Hybrid 5G Boosts Automation and Safety at KLG Europe’s Warehouse

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Dutch logistics service provider KLG Europe is taking warehouse automation to the next level with KPN’s hybrid 5G network. The company, which operates worldwide, has implemented the technology at its Waalwijk facility to improve efficiency, safety, and reliability across its operations.

KLG Europe handles logistics and distribution for a major international retailer, where forklifts, aerial platforms, and autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) work together to move goods around the warehouse. Efficiency and continuity are vital, especially during peak periods such as Black Friday. By using 5G to connect AGVs, KLG Europe can now operate with greater precision and reduce disruptions caused by unreliable connections.

Before adopting hybrid 5G, KLG Europe relied on Wi-Fi, which occasionally suffered from coverage gaps and connection losses. These interruptions sometimes stopped AGVs mid-operation, creating safety risks and delays that affected productivity. Each disruption required technical intervention, often resulting in downtime and unplanned shifts in manpower.

With KPN’s hybrid 5G network, data processing partly takes place locally, ensuring low latency and maintaining control on-site. The improvement in network performance has significantly reduced downtime and improved the predictability of output. The consistent data flow has also enhanced the accuracy of operational planning, enabling the company to demonstrate performance against key customer KPIs more effectively.

One of the key benefits KLG Europe has seen is improved workplace safety. Reliable 5G connectivity ensures AGVs can be stopped instantly if necessary, while also allowing employees to work closer to these vehicles without compromising safety. Where workers once had to keep tens of metres away, they can now safely operate within a few metres. This translates into a more efficient use of warehouse space and smoother coordination between people and machines.

The company has also scaled up its deployment following a successful test phase. What started with a few large AGVs has expanded to include more vehicles, including smaller, specialised ones designed to optimise internal logistics further.

KLG Europe’s leadership sees hybrid 5G as a foundation for future innovations. The goal is a warehouse that operates as autonomously as possible, with connected scanners, gates, and equipment all communicating through the same private network. As AI becomes more integrated into warehouse management, this connectivity will enable smarter collaboration between people and machines, helping address labour shortages while maintaining high operational output.

The company also acknowledges the role of reliable network partners in enabling this transformation. KPN’s hybrid 5G model—combining local edge processing with the flexibility of a national 5G network—offers an adaptable approach for industrial automation, where security, control, and performance are equally important.

KPN’s hybrid 5G solution is designed to give enterprises the best of both worlds: the control and security of a local private network combined with the scalability and reach of the public 5G infrastructure. It enables critical data to remain on-site for low latency and high reliability, while less sensitive traffic can route through KPN’s national 5G network. This architecture supports industries that require a high level of operational assurance, such as logistics, manufacturing, and energy, and provides a flexible pathway towards broader digital transformation.

KLG Europe’s experience shows how hybrid 5G can help logistics providers improve safety, optimise performance, and prepare for a more autonomous future. As the technology continues to evolve, many more warehouses are likely to follow this example, blending local control with cloud-enabled intelligence to transform how goods move from storage to shipment.

To learn more about the difference between public, private and hybrid 5G, check out the video tutorial here.

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