Göttingen, 6 March 2024 — ZUFALL logistics group has been a member of the Open Logistics Foundation since 1 January 2024. As a Solution Member, the company will in future be actively involved in the development and design of open-source solutions, thus supporting the standardisation of digitisation projects in logistics. ZUFALL is thus strengthening the perspective of medium-sized companies within the non-profit foundation.

The Open Logistics Foundation initiates and promotes innovative digital open-source solutions that address the existing weaknesses in the entire logistics sector (transport, intralogistics, production logistics, supply chain management, etc.). In this way, the foundation aims to revolutionise the processes and working methods of logistics and supply chain management in a sustainable way. These efforts are in line with ZUFALL’s vision, as Christoph Göbel, Chief Regional Officer at ZUFALL, explains: “We want to actively shape the future of logistics. The decision to join the Open Logistics Foundation will help us to achieve this goal. We are convinced that change can only be achieved together, which is why we rely on strong partnerships like this.”

Bringing in new ideas and mastering challenges

ZUFALL was convinced not only by the current topics but also by the broad commitment of the foundation members. In a creative framework, the Open Logistics Foundation offers all members the opportunity to contribute ideas, to obtain opinions on internal projects and to work together to overcome challenges. “An overview of the market situation helps us not least to prioritise our own projects,” explains Anica Hohmann, Chief Regional Officer. “From the development of a track-and-trace system to eCMR and yard management to a driver app, we can contribute to many projects that benefit both our partners and our customers.”

ZUFALL wants to ensure greater transparency for its customers with an optimised track-and-trace solution. Together with other members of the Open Logistics Foundation, the company will develop a standardised interface for implementing intermodal, cross-company tracking and tracing for this purpose. In the future, real-time shipment tracking will be visible to customers on a single interface. In addition, the eCMR is a digital consignment note for land transport that enables freight forwarders to provide documents in real time. This will speed up processes such as billing. “We are pleased to be able to drive forward these and other projects together with the Open Logistics Foundation,” emphasises Christoph Göbel.

ZUFALL logistics group has been a member of the Open Logistics Foundation since 1 January 2024.

Shared values and goals

ZUFALL’s sustainability strategy is based on the principles of people, planet and profit and includes both environmental and economic sustainability aspects as well as social justice. “In our desire to create mindful and sustainable logistics, we find ourselves in the values of the Open Logistics Foundation. In order to overcome challenges such as climate change and the shortage of skilled workers, we need digitalisation solutions not only for ourselves, but for the entire logistics industry,” says zufall.lab manager Steffen Obermann. “We also like the way the foundation works. This means that all colleagues, regardless of their position, can participate in the projects and help shape the logistics of the future.”

Andreas Nettsträter, CEO of the Open Logistics Foundation, is also delighted with the new committed partner: “We are pleased to welcome ZUFALL, an important voice of the SME sector, as a member of our foundation. We are very pleased with ZUFALL’s future participation in our ‘Track and Trace’ working group and it underlines how important the development work at the commodity level is to us and our members. This is because this topic does not represent a competitive differentiating sales opportunity. Therefore, it is economically wise for market participants to work together.”

About the Open Logistics Foundation

The Open Logistics Foundation, founded in 2021, is a non-profit foundation that promotes the use of open-source applications in logistics. The foundation’s overarching goal is to facilitate the joint development of open-source solutions for existing problems in logistics and supply chain management. The innovation community standardises common standards, tools and services that can be commercially exploited by every player in the industry. The collaborative development and use of open-source software and hardware ensures a high level of process efficiency.

About the ZUFALL logistics group
The ZUFALL logistics group is a family-run transport and logistics service provider. Founded in 1928 in Kassel, the company is now based in Göttingen. The company is divided into two major business areas: Transport and Logistics. The transport division includes overland transport in Germany and Europe, Night Star Express, air and sea freight, and customs service. The logistics division focuses on contract logistics, involving customer-oriented, longstanding cooperations between companies and logistics service providers.

With approx. 2,100 employees at 11 locations throughout Germany, the company handles around 5 million consignments per year and generated a turnover of around 430 million euros in the last financial year.