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More than 300 industry professionals from 26 countries gathered in Cologne, where EP demonstrated scalable automation solutions for the entire flow of goods, in addition to its growing portfolio of material handling solutions.
From the presentation of new products to demonstrations of complete real-world applications: EP Equipment used its European Event 2026 to demonstrate how its growing automation portfolio can be applied to real-world material flows and offers companies a practical path from an initial automated process to fully integrated intralogistics solutions.
More than 300 dealers, customers, partners, and industry professionals from 26 countries gathered on September 10 at EP’s European headquarters in Cologne. Whereas last year’s event centered on the opening of the new automation showrooms and focused heavily on EP’s growing product portfolio, this year’s emphasis shifted to machines in action, scalable automation applications, and best practices that can be applied in logistics and manufacturing environments.
We noticed a significant change in the topics visitors wanted to discuss.
According to Arjan van Zanten, Vice President of Automation at EP Equipment Europe, a year ago, about 80% of the interest at our event centered on conventional forklifts and about 20% on robotics and automation. This year, that picture was virtually reversed. We welcomed well-known end users from the logistics and manufacturing industries, and automation dominated the conversations.
For us, this confirmed something important: companies are ready to automate, but are looking for a practical way to get started. That, in turn, became one of the main themes of this year’s event.
The message behind the demonstrations was clear: companies don’t have to start right away with a fully automated warehouse. Even the most ambitious automation projects can begin with a single, clearly defined process, using solutions that can be scaled up and integrated as needs evolve.
For EP, automation calls for a different approach to internal transportation.
“We can no longer simply define our machines as forklifts,” Van Zanten told the audience. “We have to define them based on the work they perform, their application, and the specific task they carry out.”
EP structures this approach around four fundamental intralogistics functions: loading and unloading, transport, storage, and order picking. Rather than starting with a truck and then figuring out how to automate it, the flow of goods and the task at hand serve as the starting point.
This approach was demonstrated throughout the event. For automated transport and cross-docking applications, EP’s X Mover solutions and an application from Cainiao/Alibaba were showcased, among others, while an application from Schnellecke Logistics demonstrated automated storage and compact stacking. With the new DASP system and the XNA, the focus was expanded to order picking, while a specific application for loading and unloading addressed one of the more challenging areas within automation.
The message was also clear regarding how companies can get started. Automation doesn’t have to begin with a fully autonomous warehouse. A single repetitive and predictable flow of goods can be a suitable starting point, after which the system can be gradually expanded to more integrated applications.
“Step by step, we can continue to grow in this area,” said Van Zanten.
EP is also continuing to develop capabilities related to automated vehicles. An AI-supported presales workflow demonstrated in Cologne combines 3D scans of locations, customer requirements, and information about goods flows to support solution design, route planning, digital twins, and simulations prior to implementation.
Together with software integration and AI-powered after-sales capabilities, this reflects a broader approach in which the robot is just one component of the overall solution. Hardware, software, AI, simulation, and system integration are increasingly converging around the process that needs to be automated.
The goal is to offer a range of entry-level options: from simple applications that can be implemented today to fully integrated solutions for logistics and manufacturing.
Automation Alongside a Growing Machine Portfolio
The growing focus on automation does not mean that EP is phasing out conventional material-handling equipment.
During the second half of the European Event, EP showcased its growing portfolio with live demonstrations and test drives. Key developments included the PRO Series, designed for intensive professional applications, and a new series of electric rough-terrain forklifts ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 metric tons, which extend electric material handling to demanding outdoor environments.
EP also unveiled the second generation of its High Voltage series, ranging from 4 to 12 metric tons, featuring improvements in reliability, operator comfort, visibility, maneuverability, and ease of maintenance for demanding industrial applications.
Together, both parts of the event reflected EP’s broader strategy: strengthening the machinery needed for today’s internal transportation operations, while simultaneously building the automation capabilities required for increasingly interconnected flows of goods.
John He, CEO and founder of EP Equipment, framed this development as part of a broader shift from traditional material handling to ‘material moving’—a concept that focuses not only on the machine itself, but primarily on the way goods move through the entire logistics process.
For EP, this long-term vision begins with practical applications that companies can implement today.
This approach became clearly evident during European Event 2026: start with the task, automate where it makes sense, and build on the initial application to create increasingly integrated goods flows.
