Poland How Industry 5.0 is changing the logistics industry

After years of rapid expansion, Poland's warehouse market is entering a more selective phase. Following record levels of new supply, 2025 saw a marked slowdown in new developments. Lease renewals and renegotiations gained prominence, with their volume exceeding new take-up for the first time on record—more than 3.5 mln sqm compared with 3.3 mln sqm of new demand. Greater emphasis is also being placed on the quality of locations and their ability to support modern technologies, rather than simply the headline rent. This shift reflects a broader change in how warehouses are perceived. Increasingly, they are regarded as an integral part of companies' operational and investment strategies, rather than simply places to store goods.

Logistics as a source of competitive advantage

The same trend is reflected in global data presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The 'Global Trade Observatory Annual Outlook Report 2026', published by DP World and based on a survey of more than 3,500 supply chain managers, shows that logistics is no longer viewed as merely a support but is becoming one of the key sources of competitive advantage.

Despite ongoing political uncertainty and growing trade barriers, 94 pct of respondents expect global trade to continue expanding in 2026. At the same time, every manager surveyed identified customs procedures as one of the main causes of delays, while 45 pct cited limited warehouse capacity as a significant bottleneck. Nearly four in ten (39 pct) believe distribution centres and logistics hubs are among the most important areas for future infrastructure investment. The report also reveals that 96 pct of businesses expect at least part of their operations to be automated by the end of 2026. Put simply, underinvested or poorly designed warehouse facilities are increasingly constraining the performance of entire supply chains.

For years, intralogistics was treated as little more than a cost centre and a non-value-adding operation, with investment repeatedly deferred. Today, with labour costs rising, labour shortages intensifying and markets becoming increasingly volatile, it has become not only a business-critical process but the glue that holds an organisation together and a genuine source of competitive advantage.
Adam Pajda, head of the intralogistics at ASTOR

From expansion to efficiency

In response to these challenges, companies are taking a much closer look at how they use their existing warehouse space. Rather than expanding their footprint, many are focusing on improving productivity by redesigning racking layouts, increasing storage density and shortening picking routes. IT solutions, including warehouse management systems (WMS) and slotting tools that position products according to picking frequency, are playing an increasingly important role by analysing stock movement and optimising product placement.

Optimisation is also being extended across entire property portfolios. Decisions to stay in an existing facility or relocate are increasingly favouring proven locations, particularly where the costs of moving and the risk of operational disruption are high.

Automation and ESG become common ground

At the same time, mechanisation, robotics and the integration of warehouses with customers' ERP systems and sales platforms are becoming increasingly important. In e-commerce, retail and third-party logistics, automated sorting systems, mobile racking, autonomous vehicles and advanced analytics and artificial intelligence are becoming standard. These technologies support demand forecasting, inventory management and returns processing. Reports, including 'Industry 5.0 and Green Supply Chain Management Synergy for Sustainable Development' and 'The Integration of Green Logistics and Industry 5.0', show that when combined with cloud platforms and digital twins (virtual models of buildings), these technologies improve warehouse efficiency while reducing environmental impact and supporting better product lifecycle management.

ESG has become a common priority for developers, investors, lenders and occupiers alike. JLL's review of the 2025 market highlights that, after a period of rapid growth, sustainability is no longer simply a marketing slogan but a prerequisite for securing finance. Energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy management systems and emissions reduction are increasingly influencing a building's attractiveness, alongside social factors such as transport accessibility, staff welfare facilities, health and safety, and the overall quality of the working environment.

Industry 4.0 versus Industry 5.0 – the key shift

Industry 4.0 focused primarily on digitising and automating processes. In warehousing and distribution, this meant introducing digital technologies, robotics, the Internet of Things and big data to improve productivity, reduce costs and minimise errors. Success was largely measured in terms of throughput, order fulfilment times and unit costs.

Industry 5.0, promoted by the European Commission, does not replace this model but builds upon it. It is based on three core principles: human-centricity, sustainability and resilience. In the European context, this means moving beyond viewing technology solely as a cost-saving tool and instead designing solutions that also improve working conditions, reduce environmental impact and strengthen supply chains against future disruption.

The pandemic and the energy crisis were not isolated events but a harsh stress test that exposed the strategic weaknesses of many supply chains. Industry 5.0 is not simply another EU initiative—it represents a new operating model for logistics, in which the warehouse becomes a form of insurance policy for the entire business. This fundamentally changes the way companies think: resilience is no longer a cost but a prerequisite for survival, sustainability becomes essential for accessing capital, and a human-centred approach is vital if investments in technology are to deliver real returns.
Klaudia Rydz, consultant, industrial agency, JLL

This is why warehousing, storage and distribution are identified in the European Commission's 'Industry 5.0: A Transformative Vision for Europe' as natural areas for implementing Industry 5.0 principles. They sit at the intersection of digital technology, energy consumption, emissions, workplace organisation and customer expectations—all the elements the new model seeks to bring together.

A warehouse designed around people

Research carried out by LIUC's Warehouse 5.0 project and reviews such as 'Workplace Well-being in Industry 5.0' show that a human-centric warehouse combines intelligent technologies with ergonomics, safety and employee wellbeing. In practice, this includes collaborative robots (cobots), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), exoskeletons, wearable devices and augmented reality, all of which reduce the physical strain of the most demanding tasks.

In reality, the transition from "Warehouse 4.0" to "Warehouse 5.0" has been underway for some time. It involves moving away from viewing automation purely as a means of cutting labour costs. Instead, technology takes over repetitive, physically demanding or error-prone tasks, allowing employees to focus on work requiring experience, judgement and decision-making.

In our experience, the greatest value comes from projects that improve productivity, ergonomics and operational resilience at the same time. The most common mistake is implementing automation as an end in itself, without considering users' needs or the long-term flexibility of operational processes.
Jacek Olszewski, director & partner at Miebach Consulting Group

Another important element is the human factor—actively involving employees in process design, pilot projects and the development of safety procedures. Guidance from the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES) and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) indicates that this approach not only improves employee wellbeing and job satisfaction but also reduces staff turnover, minimises errors and increases acceptance of new technologies.

Leadership is also becoming increasingly important. Successful transformation requires leaders who can combine operational, technological and organisational perspectives, set priorities, establish the framework for automation and robotics, and guide organisations through change.

Human-centred decisions, made in the context of modern technologies, ultimately deliver higher efficiency, greater operational resilience and more predictable processes.
Adam Pajda

A Polish example: Auchan's warehouse at Wilcza Góra

A practical example of Industry 5.0 in action is Auchan's distribution centre at Wilcza Góra, near Warsaw, which is based on Ocado Smart Platform technology. It is one of Europe's most highly automated online grocery warehouses, using hundreds of autonomous robots and advanced IT systems to pick orders with exceptional accuracy, intelligently manage inventory and order sequencing, and monitor product storage conditions. This enables the facility to make better use of space, reduce errors and waste, and shorten order fulfilment times.

At the same time, people remain central to the operation. Employees oversee processes, respond to exceptional situations, ensure customer service quality and help develop the systems used to supervise robotic equipment.

Projects like this also require a different model of collaboration between retailers, technology providers, logistics operators and property owners. That in itself reflects one of Industry 5.0's core principles—shifting the emphasis from one-off investments to long-term partnerships.

It's also a perfect example of how technology, people and sustainability need to work together in harmony.,
Edyta Kowalska, Senior Consultant, Industrial Agency, JLL

A buzzword or a genuine competitive advantage?

At the EU level, the discussion centres on Industry 5.0, the circular economy and resilient supply chains. In Poland's logistics sector, the same transformation is more commonly described in terms of automation, digitalisation, ESG and property portfolio optimisation. In reality, however, they all point in the same direction.

The real battle for competitive advantage in Polish logistics will not be won through individual technologies but through strategy. Industry 5.0 will remain little more than a buzzword for companies that treat it as a checklist—a robot here, solar panels there, an ergonomics training course elsewhere. The winners will be those who recognise that it is not simply a collection of separate investments but a single, integrated operating model.

The key question is no longer whether we can afford to make this transition. It's how quickly we can redesign our businesses before the cost of transformation rises further and what is currently a proactive choice becomes a market necessity.
Klaudia Rydz