“Fleet! 2026” – The Three Key Trends in Advance

On March 25 and 26, our industry will meet at “Flotte! – The Industry Gathering”, Germany’s largest fleet trade fair. Two halls, around 400 exhibitors across 30,000 square meters – offering plenty of space for innovation and exchange. But what can visitors expect content-wise? Experts highlight three central trends:

Bernd Franke, Managing Director of Flotte Medien GmbH, emphasizes that the role of the fleet manager has fundamentally changed. Today, it is no longer just about managing and organizing vehicles; the mobility manager is responsible for overall corporate mobility. This year, the focus is particularly on the electrification of vehicle fleets, the expansion of charging infrastructure, advancing digitalization, and increasing cost pressures (see Flotte! Der Branchentreff, 2026).

Majk Strika, Managing Director at Holman, explains that transparent and flexible leasing approaches are becoming increasingly important for companies, as they need to respond quickly to economic fluctuations, staff turnover, supply chain issues, and sustainability requirements. Companies that provide on-site services with their vehicles are particularly affected. In the field of “commercial fleets,” there are still too few customized solutions for vans with complex body or conversion requirements – a gap that Holman has successfully addressed. This is not just about leasing: the company coordinates, checks, and pays for all services throughout the vehicle lifecycle, ensuring the best value-for-money combination, billed transparently, based on consumption, and without risk margins (see Die News, 2025).

In the context of digitalization, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also gaining importance, even though its practical application is still evaluated differently. Henning Schick, Sales Director at Holman, advocates a pragmatic, benefit-oriented approach: AI is used specifically where it provides concrete added value for customers. Potentials range from more accurate forecasts through data-driven analyses to real-time responses to disruptions, as well as end-to-end transparency along the supply chain and more sustainable processes through optimized routes and resource utilization.
This assessment is supported by current trade publications, which highlight the growing importance of data-driven and digitally connected supply chains. Companies that invest early in relevant technologies are better able to anticipate risks, respond more quickly, and secure their long-term competitiveness, while those who wait risk being overtaken by more dynamic competitors (see LOGISTIK HEUTE, 2024).

We are happy to discuss these and other trends at the Düsseldorf fair. We look forward to welcoming you in Hall 6, Stand 6/E53!

Sources:
Flotte! Der Branchentreff. (2026). Messejournal 2026 [PDF]. https://derbranchentreff.de/Messejournal2026.pdf

Die News. (2025, 5. September). Maßgeschneidert wirtschaftlich. https://dienews.net/artikel/massgeschneidert-wirtschaftlich/

Recknagel, R. (2026, 7. Januar). Künstliche Intelligenz: Die Zukunft der Lieferkette ist digital. LOGISTIK HEUTE. https://logistik-heute.de/fachmagazin/fachartikel/kuenstliche-intelligenz-die-zukunft-der-lieferkette-ist-digital-240795.html