Bavarian State Prize for Transport and Logistics in Augsburg

Transport and logistics are essential! Freight and passenger transport are of fundamental importance for our society and economy. To appropriately honor these services, Bavaria’s Minister of Transport, Christian Bernreiter, has established the Bavarian State Prize for Transport and Logistics and awarded five individuals and companies in Augsburg.

(Augsburg) “Over 400,000 people in Bavaria work in this sector, as bus or train drivers, train attendants, behind the wheel of trucks, or in administration. Without their commitment, supermarkets would be empty, industry could not produce, and neither buses nor trains would run,” said Minister Bernreiter. “It is therefore important to me to recognize the outstanding achievements, the innovative strength, and the significance of the industry and to inspire even more people to pursue a career there. Our award winners demonstrate in the best possible way how future-oriented the transport and logistics industry is!”

The Bavarian State Prize for Transport and Logistics is awarded five times: in the categories “People and Companies”, “Transformation and Future”, “Image and Entrepreneurship”, once thematically open, and additionally once for passenger transport. The selection of the award winners was made by an expert panel led by Dr. Rudolf Aunkofer, managing director of CNA e.V. and coordinator of the Logistics Initiative Bavaria. Dr. Aunkofer: “The large number of submitted applications shows that the transport and logistics industry, especially in Bavaria, is very diverse and highly innovative. It includes many true entrepreneurs who genuinely care about their employees’ concerns. The nominees, as well as the award winners, particularly exemplify these aspects. The evaluation by the expert panel is clear. We, as the Logistics Initiative Bavaria, are especially pleased that the state prize sets a strong and visible sign for the attractiveness of the industry. The state prize is a successful support for all transport and logistics companies in Bavaria regarding the recruitment of skilled workers.”

The following were awarded in the individual categories:

Thematically Open State Prize: Johann Dettendorfer Spedition Ferntrans GmbH & Co. KG

The Upper Bavarian family business from Nußdorf, founded in 1825, is now an internationally operating full-service provider for freight forwarding services beyond the borders of Bavaria and Germany. With a focus on innovation and efficiency, Dettendorfer has revolutionized steel handling using mobile excavators and advanced the concept of reusable tippers and the development of specialized combination trailers for bulk goods and long steel. The shift of 15,000 truck transports to rail via the combined terminal in Landshut is another outstanding example of how Dettendorfer actively contributes to relieving the roads while promoting environmentally friendly transport solutions.

“People and Companies”: Ms. Katrin Eissler from Spedition Neuner GmbH & Co. KG

Ms. Katrin Eissler has developed Spedition Neuner, a family business in Mittenwald established in 1974, into a significant player in the transport and logistics industry, regarded as a role model in the sector. Under her leadership, the number of employees has tripled, and the fleet has even quadrupled. Furthermore, Ms. Eissler is an engaged personality in economic policy as chair of the IHK regional committee Garmisch-Partenkirchen and deputy chair of the IHK specialist committee on transport, actively advocating for the industry’s concerns.

“Image and Entrepreneurship”: Eberl Internationale Spedition GmbH & Co. KG

The Eberl Group, based in Nußdorf, has established itself as an indispensable part and flagship of the economic location of the Traunstein district and Upper Bavaria. However, the commitment of managing director Eberl extends far beyond the company’s borders and demonstrates that economic success and social responsibility go hand in hand. Particularly noteworthy are the various activities supported by Eberl, such as the Chiemsee Triathlon and the Paralympics Deaf Triathlon. Additionally, the company is committed to the Björn-Schulz-Stiftung (children’s hospice work) and the traffic training “Blind Spot” to raise awareness of road safety. The company has also positioned itself as a responsible business by implementing quality and environmental management systems.

“Transformation and Future”: Spedition Ansorge GmbH & Co. KG

The core competence of the company from Biessenhofen lies in the handling of intermodal transports, connecting road and rail throughout Germany as well as across alpine routes. The spectrum ranges from manual storage locations to fully automated high-bay warehouses, underscoring the flexibility and efficiency of logistics processes. A particularly noteworthy aspect of the corporate strategy is, in addition to the early use of long trucks, the rapid adaptation of e-mobility in freight transport. In 2023, the company already counted ten e-trucks in regular operation. Ansorge has also built its own infrastructure for generating and temporarily storing electricity as well as for charging battery-electric vehicles, thereby making an important contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. The use of self-generated green electricity demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainability.

State Prize for Passenger Transport: VAG Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft Nürnberg

Public transport significantly contributes to the quality of life in our cities. It enables people to make their daily journeys in an environmentally friendly and efficient manner. With its project “eBus to Grid”, VAG Nürnberg has made an outstanding contribution to electromobility. Its bold step to convert the entire bus fleet to emission-free battery-electric buses is an example of responsible action and forward-looking planning. VAG promotes sustainability by qualifying driving and workshop personnel for the operation of electric buses and offering comprehensive training on energy-saving driving techniques.

Photo: © Pia Simon Photography