Let’s be honest: When we in mid-market logistics hear the word “innovation lab,” many of us immediately start playing bullshit bingo. You think of sticky note walls in trendy districts, fancy titles, and ultimately just hot air that fizzles out in the harsh reality of warehouse operations. A showcase electric truck for the press, some greenwashing here, a digitalization project there – only to disappear back into the drawer after the first hurdle.
That there’s a completely different way of doing things recently blew us away on the LogTech Podcast. Jannik and I had Steffen Obermann from Zufall Lab as our guest, and what he shared was so refreshingly down-to-earth yet radical that any logistics professional would immediately perk up. Because here, innovation isn’t just preached – it’s implemented with ruthless focus, something that’s unfortunately far too rare in our industry.
More Than Just a PR Stunt: The “Future-Ready for Grandchildren” Approach
The first thing that’s different about Zufall is the “why.” This isn’t primarily about the next efficiency lever or the latest buzzword. The mission, coming directly from owner Peter himself, is: “doing business in a way that’s sustainable for our grandchildren.” Behind this lies the simple but powerful idea of the “3 P’s”: People, Planet & Profit.
And these aren’t empty platitudes. While others purchase a showcase electric truck, Zufall simply replaced 25% of their entire fleet. Not because it immediately pays off in euros and cents – Steffen mentioned that if it goes well, it’s a zero-sum game. But because it’s the right step to take. This isn’t a PR stunt; this is conviction.
This mindset of thinking long-term and values-based as a family-owned business, instead of scrambling from quarterly report to quarterly report, is the breeding ground for everything that follows.
The Lab: Where Sneakers Meet the Warehouse Floor
What’s brilliant about Zufall Lab: It’s not some detached spaceship. It’s a service unit for colleagues on the front lines. Steffen put it perfectly: Warehouse manager Kathrin from Fulda wants to treat her people better, but in her daily routine, she simply doesn’t have time to attend trade shows or listen to podcasts. Her job is to get goods from A to B.
This is exactly where the Lab comes in. Kathrin has a problem – for example, the high physical strain on her people. She comes to the Lab and says: “Help me!” The Lab team then brings the methods, the time, the network, and – crucially – the budget for the prototype. For instance, they worked with a startup that normally analyzes potatoes for McDonald’s to develop an AI that automatically measures package volumes. The costs for hardware and the project? The Lab covers it.
This removes the biggest fear from operational units: the fear of failure and exploding costs. Courage is rewarded, not punished. The department has to buy the new forklifts themselves in the end, of course. But then they know it works and what benefits it brings.
On Failure and Digital Twins: What Really Matters
Innovation also means that ideas flop. The idea of a “Happiness Manager” for drivers who would handle their paperwork sounded great but wasn’t implemented. And that’s okay. It shows that you try things and also discard them.
Much more exciting, however, are the successes that really change things. The absolute highlight for me was developing a digital twin for the cross-dock warehouse. Anyone who’s ever been in a warehouse knows the picture: The driver gets a stack of paper, searches forever for a shipment he doesn’t even know what it looks like, and loses valuable time.
Zufall’s solution? The driver sees a photo of the package on his tablet, knows exactly where it is within 10 cm, and gets the optimal loading sequence suggested. This isn’t a pipe dream; this is a tangible prototype that massively improves daily work, reduces errors, and ultimately also addresses the skilled labor shortage. Because who wouldn’t rather work with smart technology than clipboards and paper chaos?
Conclusion: Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast
The hour with Steffen Obermann showed once again: Real, sustainable innovation in logistics is less a question of technology than a question of culture and attitude. It requires leadership courage, the willingness to invest in people and ideas without immediately seeing the ROI, and a structure that makes it easy for people in operations to dare something new.
Zufall Lab is proof that as an established mid-market company, you can not only survive but actively shape the future of logistics. Away from pure cost and efficiency pressure, toward logistics that’s better for people and planet.
And now to you: What are your experiences with innovation projects in everyday logistics? Where do you see the biggest levers – and where the nastiest roadblocks? Write it in the comments!
The full story is available in the current episode of the LogTech Podcast – wherever you get your podcasts.
