Endurance, Innovation and Digitalisation in Cash Services – A 2026 Outlook by the ZIEMANN GROUP

Cash-in-transit service providers face various challenges: regulatory requirements are increasing, artificial intelligence and e-mobility are becoming equally important, and cost pressure continues to rise. What is needed are solutions that ensure efficiency, transparency and security while also meeting evolving customer expectations in cash management.

For the ZIEMANN GROUP, this means questioning established practices and moving forward with persistence and innovative strength. In this interview with Hans-Jörg Hisam and Heinz Spiegelmacher, we take a look at the year 2026 – which trends are emerging for the industry, what role technologies will play, and how the company is positioning itself strategically.

The State of the CIT Sector

ALVARA: Mr. Hisam, in 1989 the sale of ZIEMANN to your family took place. You therefore look back on many years of experience in the cash-in-transit sector. From your point of view, what characterized the year 2025?

Hans-Jörg Hisam:
2025 was marked by a more demanding economic environment. We are experiencing a time in which security is being redefined – not only physically, but also digitally and, above all, emotionally in people’s personal perception. Customer expectations are rising, while at the same time we must continue to develop ourselves in order to meet these expectations. For us, this means maintaining balance: between expectations, quality and cost pressure, between tried-and-tested processes and innovation. The year showed how important perseverance, adaptability and our team’s passion for what we do truly are.

Mr. Spiegelmacher, you are Managing Director of ZIEMANN SICHERHEIT Holding GmbH and member of the Executive Board at Cash Logistik Security AG, bringing with you many years of expertise in the cash and valuables sector and the financial industry. Since you are also responsible for sales and strategic matters within the ZIEMANN GROUP, you are exactly the right person for our next questions.

Therefore, we would like to turn to you: How would you describe the current state of the industry at the end of 2025?

Heinz Spiegelmacher:
The industry has consolidated and evolved significantly over the last 15 years. We now see a few strong regional service providers and two operating nationwide. At the same time, the cash-in-transit sector has become highly professionalized – far beyond the classic transport of cash and valuables. Today, we speak of complex processes and value chains offered by service providers. From route planning to ATM deployment, technical support and the full workflow from cash to book money, the portfolio has expanded. This shows how strongly our business field has changed and how proactively the industry has adapted to market and customer demands.

2026: A New Year, a New Strategy!

What do you see as three key topics that will shape the CIT industry in 2026?

Mr. Hisam:
First: Security remains the core topic – and in a new dimension. We must take adequate and effective measures for our employees and customers, especially in a changing security landscape.
Second: The economic framework conditions are and will remain challenging. Here we need to maintain a balanced price-performance policy that is fair to both sides.
Third: Despite all challenges, we want to keep our optimism and pass on our enthusiasm for the business – to our teams and to our customers.

Where do you see the greatest potential – and the greatest risks?

Mr. Hisam:
Significant potential certainly lies in the digitalisation and automation of our processes. Here, we can increase efficiency and enhance security.
Risks arise primarily from geopolitical and economic uncertainty. These factors influence investments and the public’s confidence in cash. This is why we must remain flexible and continue raising our security levels in close coordination with security authorities, insurers and specialised experts.
We also want to ensure that the cash cycle – in cooperation with the Bundesbank, the financial sector and retailers – is designed to be as efficient and secure as possible, enabling our customers to fully focus on their core business.

How do these developments affect day-to-day operations and your customers?

Mr. Spiegelmacher:
Our customers expect transparent and comprehensible pricing models, consistent quality and relief through our services – and that’s exactly what we provide. At the same time, we invest in motivating our teams. Only when enthusiasm for the job is palpable internally will it be felt by customers. That is a decisive factor for our success.

What role do digitalisation, automation and new technologies (e.g. AI, IoT, Edge) play in your plans for 2026?

Mr. Hisam:
A very significant one. We rely on digital monitoring systems, automated processes and intelligent analytics. AI can help us detect risks at an early stage and optimise workflows. But technology does not replace humans – their attention and integrity remain essential.

How do regulatory requirements, physical and digital security, and sustainability affect the industry?

Mr. Spiegelmacher:
Regulation is now a central factor in the cash-in-transit sector, and its relevance reflects the evolving demands of a dynamic market. Within cash management, we offer our customers – and not only the banking sector – MaRisk-compliant auditing and advisory services. For many customers, cash management is a core component of their financial and liquidity management. Risks such as liquidity shortages, operational failures or insufficient controls must be identified and prevented early on. Our full-service offerings and MaRisk-compliant solutions build trust and security for credit institutions, their customers and retail partners, ensure regulatory compliance – particularly in outsourcing and auditing – and provide transparency and verifiability during inspections and audits.
At the same time, external factors such as the security situation in Germany have changed drastically. Organised crime, armed robberies and cyberattacks pose new and sometimes severe challenges – also for cash logistics. We respond with a holistic security concept: state-of-the-art vehicle technology, control centre monitoring, intelligent security systems such as ink staining in case of attacks, extensive training for our employees and specialised protection teams. For us, security means more than technology – it is about responsibility for people, assets and the stability of the cash cycle.
Sustainability adds another dimension: from the vehicle fleet to energy-efficient processes in logistics planning. This is not a trend but an obligation we must all actively shape together.

We noticed that your fleet comprises around 1,000 vehicles, for which you have developed an e-mobility strategy. Is electromobility particularly challenging for armoured vehicles?

Mr. Spiegelmacher:
Absolutely. Weight, range and safety are particular challenges in armoured vehicles. We are working on solutions that are practical and sustainable. E-mobility will become more prominent in certain areas – but it needs time and intelligent concepts.

What role do organic and inorganic growth play in the CIT sector?

Mr. Hisam:
Both are important. Organic growth shows that our services and performance are convincing. Inorganic growth – acquisitions – can be meaningful if it fits strategically, creates synergies and adds value. We examine this carefully and continuously, also with regard to our future development.

The ZIEMANN Zeitgeist

How do you integrate new technologies into your existing operational and security processes?

Mr. Hisam:
We proceed step by step: we systematically follow trends and developments and are active in global networks. We select what fits, launch pilot projects, and conduct extensive testing. Only after a thorough selection and evaluation process can a rollout take place. This ensures that new technologies are not only innovative but also suitable and practical for us.
At the same time, within the ZIEMANN GROUP we analyse and evaluate which strategic growth path we want to pursue consistently. Acquisitions such as Südalarm GmbH represent clear steps toward an expanded portfolio. Services and companies that create synergies and added value within our group, for our customers and our standards, are potential growth drivers. It is not only essential that the service offering of a strategic asset fits our needs; we also place great value on the people joining our ZIEMANN family, paying particular attention to company culture.

How do you ensure transparency, compliance and security throughout the entire cash cycle – from POS to the central bank?

Mr. Hisam:
Through an appropriate organisational structure within the ZIEMANN GROUP, efficient and transparent processes, digital interfaces and regular audits. Our ambition is: maximum traceability and transparency, clear allocation of responsibilities, and the highest security standards.

How does ZIEMANN respond to changing customer needs?

Mr. Spiegelmacher:
Quite simply: we listen. The world is changing, customer needs are changing – and we respond flexibly, adjusting our services and processes wherever it is sensible and sustainable. Whether new deposit technologies, technical services related to certified alarm and fire detection systems including full structural planning and certification, individual security concepts or digital services: we develop solutions that fit.

Finally, one last question: What message would you give CIT decision-makers for 2026?

Mr. Hisam:
Stay clear and reliable, invest in security, and never forget: in the end, it is people who make the difference.

And you, Mr. Spiegelmacher?

Mr. Spiegelmacher:
See change as an opportunity. Do not look to Berlin, but to your own capabilities, competencies and performance. Those who combine innovation and responsibility will achieve success even in turbulent times.

Thank you very much, Mr. Hisam and Mr. Spiegelmacher, for your time.

About the person
Hans-Jörg Hisam is shareholder and Chairman of the Management Board of ZIEMANN SICHERHEIT Holding GmbH. Over the course of 25 years, he developed the regional cash-in-transit provider from Schallstadt into a corporate group with seven companies, becoming the No. 2 CIT provider in Germany with annual revenues of more than €360 million, around 3,400 employees and approximately 1,000 vehicles.

About the person
Heinz Spiegelmacher is a trained banking specialist and has been Managing Director of ZIEMANN SICHERHEIT Holding GmbH since 2013 and, since 2022, a board member of the subsidiary Cash Logistik Security AG. His deep industry expertise is based on leadership roles in the banking and credit sector as well as the cash-in-transit industry.

Your cash management is set to change in 2026? We would be happy to show you various opportunities for greater security, efficiency and transparency.