Bernd Maienschein
Specialist editor
MM Group
Dipl.-Betriebswirt (FH) Bernd Maienschein (born 1964) is a logistics editor at the Vogel Communications Group in Würzburg (MM Group).
Among other things, he is responsible for the editorial content of the MM LOGISTIK media brand and is editor of MASCHINENMARKT. Bernd has been a juror for the IFOY AWARD since the very beginning and is also a juror for the Logistics Hall of Fame.
Bernd studied business administration at the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt. After graduating with a degree in business administration and completing his military service, he began his career as an advertising assistant at the former Vogel-Verlag in Würzburg, before completing a traineeship at the trade journal “Umweltmagazin” and subsequently taking responsibility for the editorial departments of various international trade journals. He then moved to “MM MASCHINENMARKT”. In 2002, he was involved in the development of “MM LOGISTIK”, where he was editor-in-chief until 2021.
Seeing, touching, trying out - that's what makes the IFOY AWARD so special for me. The IFOY audit and the exchange with colleagues from the expert jury are a highlight for me every year.
Specialist fields
Conveyor technology, warehouse technology, packaging technology, distribution logistics, logistics IT, management
Websites
Publications
MM LOGISTICS
MM MACHINERY MARKET
Contact
Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG
Max-Planck-Str. 7/9
97082 Würzburg
Deutschland
T +49 931 4182195
bernd.maienschein@vogel.de
Interview
What do you expect from an IFOY applicant?
In addition to meeting the formal criteria, candidates must be passionate about their products and solutions. They must be able to answer all of the judges’ questions satisfactorily. And the product or solution must be “rock-solid” as well as easy to understand, easy to use and inexpensive to maintain and not just “nice to have”. Where no added value or savings are achieved, an “innovation” does not deserve its name.
What else can companies surprise you with as a juror?
With products based on the motto “keep it simple and stupid”.
Can you remember the first IFOY winner who was also your favorite?
Yes, back then (2013) the light colors clearly dominated: The winners were appliances from Still, Jungheinrich and Crown in particular.
How much has the focus on sustainability changed intralogistics?
Not very, because intralogistics has always been sustainable. After all, it’s not just about protecting resources and a good public image, but also about financial issues such as TCO and the maintenance costs of economical vehicles.
What makes a product innovative?
It is not necessarily the latest technique or technology that is decisive. Innovative combinations of skills that lead to better, new results also play a role.
How do you proceed with the evaluation?
My approach is undogmatic. First look at everything, touch it, try it out and then give feedback to colleagues on the expert jury. And then sleep on it for (at least) one night and maybe do a bit of research – because even trade journalists can’t possibly have the entire intralogistics market in their heads.
What is your highlight at the IFOY AWARD?
Definitely the testing. I always look forward to doing my rounds on a forklift truck.
