Available for ‘ANT driven’ AGVs and AMRs, SmartPass is a robust, safe, and highly configurable technology that meets the core efficiency goal of obstacle avoidance without the drawbacks of traditional AMRs. SmartPass suits all types of automated vehicles and industrial sites.

No matter how clean a site, and how well trained its staff, the paths of mobile robots sometimes become blocked… AGVs typically manage this situation by sending an alarm to an operator, while AMRs take any route possible, without limitation. The first can lead to transport delays, the second to traffic deadlocks. SmartPass effectively bridges the gap between the two.

commented BlueBotics’ CEO, Dr. Nicola Tomatis.

Bridging the gap between AGVs & AMRs

SmartPass enables automated vehicles to follow virtual paths most of the time — for efficient, robust, and repeatable operation — while performing pragmatic obstacle avoidance maneuvers when blockages are detected.

“Rather than layering basic traffic management over obstacle avoidance functionality — which AMR producers have attempted with limited results — SmartPass does the opposite,” Tomatis explained. “It adds smart, configurable obstacle avoidance to ANT navigation’s default ‘virtual path follower’ mode. This ensures the powerful traffic management features of our ANT server fleet manager are also applied to SmartPass maneuvers.”

Three key SmartPass benefits

ANT’s SmartPass function offers three key benefits that together are unique in the mobile robot industry:

1. Efficiency-focused movement
   • Vehicles using SmartPass take the shortest route around an obstacle — within pre-configured limits — before returning immediately to their virtual path.
   • SmartPass-enabled vehicles also move faster than traditional AMRs. Travelling at optimal speeds and with optimal acceleration, they follow virtual paths and respect clear traffic rules most of the time, switching to slower, more reactive speeds only when needed.
   • Vehicle actions like moving forks and communicating with equipment take place during SmartPass maneuvers, saving time versus the more common sequential approach.
   • SmartPass maneuvers are blocked near pick/drop points to guarantee precision.
2. Minimizes deadlocks
   • By managing the movements of vehicles within the ANT server’s existing traffic management framework, SmartPass guarantees that vehicles only avoid obstacles when there is no risk of blocking another robot, minimizing the chance of deadlocks.
   • Vehicles only move around objects and never around other vehicles, a further cause of deadlocks.
3. Fully configurable
   • SmartPass can be configured to suit every user’s site and operational needs. Customers can define, for example, the maximum distance a vehicle is allowed to travel from its virtual path; the areas (and even individual routes) of a site where SmartPass cannot be used; and vehicle-specific parameters such as the exact distance to stop before an obstacle.

“SmartPass doesn’t allow robots to roam freely, and it is built from the ground up on ANT server’s powerful traffic management, virtually eliminating the chance of deadlocks,” Tomatis added. “We are confident this safe, prudent approach best meets the needs of industrial customers looking to deploy AGVs and AMRs in what are often high-traffic locations.”

SmartPass is available now for vehicle makers, system integrators, and end users deploying ‘ANT driven’ AGVs/AMRs managed by BlueBotics’ ANT server fleet manager.

The post AMR/AGV Obstacle Avoidance Software appeared first on Logistics Business.

The intralogistics sector has faced its share of challenges in recent years, 2025 being no exception. Tatsuya Akashi, President of Itoh Denki Europe, described it as “a quite tough year for the industry. We had very sluggish market investment because of France had a problem with the government, and Germany was not doing so well due to energy issues. Overall, it was a tough year.”

Even the UK, he noted, had seen economic efficiency fall, with major Japanese companies relocating their European headquarters to the continent rather than remaining in England. Yet amidst the difficulties, Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, Czechia, and Hungary, had experienced a manufacturing boom. “Poland and some of the Eastern Europe has boomed a lot, kind of becoming the centre of manufacturing of Europe,” he told me. Akashi highlighted that, despite these challenges, Itoh Denki Europe had experienced growth.

“Luckily, we gained back quite a lot of large projects, and we did above 10%… all the other surrounding companies said ‘You’re so lucky that you have 10% growth!’ Industry was pretty bad.”

A major focus for the company is helping customers increase their profitability. Akashi explained: “First of all, increase the value for money for our products. There are a lot of very cheap Chinese brands of motor rollers coming in. But when we look at durability, and also how we are increasing our speed or torque or other specifications, we are selling a much higher quality product at the same price.” He added that the company’s modules, such as the Multi Angle Ball Sorter, had become a driving force in Europe. “Instead of spending huge money on a cross-belt sorter or slidechute sorter, they can make a very simple sorter based on our MABS module… the cost is around half or one-third of having a huge cross-belt sorter,” he said. Maintenance is simple and quick, often just five minutes of downtime, which delivers clear benefits to both integrators and end users.

Competing with Cheap Imports

Local presence and service are equally important in competing with cheaper imports. “In the case of MDR or a slave roller, the cost itself is just around €10 euro. If you buy from China, maybe it’s €7, but then if you have a shortage and have to bring it by air shipment, it costs €50. So with something very cheap and heavy, you shouldn’t do it in China. You should do it somewhere close to Europe,” Akashi explained. Quick delivery, he said, ensures that downtime is eliminated and operations remain smooth. One example he gave was a leading global e-tailer (yes, THAT one!) where a cheaper solution would have caused nearly two days of conveyor stoppage, equating to potential losses of around €2 million. “If they were using ours, they could come back on in 10 minutes,” he said.

Artificial intelligence is also being integrated into Itoh Denki’s operations. “When we design some control software nowadays, we partly use AI… when we want to do preventive maintenance or control the box moving style… we could use AI to better control our programme and make the programme faster,” Akashi said. While AI is currently an enhancer of automation, he sees substantial future potential as more end users shift from manual work to automated solutions.

Carbon Reduction

Sustainability is another priority. Akashi stressed the company’s strength in enabling carbon reduction, not only through more energy-efficient products but by optimising operations. “If they use our motorised roller, because we do the run-on-demand, it means… only three blocks are moving out of 100. Thanks to this run-on-demand technology, you can save up to 60% electricity… using Itoh Denki product, which is the enabler of the final carbon footprint. Here we are very strong pride in our company,” he said.

Akashi (pictured, below) also discussed the heritage of Japanese engineering. “One thing I can say is in the B2B area, especially if it is… common motor, there’s a lot of okay-level cheap Chinese motors. But we are making a dedicated motor for this industry, which is high torque but low speed… Japan is absolutely number one,” he said.

Looking ahead, the company continues to focus on innovation and customer engagement. Its Amsterdam technology centre allows northern European clients to test products with their own totes. Customisation is fast, with minor adjustments taking just two weeks. Akashi also highlighted new developments to be showcased at LogiMAT, including the flexible noise-arrest roller, which can carry smaller products and reduce maintenance demands.

Reflecting on success, Akashi summarised the company’s philosophy:

“We become smiling when our good technology is adopted and contribute to society. It means a big satisfaction of the end user, our OEM partners, but also we can make our business grow and certain level of high profitability can be kept.”

The post Driving Efficiency and Innovation in Conveying appeared first on Logistics Business.

The theme of this year’s LogiMAT show, expected to draw 1600 exhibitors from 40 nations, is ‘Passion for details – discover the difference’, and the Ammeraal Beltech product range for the industry is an example of how a passion for perfection in design and manufacturing results in clear differentiation in efficiency and reliability.

Luca Zironda, Senior Global Key Account and Industry Manager, and Florian Kley, Global Key Account Manager, will be on hand at Hall 1, Booth G31 to explain how worker safety and satisfaction can be boosted by low-noise, anti-static and flame-retardant belting solutions that include industry standards such as the Rapplon, AMMdurance (made from recycled material) and Flexam belt lines, and why the impact-resistant and efficient-drive properties of these long-lifetime belts means lower overall energy use and costs as well as reduced downtime.

Founded in 1950 in the Netherlands, Ammeraal Beltech is a provider of premium conveyor belting solutions across a wide range of industries. A member of the Ammega Group, the company has a large selection of high-performance conveying solutions for every working environment.

The post Innovative Belting Solutions at LogiMAT appeared first on Logistics Business.

The past few years have tested the logistics sector, particularly in Europe. Pointing to geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty and reduced investment by major players, Sascha Goly, Global Business Development Manager at Forbo Movement Systems, says: “Especially in the last three or four years, it was not easy. It was difficult years.”

Speaking exclusively to Logistics Business, he adds: “The big companies were not investing at all, especially Amazon. They were going to the sky during Covid, and after Covid, since all the normal stores are opening again, they were not investing that much.” While this slowdown affected suppliers across the industry, Forbo’s diversified presence in food processing and industrial production helped to cushion the impact.

Despite this, Goly is clear that momentum is returning. “We see light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. E-commerce and parcel logistics are beginning to ramp up again, with companies such as FedEx, UPS, DHL and Amazon re-entering the tendering process, albeit at a more measured pace than during the pandemic. Airports, however, represent the most dynamic growth opportunity. While Europe remains relatively quiet, Goly highlighted strong expansion in Asia-Pacific and the Americas. “India and China are building new airports. Singapore will build a new Terminal 5 at Changi Airport. A lot of things are going on, and we really see that this is something that is growing really fast.”

Belting by Sector

Airport projects also illustrate how belting requirements vary by sector. In conventional parcel logistics, suppliers typically engage directly with end users and OEMs. Aviation is more complex. “You have many more parties involved – consultants, engineering companies, sometimes even local governments,” Goly explained. Products must also meet specific regulatory requirements, including flame retardancy and fire safety standards, making the sales and specification process more involved.

Forbo’s position as a global supplier is central to its ability to serve multinational customers:

“If you would like to do business with global key customers – like the big parcel companies, like airports, like all the OEMs – they would like to work together with a real international, global company. Those companies are also global, and they would like to have contacts all around the world.”

For Goly, it is the combination of global reach, long-term relationships and innovation that customers now expect as standard.

When it comes to innovation, sustainability has become the dominant theme. “The main innovation factor is sustainable products,” Goly said, noting that large end users face increasingly strict carbon reduction roadmaps. Forbo’s energy-saving belts have emerged as a key differentiator. “These energy-saving belts are really saving energy costs on the one side, but also they are reducing the CO₂ amount that is going on in a baggage handling system of an airport, for example.”

Crucially, these claims are not left unquantified. Goly described how customers are increasingly demanding clear ROI evidence. “We have a calculator on our website where you can type in the length, the speed of conveyor, the hours of running per day, and it easily displays the savings of CO₂ and also the savings in money, always compared with a standard belt.” He added that Forbo is the only belting supplier with third-party certification verifying both the calculations and the performance of the belts. “This has been certified from the German TÜV, so this is not just greenwashing or a nice marketing thing.”

Reduced Friction

Energy efficiency also translates into operational benefits beyond electricity bills. Reduced friction lowers wear on belts, bearings and motors, extending the lifespan of entire conveyor systems. “We have examples where the temperature was sometimes going down from 65 to 40°C just by using an energy-saving belt,” Goly said. “If you have a system with thousands of motors, and every motor is reduced by 10 or 20 degrees, you can even reduce the power of the air conditioning. All of that is increasing the lifetime of the complete conveyor systems.”

The technology itself is more sophisticated than many assume. While Goly, Pictured below, jokingly described a belt as “a piece of plastic”, he was quick to explain the science behind the performance. “The secret lies in the underside of the belt,” he said. By integrating a permanent lubricant into the belt fabric during manufacturing, friction is reduced over the entire lifetime of the belt. “It stays there over the lifetime of the belt. Even when the belt was running for eight or nine years, it still feels a little bit slippery.”

Looking ahead, Goly sees smart belting and predictive maintenance as the next frontier, though he is realistic about current limitations. “Customers would love to have it, but we are not at the phase where we can say we already have it.” Early steps include QR codes laser-marked onto belts, allowing technicians to access product data, order replacements and contact service teams instantly, reducing downtime and unnecessary site visits.

Regional differences remain relatively minor, according to Goly, with specifications largely consistent worldwide. Cost sensitivity is higher in Asia-Pacific, while North America places less emphasis on environmental considerations, though this may change. “In general, a belt stays a belt. It doesn’t matter on which continent it is.”

Perhaps the biggest misconception Goly encounters is price-focused procurement. “If you buy cheap, you buy twice,” he said. In the context of billion-pound infrastructure projects, belting represents a small fraction of total investment, yet it has an outsized impact on energy use, uptime and lifetime costs. To address this, Forbo has produced a white paper on energy-efficient package handling, including ROI calculations aimed at shifting conversations beyond initial purchase price.

As energy costs remain volatile and sustainability targets tighten, Goly believes the industry is finally catching up with ideas Forbo has been developing for more than a decade. “Now everyone is looking at saving more energy,” he said. “And that’s where we are in a very, very good position.”

The post Belt and Braces for Conveying Tech appeared first on Logistics Business.

In environments with constant forklift traffic, painted and printed signs and floor markings can wear away quickly, becoming faded, damaged or unclear. As a result, critical safety messages can lose impact and require frequent maintenance.

Projected Image says projected safety signage is unaffected by constant forklift movement, offering a longer-lasting – and safer – solution that remains clear even in high-traffic areas.

“The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) estimated that approximately 2,000 accidents involving forklifts were reported in Great Britain in 2018/19, so clear, instantly recognisable safety messaging is more important than ever for facilities using forklifts!” says Ian Spoors, Managing Director of Projected Image.

“While traditional painted or vinyl markings wear and typically require maintenance twice a year, projected signage provides a bright, highly visible image that doesn’t fade or wear under forklift traffic – with a maintenance-free five-year lifespan.”

By projecting sharp, vivid safety signs – such as zebra crossings and warning signs – directly onto floors, walls and doors, projected signage helps to clearly define walkways, exclusion zones and vehicle routes while tackling ‘sign blindness’ – which is particularly important where workers and vehicles operate in close proximity.

“Sign blindness occurs when constant exposure to static signage means safety warnings are overlooked, which is incredibly dangerous in forklift environments. Light-based projected signage is more visually stimulating than printed floor markings, making warnings harder to ignore” adds Spoors.

Projected signs can also be automated using sensors, so they only activate when a forklift approaches a specific area, further reducing sign blindness by ensuring warnings appear only when relevant.

“This dynamic approach to safety not only improves awareness but also supports more efficient operations. We recently provided automated projected signage for a leading renewable energy manufacturer, warning pedestrians of forklift movements near roller doors. The site now benefits from a brighter, clearer and safer solution,” Spoors states.

Projected Image supplies both high-performance, IP-rated LED gobo projectors and custom gobos, providing a complete solution designed for demanding industrial environments.

“The high-visibility and flexibility of projected signage make it a safer, more durable option for facilities operating with forklifts. It helps protect the workforce, reduce maintenance and keep operations running smoothly in even the busiest environments” concludes Spoors.

The post Projected Safety Signage is Safer Option appeared first on Logistics Business.

With a low coefficient of friction, the company provides reliable transfer points where items can easily slide from belt to belt or to the transfer hopper to transport packages and cartons safely. Conveyed material frequently accumulates at transfer points and falls to the ground, especially at airports. This can damage the contents of packages. With segmented transfer plates the material can glide smoothly from belt to belt. Flexco Europe offers two transfer plate variants, suitable for belts with widths of up to 1,524 millimeters and gaps of 100–250 or 75–150 millimeters. The bright yellow colour of the segments helps maintenance personnel monitor them and replace them quickly if necessary.

Roller conveyor transfer plates (RCTPs), which can be installed in belt-driven, shaft-driven, chain-driven and motorized roller conveyors, ensure that envelopes, polybags, and small parcels do not get lost between the rollers – a common problem in conveyor systems. The RCTP covers the gap between two rollers. With this solution, conveyors are not only more productive, but also safer. Employees no longer have to reach between the rollers to pull out products, reducing the risk of injury. The transfer plates are suitable for large quantities of packaged products that can differ greatly, ranging from soft and flexible to dense and compact.

Open edges along conveyor lines also allow conveyed goods to fall and slide under the conveyor belt. Product loss and damage to goods, belts, and, in the worst case, the system itself, can result in unplanned and costly downtime. To prevent this from happening, Flexco has developed the Belt Edge Protector (BEP). Made from recycled and wear-resistant UHMW, it covers the conveyor belt edge and prevents packages from getting stuck underneath. The simple and quick installation in individually adjustable lengths makes the BEP even more indispensable.

These three components in combination (STP, RCTP, and BEP) offer the solution for any logistics system to make maintenance work and downtime plannable, keep maintenance costs low, and maintain high safety standards.

The post From Chaos to Clarity in Parcel Logistics appeared first on Logistics Business.

The holding brake is a key component for the operation of counterbalance forklifts: it secures the vehicle when stationary on ramps, is mechanically designed for a high number of load changes, and closes reliably in the event of a fault. The fail-safe principle has proven itself here – spring-operated, electrically released, and closed when de-energized.

With the BFK552-12 and BFK457-14 spring-applied brakes, Kendrion provides its customers with precision solutions for electric counterbalance forklifts. The brake specialists have been developing components for the industrial truck market for decades and support manufacturers and system partners with application-oriented design and series-production-ready implementation. The portfolio ranges from standard brakes to application-specific variants – tailored to motor/gearbox integration, installation position, and protection type requirements.

Flat, robust, energy-optimized

The BFK552-12 is a flat spring-applied brake with a height of only 43.7 mm and a braking torque of 60 Nm – designed for counterbalance drives, including in back-to-back arrangements. With protection class IP66, the brake is ideal for use in climatically demanding environments. Overexcitation and holding current reduction reduce power loss and heat generation, which in turn has a positive effect on the efficiency and longevity of the forklifts. As a ready-to-install unit, the brake reduces installation and adjustment effort and minimizes typical installation errors. In addition, customers benefit from the global availability of brakes developed and produced in Germany.

The BFK457-14 is available as a design-in platform for new developments with higher performance requirements: With a braking torque of more than 90 Nm and designed for high emergency stopping energies, the brake has proven itself in practice even at high travel speeds. Compact versions with a particularly space-saving design facilitate integration into dense drive compartments and enable application-specific adaptations.

Application experience meets vertical integration

When developing brakes, Kendrion combines application experience with vertical integration, relying for decades on its German development site, well-coordinated project management, a high level of service, and its in-house rotor production.

Visit Kendrion at LogiMAT in Stuttgart from March 24 to 26, 2026, Hall 1, Booth GA35.

The post Holding Brakes for Electric Counterbalance Forklifts appeared first on Logistics Business.

In Hall 8, Booth 8D42, visitors can explore the ‘smart’ details of the system solutions and discuss current trends and future developments in the ongoing flexibilization of automated intralogistics systems with Conductix-Wampfler experts.

The exhibits will include inductive and conductive charging systems for in-process charging, modular energy storage solutions, and secure communication solutions. A highlight at the booth will be the live demonstration of the WirelessCharger 3.0, complemented by battery systems optimally matched to the vehicles and charging solutions. These battery systems are designed for high cycle stability and fast charging processes.

Another key aspect in AGV fleet operation is the RadioSafe safety radio system. Conductix-Wampfler will also address this topic at the ‘AGV Safety Conference’ organized by the AGV Network, which takes place in parallel with LogiMAT.

With its full-liner approach, Conductix-Wampfler demonstrates how energy supply, energy storage, and secure communication can be combined into coherent overall concepts – for automated, safe, and future-proof intralogistics systems.

The post Inductive & Conductive AGV Battery Charging appeared first on Logistics Business.

With this launch, AR LS abandons the painted finish for its uprights, adopting galvanizing on the uprights as its standard option, in line with the evolution of the company’s complete catalogue towards solutions with higher performance and longer useful life. The rest of the system’s components remain configurable according to the needs of each installation.

The galvanised finish strengthens the value proposition of the system: greater resistance to wear and demanding conditions (humidity, abrasion, frequent cleaning), less need for maintenance and a longer lifecycle of the installation. The result is stronger and more reliable infrastructure that helps ensure the operating continuity of the warehouse and optimises the total cost of ownership.

Improved durability

AR LS maintains its modular architecture to facilitate extensions, reconfigurations and adaptations to changes in demand, ensuring agile implementation and system evolution without interrupting daily operations. The solution also offers a wide range of accessories to customise levels, dividers and protections according to the type of goods and work flows.

Galvanised steel shelving

“With galvanised AR LS we have taken another step in our commitment to solutions that work in the day-to-day operations of the warehouse: greater strength and durability to ensure operational availability”, pointed out Gorka Arteaga, EMEA Sales Director at AR Racking.

The post Galvanised Steel for Longspan Shelf Picking appeared first on Logistics Business.

SmartPath is an activated roller belt (ARB) solution that combines both singulation and gapping functions into a single, compact piece of piece of equipment. It sits upstream of a sorter and can prepare 2D bulk package flow to be merged into a single-file stream for an automated sorter. Extremely small activation zones enable precise, independent control and low error rates, increasing throughput of a wide range of package types, including polybags. SmartPath can also act as a buffer, momentarily holding or slowing packages to match the induction rates that the downstream sorter is designed to handle. This capability helps avoid jams and maximise downstream sorter equipment with no operator intervention required. With a length of just 2.4 meters (eight feet), SmartPath requires up to 42% less space compared to other solutions.

“Space is always at a premium in logistics facilities, whether you’re trying to minimise the footprint of a new system or retrofitting around existing conveyors,” says Florian Mattheis, Industry Team Leader EMEA, Intralox. “SmartPath delivers the gapping performance downstream systems need while fitting into even the tightest layouts, which is why it’s so valuable to order fulfilment processes.”

SmartPath integrates into new or existing lines and can be utilised in several warehouse applications, including:
• Singulating and gapping packed orders for outbound sortation. After employees pack orders and place them on conveyor, SmartPath singulates and gaps each order properly before handing them off to the shipping sorters.
• Returns processing. As returned orders enter warehouse and distribution centres as irregular, non-uniform bulk flow, SmartPath singulates and gaps orders for further processing through automated systems.
• Autoinduction to loop sorters. SmartPath provides the precise, constant stream of packages high-speed loop sorters require, helping reduce labour requirements and maximise sorter utilisation.

Pairing SmartPath with the Intralox ARB Sorter S7000 can enable an even more condensed footprint, using up to 60% less space than other approaches. This is a key example of how the company’s technology integrates seamlessly and works together to provide additional value and address the evolving needs of parcel and warehouse operations. The Intralox bulk-to-sorted product line offers a range of equipment to handle incoming bulk flow, induction, singulation, gapping and sortation, unlocking greater capability and performance while reducing cost and footprint.

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