For four decades, the German Logistics Congress, organized by BVL (Bundesvereinigung Logistik), was the leading conference format in the logistics sector. Each year, over 2,000 executives gathered at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin.
But the format began to falter. Attendance dropped significantly, “cooler” competitors emerged, and the challenges facing the industry evolved rapidly. Urgently needed modernization efforts were either delayed too long or approached far too cautiously. While tweaks were made here and there, in the end, it needed a more forceful push – a real “crowbar moment.”
The post-COVID era painfully revealed just how fragile the German Logistics Congress system had become. To put it politely: outdated, conservative, and elitist. The DLK became a gathering primarily of older, white, German male C-level executives – a far cry from BVL’s original vision of being a community for everyone in the logistics and supply chain space, including those beyond Germany.
Shouldn’t the most relevant networking and knowledge platform in the logistics sector aim much higher? Shouldn’t it respond to the growing talent shortage with formats that inspire and engage people early in their careers? The answer was clear – but it also presented serious challenges. A new look alone wouldn’t be enough to transform such an established event.
Starting in 2022, we partnered with BVL to embark on a journey of discovery. Through numerous workshop sessions, we took a hard look at both the format and BVL itself – and helped shape a bold new direction.
What emerged was Supply Chain CX – a format that blends conference and expo, preserving the strengths that made DLK successful for 40 years, while opening up in entirely new ways. For everyone who wants to be part of it. With informative, engaging, and dialog-driven formats. With strong brands and emotional moments. Both in terms of scenography and programming.
The first Supply Chain CX in 2024 at Berlin’s Estrel Hotel already broke attendance records – with a noticeably younger, more diverse, and more international audience.
All going according to plan. We’re excited for the second edition of CX in 2025.
Photo credit: BVL/ Christian Lietzmann, Kay Herschelmann
