Körber & NVIDIA to Build AI-Powered Digital Twins for Logistics

HAMBURG, Germany – March 17, 2026 – International technology group Körber has announced a major collaboration with AI and graphics powerhouse NVIDIA to reshape the future of the supply chain industry. The partnership will leverage NVIDIA's Omniverse platform to create physics-accurate digital twins of warehouses and logistics facilities, heralding a new era of AI-driven optimization and automation.

This initiative aims to fuse Körber's decades of deep operational expertise in logistics with NVIDIA's advanced simulation technology. By building virtual replicas of complex supply chain environments, the companies plan to unlock unprecedented levels of efficiency, test innovations at rapid speed, and even train the next generation of warehouse robotics, including humanoid systems, in a risk-free digital realm.

The Digital Twin Revolution

At the heart of the collaboration is the concept of a 'physical AI'—an artificial intelligence that understands and interacts with the world based on the laws of physics. This is made possible by NVIDIA's Omniverse, a development platform for creating and operating 3D internet applications and industrial digital twins. Unlike simple 3D models, these digital twins are hyper-realistic, physics-based virtual environments that mirror their real-world counterparts with stunning fidelity.

Using NVIDIA's Omniverse libraries, Körber can construct a virtual warehouse that not only looks like the real thing but behaves like it too. Powered by NVIDIA's PhysX engine, the simulation can accurately model the weight of a parcel, the friction of a conveyor belt, and the complex movements of an autonomous forklift. This allows for the creation of a 'single source of truth' where changes to a facility's design or workflow can be tested and validated with high confidence before committing to costly physical changes.

The platform's foundation on Universal Scene Description (USD), an open-source 3D framework developed by Pixar, ensures seamless data aggregation from various design and engineering tools. This interoperability is crucial for creating comprehensive models that incorporate everything from architectural blueprints to the specific operational logic of sorting machinery, enabling a holistic approach to optimization.

"Working with NVIDIA marks a pivotal moment for Körber and the supply chain industry," said Helena Garriga, Körber Executive Board Member and President of its Business Area Supply Chain. "By integrating cutting-edge NVIDIA AI and simulation capabilities with our deep operational know-how, we are redefining what intelligent logistics can achieve."

A Strategic Play in a Competitive Field

The move positions Körber and NVIDIA at the forefront of a highly competitive market for industrial digitalization. The supply chain technology sector is already populated by major players like Siemens and Dassault Systèmes, both of whom have their own digital twin and simulation offerings. Siemens, for instance, has its own partnership with NVIDIA to enhance its industrial automation software, while Dassault's 3DEXPERIENCE platform is a stalwart in virtual modeling.

However, the Körber-NVIDIA alliance stands out for its specific focus on 'physical AI' and the deep integration of Körber's vast repository of real-world logistics data. While competitors offer robust platforms, this collaboration aims to combine best-in-class simulation technology with the domain-specific knowledge required to solve complex logistics challenges across sectors like pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).

By leveraging Omniverse, Körber can simulate and optimize entire robotic fleets and human-robot collaboration before a single robot is deployed. This includes generating synthetic, photorealistic data to train robot perception models, a technique that drastically reduces AI development time and cost—a capability already being explored by companies like Amazon Robotics and the KION Group in their own warehouse optimization efforts.

From Warehouse Blueprints to Optimized Reality

The practical applications for Körber's customers are substantial. The digital twins will serve as virtual sandboxes where complex 'what-if' scenarios can be run without disrupting live operations. A manager for a retail distribution center could simulate the impact of a sudden surge in demand during a holiday season, testing different staffing levels, inventory placements, and robotic deployments to find the optimal strategy. Similarly, a pharmaceutical company could model a new cold-chain logistics process to ensure compliance and efficiency before implementation.

The ability to prototype rapidly in a virtual environment significantly shortens the path from concept to reality. Layout changes that would traditionally take months of planning and physical trial-and-error can be designed, tested, and perfected in days. This accelerates innovation and provides decision-makers with data-backed confidence.

"The digital twins we are developing together with NVIDIA represent a major step forward for our customers," stated Stephan Seifert, CEO of Körber. "They enable complex operations to be designed, simulated, and optimized in a fully virtual environment – long before any hardware is installed. By doing so, we shorten the path from concept to go-live, enable faster and more confident decision-making, and deliver measurable performance gains."

The Future of Work and the Supply Chain

The widespread adoption of such powerful AI and automation technologies promises to fundamentally transform the logistics workforce and the nature of the supply chain itself. While automation may displace certain manual and repetitive tasks, it is also expected to create new roles focused on managing, maintaining, and optimizing these highly complex digital-physical systems. The industry will see a growing demand for simulation specialists, robotics engineers, and data scientists who can operate at the intersection of AI and logistics.

This technological shift also raises important questions regarding data security, algorithmic transparency, and workforce transition. As digital twins become deeply integrated with physical operations, ensuring the security of sensitive operational data becomes paramount. Furthermore, the industry will need to invest heavily in upskilling and reskilling programs to prepare the workforce for a future where human-robot collaboration is the norm.

By simulating human-robot workstations, the technology can be used to improve employee ergonomics and safety, turning a potential job threat into a tool for worker enhancement. As Körber moves forward with its long-term 'LIFE 2035' strategy, navigating these societal and ethical considerations will be as critical as the technological development itself to ensure a sustainable and equitable evolution of the global supply chain.