Manufacturing logistics and procurement – February 2026

AI in robotics and packing-filling lines: take-aways from a new IFR Position Paper
A new generation of AI-powered robots moving from research labs into the real world is fuelled by AI tech companies and analysts are forecasting a multitrillion-dollar market. The vision is to give artificial intelligence its own robot body. Supervised learning is commonly used for tasks like defect detection, predictive maintenance, quality inspection and process optimisation. Download the new Position Paper (1.59 MB) by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
Implementing AI to improve the operator-machine interface in packing-filling lines is addressed in the PAIPA project. Contact NVC for more information and to join.

Health and energy sectors drive R&D investment growth in the EU
The 2025 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard published by JRC reveals a slowdown in overall R&D investment growth among EU companies. Against this trend, the European health and energy sectors increased their R&D investments, even well above global peers. The Scoreboard provides economic information from the latest financial accounts of the world's top 2000 R&D investors. It also includes an extended sample of the top 800 R&D investing companies based in the EU. Investments from the companies covered in the Scoreboard account for almost 90% of global private R&D funding.

Air transport: Sustainable Air Fuel (SAF) frontrunning facility on the runway
As air transport is lagging behind land transport in lowering the CO₂ emissions, bio-based kerosine (Sustainable Air Fuel SAF) is considered as a key element in decarbonising air logistics. Now, SkyNRG has announced the constructing start of a frontrunning renewable fuels facility. The facility will use the Hydrotreated Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) pathway to convert residual fats and greases into SAF. Other renewable products, such as butane, propane and naphtha, will be formed as by-products. EU legislation on the mandatory implementation of SAF is given here.

Technology and health drive global pharmaceutical logistics: analysis 2026-2034
According to a recent report by Fortune Business Insights, the global market size for pharmaceutical logistics was valued at $81 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow from $85 billion in 2026 to $156 billion by 2034. This growth is driven by the increasing demand for temperature-sensitive products such as biologics and vaccines. Advancements in technology, including RFID and IoT, are enhancing supply chain visibility and efficiency, thereby supporting the market's expansion over the forecast period. Europe dominated the pharmaceutical logistics market in 2025 with a market share of 65%.

100+ reasons to visit interpack 2026 on logistics
The packaging industry’s behemoth exhibition interpack will take place from 7-13 May 2026 in Dusseldorf (Germany), attracting 170,000 visitors to thousands of supplier booths. This edition, those interested in packaging and logistics are well-served, with more than 100 exhibitors showing the latest in the field, like machines for e-commerce packing and new returnable packaging concepts, both for consumer and industrial applications. View the interpack 2026 logistics segment here and when in need of extra information, visit NVC at the North Entrance ENB/03 of interpack or contact NVC.
 

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