The iLAN project investigated whether structured production of freight flows can be implemented within an existing horizontal cooperation of logistics companies without structural changes. The study focused on leveraging the current depot network and an already available shipment portfolio to assess its transferability into a network‑based production model derived from the cooperation’s conditions. The technical evaluation revealed that only a very small fraction of the total shipment data could be classified as network‑eligible. Due to insufficient coverage of the available service areas, 80 % of the dataset lay outside the 22 defined operating zones and was therefore excluded from further analysis. An additional 10 % of the data was lost because no depot route existed within the network structure. Consequently, the 17 partner firms operating 22 depots were unable to generate a sufficient added value from networked freight flows. In a subsequent experiment using a different freight segment and a network structure comprising 71 real depots, the number of network‑eligible shipments doubled, confirming the advantage of depot‑based routing and the method of linking surplus capacity. Field trials conducted with partner companies demonstrated the overall effectiveness of the system and the required reaction speed, even when implemented in a laboratory environment. Although the empirical results did not fully meet the expectations set by the theoretical potential analysis, the authors argue that medium‑ to long‑term, a network‑based handling of full‑load freight will replace the highly individualized practices currently in use. This shift is driven by the growing shortage of drivers, the rejection of long absences from home, and the need for tighter delivery windows in domestic supply chains. The monetary benefit of such networked freight flows can serve as an indicator, as optimally designed networks are expected to reduce transport costs more substantially. Moreover, the system supports the long‑term relocation of road freight to more environmentally friendly modes such as rail, thereby improving overall productivity through extended vehicle utilisation, better working conditions for drivers, and more efficient use of existing infrastructure.

The collaboration involved 17 partner companies and 71 depots in the extended test, all operating within the same national logistics network. The University of Applied Sciences Erfurt served as the coordinating research institution, overseeing the design, implementation, and evaluation of the network model. The project ran until March 2018, with the final report scheduled for publication in September 2018. Funding was provided by the German federal government, supporting research into intelligent freight networking and sustainability in transport. The project’s outcomes include a framework for assessing network feasibility, quantitative evidence of the benefits of expanding depot coverage, and a validated field‑trial methodology that can be replicated by other logistics consortia.