Schenker Deutschland AG is introducing a truck management system to untangle the loading and unloading processes at major European trade show hubs. The logistics giant aims to prevent delivery vehicles at convention centers from causing traffic snarls, which frequently spill over into surrounding traffic infrastructures as well.
The online time slot management tool relies on the cloud-based logistics platform AX4 from Siemens subsidiary AXIT. Schenker Deutschland AG – the “official trade show logistics partner” for 17 convention centers in Germany alone – wants to make it easier for organizers, exhibitors, and installers to coordinate their activities during a trade show’s brief setup and break-down phases and manage delivery processes with as little stress and congestion as possible.
“Digital time slot management enables the smooth control of traffic at convention centers,” says David Löhring, Operational Systems Project Manager at Schenker Deutschland AG. “It also allows us to accommodate inbound trucks with the specific services they request as soon as they arrive.”
Exhibitors and setup crews can use the cloud-based IT platform AX4 to reserve delivery time slots in advance. The system assigns them to a specific hall or zone. Those who register with the platform are also assigned an entry gate and a vacant parking space in addition to their time slot. “The system applies the selected search parameters to check for available slots at the site,” Löhring adds. Vehicle size and cargo volumes are also taken into account.
The standardized reservation process captures the name of the driver, the vehicle license plate number, and other relevant information, then generates a barcode and ticket number to ensure a quick check-in when the driver arrives at the location. The platform can also be used to reserve other necessary equipment: forklifts, cranes – even personnel.
Digital time slot management was first introduced in 2010 for trade shows in Berlin, then expanded in subsequent years to Essen, Wolfsburg, and Utrecht. Now it is poised for a Europe-wide rollout. Setup crews and exhibitors need only an internet connection.
