positioning through expansion into additional countries, both organic and inorganic growth, and the integration of digital solutions at all corporate levels.
A key success factor for the group is its decentralised structure. This system enables national companies to pursue market-oriented strategies and to pragmatically drive innovation-driven projects. Founded in 2013, the German subsidiary of ID Logistics employs approximately 5,000 people across 17 sites and manages warehouse space totalling almost one million square metres. Robin Otto, CEO of ID Logistics Germany, stressed that this entrepreneurial freedom represents a decisive growth factor and forms the basis for the goal of becoming one of the top three contract logistics providers in Germany.
ID Logistics leverages the combination of the agility of a medium-sized structure and the stability of an international group for implementing new technologies. Hémar explained that the global network of approximately 450 sites worldwide serves as a testing ground for new applications. Successful solutions are then rolled out across the group. An example of this is “IDA”, the first humanoid robot at ID Logistics, which was presented at the event as a symbol of the next phase of digitally supported logistics processes.
The Unitree G1 Edu 6 humanoid robot, named IDA, is currently being trained in a pilot project for initial warehouse applications at the ID Logistics Germany headquarters in Griesheim. This includes sorting activities and support for simple warehouse processes, which are being developed and tested in collaboration with technology partner Terra Robotics. IDA is intended to serve as a test platform for more complex tasks, such as packaging or order picking, in the future. Otto underlined the importance of employees: by relieving them of routine tasks through AI and robotics, skilled workers can focus more on their core competencies. Future growth will result from an intelligent combination of available resources.
The conference in Wiesbaden showcased a wide range of innovative approaches for the logistics of the future. In addition to Terra Robotics in the field of humanoid robotics, companies such as Agilox, Brightpick, Dexory, MotionMiners, Sentics and Waku Robotics were represented. The “King of Innovations” award for an AI project was also presented at the event. MotionMiners was honoured for a solution to increase warehouse productivity through AI-supported motion analysis.
The specialist presentations and discussions clarified that no standardised solutions are to be expected in the interplay of automation, AI, and humanoid robotics. Industry requirements, site structures, and operational frameworks are too diverse to allow for uniform solutions. In the future, it will be crucial to make targeted selections from the multitude of technologies, to orchestrate them, and to integrate them gradually into existing processes.
