How Schnellecke Logistics is reinventing itself
“From the ramp to the cloud”:Employees16.500
Locations Worldwide80
MILLON. € TURNOVER950
With the courage to embrace change and a willingness to think outside the box, Schnellecke Logistics is evolving from a traditional logistics service provider to a digital solutions provider.
About the Person
Karsten Keil has been managing director
of the IT subsidiary LOGIS GmbH since 2006 and vice president of IT since 2009. In addition, he has been a member of the management board of Schnellecke Logistics SE since March 2020 and is responsible for IT & digitization within the group. In his new role as managing director at Brighten Consulting, he has been driving diversification through digital services since January 2024.
VP Group IT & Digitization von Schnellecke Logistics
An interview with Karsten Keil:
Mr. Keil, how does a traditional logistics company reinvent itself? And how does one come to deal with digital business models?
The transformation at Schnellecke Logistics began with an honest analysis: our core business—automotive logistics—was too one-sided. We were heavily dependent on individual customers and one industry, which meant we had a cluster risk. At the same time, we saw how much our environment was changing: digitalization, sustainability requirements, demographic change. This motivated us to fundamentally question our business model and break new ground.
What sets Schnellecke Logistics apart today?
We have grown significantly internationally over the past 30 years and have continuously expanded our portfolio – from classic transport to packaging and order picking to extended workbench services. Today, we no longer see ourselves as just a logistics service provider, but rather as a partner for intelligent process solutions. We place great emphasis on sustainability, automation, and data-driven decisions.
In 2021, you won the prestigious IT Award. What did this award mean for you and your team?
The award was an important confirmation of our work. With the Digital Control Tower, we have created a platform that bundles data from all global locations and visualizes it in real time—a real added value for our processes. But even more importantly, the award highlighted the value of our work and thus the importance of digitalization and automation within the company. This gave us support, released energy, and showed the company that we are on the right track.
How exactly have you diversified your business model?
We have established a joint venture with our long-standing partner Brighten S.A. from Lisbon. The idea was to use our internal digital expertise—for example, in the areas of RPA, data integration, custom development, and data analytics—in a new context and offer it as a service to external customers. Under the slogan “Simplify your business,” we now advise companies in a wide range of industries—far beyond logistics.
The logistics of tomorrow are no longer just physical—they are data-driven, automated, and intelligent.Karsten Keil
VP Group IT & Digitization Schnellecke Logistics
How satisfied are you with how things have gone so far – and what have been the biggest challenges?
The journey has been exciting and successful, but of course not without its challenges. The cultural change was particularly challenging: bringing together two companies with different backgrounds also means friction. We had to learn to establish new sales channels, accept different ways of thinking, and develop common best practices.
Change is not always met with enthusiasm. How did you deal with internal resistance?
We understood early on that change can only succeed if we get our employees on board. That’s why we trained digital ambassadors, promoted open communication, and shared successes and failures transparently. Above all, we showed that digitalization is not a threat, but an opportunity—especially in light of the shortage of skilled workers. Automation helps us maintain processes where we will simply lack the personnel in the future. Last year, for example, we automated around 50,000 hours worldwide in repetitive tasks using robotic process automation (RPA) – not to cut jobs, but to make better use of existing resources.
What advice would you give to other companies that want to embark on the journey of digital transformation?
Transformation always requires courage—the courage to endure setbacks and keep going. It is crucial to keep the three essential elements in mind: processes, people, and technology. Only when these three are in harmony can change be successful in the long term. Standardized processes create the basis for rapid scaling and automation. Committed people drive implementation – change does not work top-down, but through the active involvement of employees. Appropriate technologies create added value, but only if they are used in a targeted manner. Digitalization must not be an end in itself, but must solve specific problems.
The keys to success
“Transformation is a triad of process, people, and technology.”
1. Think ahead in processes.
Those who use standards can scale and automate more quickly.
2. Actively involve people
Change does not work top-down. Change comes about through participation.
3. Targeted use of technology
Digitalization should not be an end in itself; it must solve specific problems.
About Schnellecke Logistics
Schnellecke Logistics is a global, owner-managed logistics company that focuses on innovation and sustainability to offer customized and sustainable solutions with a comprehensive portfolio of logistics services. With a close-knit global network and state-of-the-art technology, Schnellecke Logistics optimizes its customers’ supply chains.
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