Nineteen students from the Fresenius Idstein and Aschaffenburg universities of applied sciences presented a range of ingenious projects on logistics topics of the future at the seventh DPD Logistics Lab at DPD Germany’s head office earlier this month.
The best presentation was rewarded with a €500 prize by international parcel and express service provider DPD. This time Frankfurt Trade Fair also participated as a project partner in the DPD Logistics Lab.
For Frankfurt Trade Fair the winning team presented an algorithm which enables even more intelligent management of ramp traffic involving stand construction firms and suppliers.
In addition, the project groups developed solutions for further practical challenges in logistics. For example, the students focused on the subject of so-called 'wearable' devices for data recording such as glove or two-finger scanners which can be applied for the implementation of barcode scans in parcel sorting centres. These innovative support systems for sorting can be worn ergonomically on the body and conveniently leave the hands free for normal working operations.
The various groups were supported by experts from DPD HQ in Aschaffenburg and the students also received on-site insight into DPD's operations by visiting depots and making delivery trips with DPD drivers. The students had three months' time to develop their projects.
"The DPD Logistics Lab provides our company with valuable input for future operational projects," explained Peter Störring, Director Operations at DPD GeoPost (Deutschland) GmbH. "I'm delighted that it is proving useful to new project partners such as Frankfurt Trade Fair. At the same time all the students who participate benefit directly, because the DPD Logistics Lab teaches them in a practical and accessible way how modern logistics operates."
Prof. Armin Bohnhoff, Dean of Studies for Logistics and Commerce at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Idstein, added: "The Logistics Lab is a practice-based course open to a number of universities and is a model of its kind."
Since 2009 a total of 150 students from various universities of applied sciences have participated in the DPD Logistics Lab.
