This is the English translation of a podcast interview conducted in Italian by radio VENETO24 on Friday July 10, 2026
Riccardo Sandre: “The logistics of the future” is told by Interporto Padova and Green Logistics Expo. Good morning everyone, I am Riccardo Sandre at the microphones of “Logistics of the Future,” the column that recounts the most interesting aspects of the world of transport, the movement of goods, and products that are key functions for the daily life of the country. Logistics is experiencing a period of great changes at a speed unthinkable until only a few years ago, when this sector seemed slower to innovate than others. This rapid acceleration, due to the equally fast evolution of the market, is one of the reasons for the challenges the sector must face today and fuels a significant and interesting debate through seminars, conferences, and even trade fair events. To discuss where logistics is going, we have a special guest with us today, Jean François Daher, Secretary General of Assologistica. He is a key figure who not only knows the sector inside out, having dealt with it for over 45 years, but has also contributed to its innovation and growth in Italy. With him, we try to understand where logistics must aim to be a tool for increasing the value of goods rather than just a cost, and how exhibitions and fairs dedicated to the sector can help outline this future. Good morning, Dr. Daher, and thank you for being with us.
Jean François Daher: Good morning to you and to all the listeners.
Riccardo Sandre: I would say we should start from your experience. Many of our listeners have no idea what it was like to do logistics and transport 40 years ago. How has this sector grown and changed over these decades?
Jean François Daher: Well, many years have passed since the post-war period, and at the beginning, there was only the transport part and the warehouse part, with no other characteristics. Regarding warehouses, there were differences, for example, between refrigerated warehouses, silos for cereals, and even seasoning warehouses for Grana cheese, but these were the only two aspects: transport and warehousing. In fact, those who wanted to give themselves a broader image wrote “transport and storage” on the sides of their trucks. This was the concept of logistics back then.
Riccardo Sandre: Whereas now?
Jean François Daher: Well, now everything has changed; the world has changed. Everything is globalized, and in a few hours, we go from one country to another; we import flowers from Argentina or Holland by air. Everything has changed, especially because transport, warehousing, and distribution are now individual aspects of the entire logistics chain. The entire chain is divided into two parts: the hardware/infrastructure part (ships, planes, railways, etc.) and the software part, which is the logistics integrator that uses all these means to reach final distribution. Large-scale distribution (GDO) and the supply chain have assumed a decisive role today, as seen with e-commerce.
Riccardo Sandre: Then there is proximity logistics, that mass of “Just in Time” deliveries for products bought online delivered within a few hours, which has multiplied the number of vans, often half-empty, in our cities. Can we imagine a different and more rational way to manage this complex phenomenon?
Jean François Daher: Yes, because the problem is that there is no network. We should have ensured there was a network at both the infrastructure exchange level and the software level—programs that integrate all movements of goods. This problem exists, especially in large urban centers where you see half-empty trucks arriving constantly. This is a network problem we still have to face. Many companies are trying to analyze this, and I believe that thanks to technological innovation, we will get there.
Riccardo Sandre: As you said, the sector needs to discuss the future amidst the energy transition, the climate crisis, and geopolitical uncertainties. The demand for logistics is changing; I am thinking of the increasing importance of temperature-controlled transport and healthcare logistics for pharmaceuticals. How can industry fairs contribute? Green Logistics Expo, for example, has chosen to be a laboratory for reflection and analysis with associations, research centers, and businesses, but is it enough?
Jean François Daher: You mentioned the problem of the cold chain and pharmaceutical logistics, which are the two most important aspects we must face today. The evolution of logistics follows the social and economic evolution of a country or the world. Today, consumption habits have changed; once families lived together with grandparents, but today we have single-person households. For food, the cold chain is determining the study of single portions and food preservation. Similarly, for healthcare, it is crucial to be able to deliver the necessary drug directly to the patient’s home, which is an important development opportunity. All this is linked to technological innovation.
Jean François Daher: By technological innovation, I mean digitalization and the cautious but essential use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Investment in this sector is still limited in logistics, and even where something has been done, we clash with an absolute lack of training and the weight of bureaucracy with completely obsolete computer systems. This is what we must face. Today you no longer have the worker carrying a sack on his shoulders; in the warehouse, we have management engineers managing drones.
Jean François Daher: A fair like Green Logistics Expo can be a further step on this path to make it understood that logistics is “total”—a complex of elements, not just a vehicle or a warehouse. A fair can be the occasion for launching these issues with specific meetings and seminars that allow us to compete with other similar European events.
Riccardo Sandre: In essence, it is a tool for in-depth study for a world that is stratified technologically and in terms of skills. We thank Jean François Daher for his intervention, the result of uncommon knowledge and a passion that is still very much alive. Step by step, “Logistics of the Future” seeks to trace a broad picture of the sector. Continue to follow us on Radio Veneto 24 and the official website. Stay with us.
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