Tour planning at Rossmann rethought with AI

BURGWEDEL, June 13, 2025 - ROSSMANN is driving the digitalization and efficiency of its logistics forward and is relying on an innovative AI solution developed in collaboration with the Hanover-based company Graphmasters.

NUNAV replaces the previous route planning software and sets new standards in logistics. The collaboration with Graphmasters, a leading technology partner for route planning, underscores ROSSMANN's commitment to optimized processes and improved working conditions. Rethinking route planning with NUNAV by Graphmasters Together with the innovative company Graphmasters from Hanover, ROSSMANN has developed an AI-supported route planning system that sets new standards in realism and planning accuracy. The solution surpasses the previously market-leading software and will completely replace it in the future. The goal: to make route planning as realistic as possible in order to ensure optimal scheduling and utilization of trucks. "Graphmasters impresses with decades of expertise in traffic calculation and navigation systems. What particularly convinced us—apart from Graphmasters' agile and responsive way of working—was their different approach to traffic calculation, which leads to more accurate predictions and more precise planning for our trucks and drivers. These are completely new dimensions in logistics," explains Henrik van Duuren, Head of Logistics. The core of the system is an AI module that creates accurate forecasts for the future based on millions of collected traffic data points. In addition, the system uses the concept of collaborative routing to distribute traffic more efficiently and avoid congestion. In this way, alternative routes are identified to prevent traffic overloads. The key feature: thanks to artificial intelligence, the system can accurately predict future order volumes based on historical data—a major advantage, since the final volume of goods to be delivered to stores is often only known at short notice. At the same time, drivers' vacation and working hours are automatically integrated into the planning, allowing for flexible and forward-looking deployment planning. Successful implementation and outlook ROSSMANN has already equipped nearly all regional warehouse locations with the new NUNAV system. The rollout was successful because the route planning was developed in close coordination with the on-site operational teams. With this, ROSSMANN is well prepared for future challenges and can continuously optimize its logistics processes to ensure future-proof, efficient, and employee-friendly logistics. Flexible and innovative project partner During the 1.5-year development and implementation phase, Graphmasters proved to be an extremely agile and reliable partner. Processes that are usually time-consuming and complex were implemented in a very short time. Compared to competitors, Graphmasters demonstrated exceptional flexibility and responded promptly to all customization requests. This speed and customer orientation were key to the successful rollout of the new software, which ensures smooth operation of ROSSMANN logistics. Forward-looking logistics solutions The innovative route planning system not only realistically maps current processes, but also enables the simulation and evaluation of future scenarios. This means ROSSMANN is well equipped for upcoming challenges and can sustainably optimize its logistics processes.