Nagel Group Digitizes Pallet Management with Logistikbude

The Nagel Group has reached another milestone in its digitalization strategy as of August 1, 2025: the complete transition of load carrier management at all 130 locations to the software solution of the start-up Logistikbude. Following a successful test phase at four pilot locations in June and July 2025, the synchronous, comprehensive rollout took place in all remaining branches across Europe, including intensive training and support for key users.

(Versmold/Dortmund) At the beginning of 2025, the Nagel Group announced a large-scale digitalization initiative aimed at managing the reusable load carriers (“Ladehilfsmittel”) digitally across the company using the SaaS solution from Logistikbude. The start-up offers a solution for digitally connected and automated management of all load carriers, from Euro pallets to plastic pallets and Euro boxes, in real-time, thereby highlighting significant optimization potential regarding processes, costs, and sustainability.

The Nagel Group handles around 25 million Euro pallets, 35 million Euro boxes, and 3 million H1 plastic pallets per year and, like most logistics service providers, faces the major challenge of keeping track of current stocks and the whereabouts of exchanged load carriers. Traditionally, management is carried out using analog delivery notes that are filled out by the carrier upon collection of the goods. Furthermore, manual processes complicate the tracking of boxes and pallets: losing the delivery note is equivalent to a loss of the load carrier for a company. With the digital solution, this process is now significantly more transparent, faster, and safer. For the newly designed load carrier management, Logistikbude utilizes existing data. Important information regarding the whereabouts of the load carriers can be extracted from numerous existing preliminary systems.

Implementation Nearly Seamless

“The close and collaborative partnership with Logistikbude has significantly contributed to our ability to implement the transition nearly seamlessly. Together, we have successfully digitized a complex process within six months,” says Björn Hobusch, Head of Operational Excellence & CSM & LEM at the Nagel Group.

For the successful go-live, key users at the locations received intensive training. In addition to training sessions and workshops, there were weekly meetings on current topics and central innovations. Even after the go-live, the software will continue to be developed. New features and process optimizations will be introduced gradually. Practical experiences and feedback from users will be directly incorporated. This keeps the system closely aligned with actual needs. In the next step, the software solution will be enhanced with a function that automatically evaluates and books various pallet slips based on artificial intelligence. “We always consider practical experiences and user feedback to align our system with actual needs,” says Philipp Hüning, Co-Founder and CEO of Logistikbude.

Numerous Benefits for Customers

For the Nagel Group and its customers, the digital load carrier management offers numerous advantages. Thanks to real-time capture and management through the software, every load carrier is digitally visible at all times. This allows exchange partners who have not implemented the software to view all data regarding the boxes and pallets via a web link. When multiple parties fully utilize the solution, load carrier management operates almost automatically. Comprehensive documentation increases security in the supply chain. This also has a positive financial impact: fewer shortages lead to a lower repurchase rate and thus to lower capital binding.

Photo: © Logistikbude / Image Caption: Employees of Nagel and Logistikbude in Bochum during the implementation