Logistics and Wholesale:   Cologne provides solutions

Cologne has been one of the most important trading centers and transport hubs in Europe for over 2,000 years. Even in Roman times, large quantities of goods and merchandise were brought into the city and prepared for onward transportation. Around 4,500 logistics and trading companies in Cologne continue this tradition today.

With almost 79,000 employees, the industry in Cologne generates almost 94 billion euros a year. This makes it the economic sector with the highest turnover in Cologne. And the industry is growing: between 2008 and 2022, the number of employees in Cologne's logistics and retail sector increased by a total of 31%. In total, eighteen of the twenty logistics companies with the highest turnover in Germany are represented in the city with a branch or distribution center, including leading international providers such as Deutsche Post DHL, DB Schenker and Dachser.

With companies such as HGK Integrated Logistics Group, Emons Spedition and Curt Richter, internationally significant medium-sized logistics companies also have their headquarters in Cologne. In the retail sector, Cologne is home to the headquarters of the REWE Group, a major international player.

Cologne's trade Logistics are based on the city's excellent infrastructure and transport connections. The city has benefited from the Rhine, still one of the world's busiest waterways, since ancient times. Today, Cologne can be reached via all relevant, multimodally networked modes of transport - whether by water, air, road or rail.

Cologne Bonn Airport ranks third in Germany and eighth in Europe among the largest cargo airports. The airport operates 24 hours a day all year round and serves as a hub for UPS Airlines and FedEx, two of the largest cargo airlines in the world. In addition, an e-commerce hub is currently under construction at the airport, where innovative handling systems for e-commerce freight are to be developed in cooperation with international partners in the future.

The Cologne-Eifeltor bimodal freight center is one of the most important large-scale handling facilities for combined transport in Europe. The Cologne Rhine ports - with the Niehl port as a relevant container terminal - form the second largest inland port in the country. The dense rail network and ten highways connect Cologne with the whole world. These location factors are the basis for a dense network of competitive logistics companies whose services are used by industry and trade.

The relevance of retail logistics in Cologne is also demonstrated by trade fairs that are relevant throughout Germany, such as the Log retail logistics congress and the presence of leading industry networks and institutes such as GS1 and the EHI Retail Institute. Logistics and retail companies in the location also benefit from Cologne's vibrant start-up and university landscape, which continues to provide the industry with important growth impetus with innovative logistics and retail solutions.

• Active networking of Cologne's Logistics, Transport and Wholesale players through meetups, workshops and challenges
• Networking events (e.g. webcast formats)
• Support for innovation development through individual consulting and project collaboration
• Initiation of funding projects in the fields of logistics, commercial transport and e-commerce
• Communication with the city administration
• Representation of interests in Logistics and Trade competence initiatives
• Free advice on funding