When the Berlin Wall fell and the Iron Curtain lifted in 1989, the political changes in Europe opened vast new opportunities for trade. Yet the sudden freedom of movement also created bottlenecks, particularly on the German-Polish border where trucks often sat in long queues. It was here that Hamburg Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) recognized a chance to redefine freight logistics. The company looked to the railway as the answer and in doing so laid the foundation for becoming a leading European player in intermodal container traffic. Hamburg’s rail port had a broad continental reach that offered a key geographical advantage. The opening of Eastern Europe created a new hinterland, and HHLA seized the opportunity. In 1991, with the liberalization of the EU rail market, HHLA entered a joint venture with the Polish State Railways PKP and freight forwarder Egon Wenk. This marked the beginning of Polzug Polen-Hamburg-Transport GmbH, the first non-railway company permitted to run freight trains on state-owned tracks. Soon after, similar initiatives emerged in Czechoslovakia, spearheaded by Jiri Samek, who founded METRANS in Prague. METRANS introduced the hub-and-shuttle principle, operating both trains and handling terminals, and in doing so created a reliable, high-frequency network that revolutionized container transport. From Hamburg to the Heart of Europe HHLA’s stake in METRANS began in 1995 and grew steadily until the company became its sole owner. Polzug was eventually integrated into METRANS, consolidating HHLA’s intermodal strength. By the new millennium, Hamburg had reclaimed its position as Europe’s leading rail port, with HHLA and METRANS playing pivotal roles in developing routes not only across Europe but also to Asia. In 2008, the Beijing- Hamburg Container Express arrived in less than 15 days, offering a competitive alternative to sea transport. Within a decade, METRANS was managing hundreds of trains linking Europe with China. Today, HHLA’s intermodal network is one of the most comprehensive in Europe. Its seven hub terminals, supported by thirteen satellite terminals and depots in eight countries, manage around 650 trains each week. The network stretches across nineteen national borders, linking the North Sea, Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Sea regions. METRANS has become the backbone of HHLA’s inland operations, with its 2,500 employees ensuring smooth, reliable, and flexible services for customers across the continent.

When it comes to logistics and storage, unused space, complex inventory handling, and disorganized warehouses not only slow down operations but also become liabilities over time. A key contributor to this problem is the reliance of most traditional storage systems on long conveyor lines, numerous motors, and intricate networks of sensors to move and track inventory. These systems are space-intensive, expensive to maintain, and difficult to adapt as operational needs evolve. To overcome this challenge, a smarter, more space-efficient system is needed. Nekos, a Finland-based automation expert, has developed a high-density, low-footprint storage solution that directly addresses these common pain points by drastically reducing the number of motors, sensors, and conveyors required. Its systems also minimize energy consumption, maintenance needs, and waste—resulting in a solution that is both operationally efficient and environmentally sustainable. This makes it a future-proof choice for logistics teams facing both business and environmental pressures. “Compared to old conveyor systems, our solution offers around 50 percent more capacity in the same footprint, with far fewer components. That means lower energy use, less maintenance, and a greener overall operation,” says Jaakko Laihorinne, CEO. High-Density Storage with Fewer Components At the core of this innovation is Nekos’ patented high-density tote and crate storage system, launched in 2016. Unlike traditional conveyor-based systems that require large gaps between stacks and equipment, Nekos places stacks directly on the floor with just 20 millimeters of spacing. Each stack can reach 2.2 meters in height, and a single unit can store around 40,000 crates. For growing operations, additional units can be added. Its compact footprint also allows installation in mezzanine areas or tight warehouse layouts. Nekos can customize the system for any crate or tote, offering high flexibility.