Willkommen!
So you are going to Logimat in Stuttgart, Germany. Very exciting!
Robot Advisors’ team members have been to every Logimat held since 2013. We have created this survival guide to help you get the most out of Europe’s number one logistics and automation trade show, which attracts 70,000 people, nearly double that of Modex. To get in the mood and see what it might feel like, take a look at the 6 of Robot Advisors Logimat 2023 on-the-floor show highlight videos (here).
Language: English and German
Most professional Europeans speak multiple languages, and very often English. That said, Logimat is held in Germany, and you will hear German spoken more than any other language. When you walk into a booth, you will very likely be greeted in German. A quick “Sorry, do you speak English?” and the person who greeted you will switch to English or, in some cases, flag down a colleague for you who does. I have never found language to be a barrier. Larger companies often have small flags on their badges that indicate the languages that individual speaks (look for the Union Jack if you are looking for English).
About 90% of the sessions are delivered in German (10% in English). The key sessions (keynotes, innovation awards, etc.) have simultaneous translation headsets you may borrow for free. You can choose several languages to hear the translation, not just English, which works well.
The words “trade show” are not used in England, and thus, it will be helpful to know that the Brits call a convention center the “Fair” and Germans call it the “Messe” (pronounced mess-ah).
How to get around
Stuttgart Messe is both incredibly convenient and a bit of a pain. The fairground (Messe or trade fair) is right next to the airport, and they share an S-bahn (commuter rail) stop. There are lots of hotels around the airport/fairground.
The Messe is on the A8 autobahn, a major road that connects Karlsruhe to Stuttgart and then Munich. A giant parking structure for the fair is named for the German conglomerate Bosch and is very convenient.
That said, the airport/messe is far from downtown. It is a 25-minute drive without traffic and can easily be an hour’s taxi or car ride during rush hour. You will want to take the S-Bahn or U-Bahn (these are light rail systems in Germany; all large cities have them). The S-Bahn is equivalent to the commuter rail in the US, and the U-Bahn is the subway. However, they overlap in coverage, especially closer to the city’s centers or centrum). If going back and forth, especially if your hotel is downtown, I can’t stress enough that these are better options than driving.
What to wear
Europe tends to be more formal, but you will find folks wearing all types of attire. The most common outfit for men is a suit with an open button-down shirt and no tie, followed by a sports coat and nice jeans. Women are smart-casual. That said, cool startup vendors (especially robotic ones) will follow the Silicon Valley dress smart casual code of tradeshow polo or techie pullover.
The best way to get a sense of the vibe and apparel choices is to watch some Robot Advisors’ Logimat 2023 on-the-floor show highlight videos (here).
Badges
For an American, the idea of not having badges at a tradeshow likely seems outlandish. LogiMAT on recently started issuing show badges. In the past, each exhibitor provided its staff with a company name tag, you will almost certainly see many of these. For entry to the show, you will use a barcoded ticket that seems more like the concert entry process than a tradeshow. They just do it differently here.
Things to do in your free time in Stuttgart
Northwest of Stuttgart in Sinsheim is the only museum of material handling that we believe exists anywhere in the world. Literally translated as “the museum of conveyor technology” the Foerdertechnik Museum comes highly recommended by Robot Advisors. The smaller museum has interesting interactive exhibits and donated equipment from MHE providers like Vanderlande and many others. It is easily overlooked as it sits in the shadow of its much larger neighbor, the transportation museum, below.
Halfway between Stuttgart and Frankfurt is the Technik Museum Sinsheim, the only museum in the world to house both supersonic passenger jets ever flown: the Concorde and the Tupolev. The museum also houses all manner of transport, including a large selection of WWII vehicles, both Allied and Axis. You can’t miss this fascinating transportation museum, as the planes are visible next to each other on the side of the A6 autobahn. The museum is a favorite of Intelligrated’s Co-Founder, Chris Cole, and Robot Advisors’ founder Chris Lingamfelter.
The Mercedes Benz Museum is a very cool museum where you start at the top of a tower, walk through the history of Mercedes and Benz, and see the old cars. I highly recommend it, especially if you like history and/or cars. Mercedes Benz Museum
Porsche Museum – Another global Stuttgart-based car manufacturer’s contribution to automotive history. Porsche Museum
Heidelberg Castle (45 mins without traffic) is one of the most visited sites in this part of Germany; it is about halfway from Stuttgart to Frankfurt. It is very popular with Americans because:
- Mark Twain wrote about it.
- It has an enormous swimming pool-sized wine keg.
- It is close to American military bases.
The town of Heidelberg is quaint, beautiful, and a great place to grab lunch.
Restaurant Recommendations near the Messe/Fair/Exhibit Hall
La Fuente Smaller authentic Spanish tapas that is a favorite of the Robot Advisors team. Feel lucky if you can get into this amazing LogiMAT staple. German and Spanish are spoken here. English, not so much!
Echterdingen Brauhaus Large brewpub right by the Echterdingen S-bahn station, convenient and crowded with LogiMAT visitors every night. Located inside the sold out Parkhotel Messe Stuttgart. Great traditional German fare. Long wait times or fully booked most of LogiMAT.
Restaurant Recommendations further afield
- India House link
- Restaurant Marefat Afagan restaurant south of the city center with good vegetarian options. Link
- Restaurant Schwarzbach link
