IFOY AWARD 2026: Application phase starts

• The search is on for the best new intralogistics products and system solutions of the year.
• The application portal at www.ifoy.org is open until October 30, 2025.
• The IFOY TEST DAYS will take place from April 15 to 16, 2026, as part of the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS.

Ismaning near Munich, July 29, 2025 – The IFOY AWARD is entering a new round: Starting August 1, the application portal for the International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY AWARD) will be open. Intralogistics providers from around the world can submit their innovative products, solutions, and projects for one of the industry’s most prestigious awards until October 30, 2025.

A total of ten award categories are available, covering the full spectrum of modern intralogistics applications – from forklifts and warehouse equipment to automated and autonomous mobile robots, stationary robotics solutions, software, components, and fully implemented customer projects. Innovations in crane and lifting technology are also eligible for entry.

Special attention is given to the field of automated and autonomous systems, which traditionally attracts the largest number of applicants. The jury also honors outstanding technological innovations, including ergonomic advancements, safety solutions, and efficiency-enhancing tools for warehouses and material flow.

In addition, a dedicated award for start-ups will once again be presented in 2026: The IFOY Start-up of the Year Award is aimed at young companies with forward-looking prototypes, products, or services in the field of intralogistics.

Applications for both awards must be submitted exclusively online at www.ifoy.org. The terms and conditions for participation are available from the IFOY office (Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ). The application deadline is October 30, 2025.

IFOY TEST DAYS 2026 as Part of TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS

All nominated finalists will undergo the three-stage IFOY Audit in April: the IFOY Test, a scientific Innovation Check, and the jury evaluation by renowned trade journalists from 19 countries. There is no direct comparison between entries – each innovation is assessed in relation to its specific market environment.

The IFOY TEST DAYS 2026 will take place within the framework of TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund. The event opens its doors on April 15 and 16, 2026, with functional testing, the Innovation Check, and jury presentations all scheduled during these two days.

The TEST CAMP is a curated, hands-on testing event accompanied by a conference format. Decision-makers from industry, retail, and logistics can test more than 100 exhibits themselves and engage with experts on current technologies and market trends.

The IFOY AWARD is held under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and is organized by the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association and the VDMA Robotics + Automation Association. Partners include Messe Dortmund, Cascade as a leading manufacturer of attachments, and LTG as the official logistics partner.

IFOY AWARD 2026: Overview of Categories

Counter Balanced Truck
Counter balanced trucks of all classes. Heavy Load Forklift and Special Vehicle Container stackers, heavy-duty forklifts over 8 tons.

Warehouse Truck „highlifter“
Warehouse Trucks from 2nd rack level like highlifter narrow aisle, and reach truck, pedestrian-controlled high-lift trucks, order pickers etc.

Warehouse Truck „lowlifter“
Mainly manual warehouse equipment up to approx.1st racking level such as pedestrian controlled lowlifters,tractors, tugger trains, horizontal order pickers etc.

Mobile Robot
Mobile autonomous or automated robots, such as AGVs, AMRs, mobile cobots, robots for automatic unloading and loading of trucks, shuttle(systems), automated industrial trucks etc.

Robot Warehouse System
Automated warehouse systems, stationary robot-based solutions for intralogistic applications such as palletizing and depalletizing, cobots, picking robots.

Intralogistics Software
Apps and intralogistics system or software solutions in the context of the application possibilities, such as warehouse management systems, Forklift control systems, driver assistance systems, fleet management systems etc.

Integrated Customer Solution
Warehouse automation solution successfully implemented at a specific customer, greenfield and brownfield projects.

Special of the Year
Components or technical equipment that significantly improves economic efficiency, sustainability or the physical or mental conditions for the user, such as ergonomic innovations, safety assistance solutions, automation solutions, drive technologies, warehouse aids, forklift attachments etc.

Cranes and Lifting Equipment
Cranes for various applications, such as gantry and bridge cranes, bracket and wall wall travelling cranes, slewing cranes, suspension cranes, light cranes, etc. Lifting equipment for various applications, such as chain and rope hoists, winches, magnetic and vacuum lifters, lifting tables and working platforms etc.

IFOY Start-up of the Year
With the spin-off award IFOY Start-up of the Year the AWARD organization honors innovative technologies and new developments of founders. Start-ups are independent companies that have been on the market for no longer than five years, employ fewer than 30 people and generate annual sales of less than three million euros.


IFOY AWARD WWW.IFOY.ORG
The International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY AWARD) recognises the year's best intralogistics products and system solutions. The aim of the organisation is to document the performance capability and innovative drive of the intralogistics, helping to boost competitiveness and raise the profile of the entire sector in the public arena. The winners of the IFOY AWARD are selected once a year by an independent jury of international trade journalists. The sponsors of the IFOY AWARD are the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Sector Association and the VDMA Robotics + Automation Sector Association. IFOY partners are Messe Dortmund and the world´s leading forklift attachment manufacturer Cascade. The IFOY logistics partner is LTG. IFOY event partner is Phoenix des Lumières. The headquarter of the IFOY organisation is in Ismaning near Munich. The IFOY AWARD is under the patronage of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. In 2024, coverage of the IFOY AWARD reached 2599 articles in 738 media outlets from 45 countries. The organic online media reach (gross) was 886.6 million readers.

Members of the jury: Snejina Badjeva, editor-in-chief Logistika magazine (Bulgaria), Winfried Bauer, editor-in-chief f+h Fördertechnik (Germany), Cecilia Biondi, editor-in-chief Logistica Management (Italy), Alejandra Cabornero, editor-in-chief Logistica Profesional (Spain), Rosa Maria Cherubini, editor Il Giornale della Logistica (Italy), Charleen Clarke, editor-in-chief Focus on Transport and Logistics (South Africa), Theo Egberts, IFOY tester and owner of Buro Andersom / Andersom Testing (Netherlands, without voting rights), Hilda Hultén, editor and publisher Dagens Logistik (Sweden), Klaus Koch, editor-in-chief LogisticsInnovation.org (Switzerland), Véronique Le Voas Barat, publisher and editor Solutions Manutention (France), Valeria Lima de Azevedo Nammur, editor-in-chief LogWeb Magazine (Brazil), Øyvind Ludt, editor-in-chief Moderne Transport (Norway), Peter MacLeod, news editor Logistics Business (Great Britain), Bernd Maienschein, specialist editor MM Logistik (Germany), David Maloney, editorial director DC Velocity and CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly  (USA), Marilena Matei, editorial director Tranzit / Tranzit Logistica (Romania), Matthias Pieringer, editor-in-chief Logistik Heute (Germany), Szilvia Rapi-Jaubert, publisher and editor-in-chief Supply Chain Monitor (Hungary), Sascha Schmel, managing director association materials handling and intralogistics in the VDMA (Germany, without voting rights), Christoph Scholze, editor-in-chief dhf Intralogistik (Germany), Sebastian Śliwieński, editor-in-chief Warehouse Monitor (Poland), Michal Štengl, editor-in-chief Transport a Logistika (Czech Republic), Jarlath Sweeney, editor-in-chief Fleet transport (Ireland), Ying (Crystal) Xu, representative Editor-in-chief, China Industrial News Network (China). The executive chairperson of the jury is Anita Würmser, logistics journalist and managing partner of impact media projects.

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Anita Würmser | impact media projects GmbH | Eckherstraße 10 b | D - 85737 Ismaning I Deutschland
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