Warehouse and logistics management at Anodica, an interview with Fabio Cosentino

Fabio Cosentino, warehouse and logistics manager at Anodica, talks about the importance of effective management of logistics flows and the constant attention required for goods in the warehouse.

Warehouse and logistics at Anodica, the importance of an effective management.

"One of the key issues at Anodica is logistics, which is included in the ongoing improvement plan pursued by the company at every stage, along with excellence in terms of processes.

In this recent period, logistics management has been subject to continuous "stress", especially during lockdowns. Nowadays, the market is experiencing the continuous development of various purchasing methods, especially online: everything needs to be available with a click. Companies have therefore felt the need to be ready, trying to anticipate market trends. At Anodica, we have embraced this same approach, effectively applying methods that are always based on customer satisfaction, which therefore represent a guiding light, such as:

• Lean Production,
• Kanban,
• Production lines managed according to the FIFO (First In First Out) system.

At Anodica, we are committed to guaranteeing effective logistics on a daily basis, so that the flow of materials is as smooth and timely as possible, allowing the production unit to carry out its work without any kind of interruption. Efficient and smooth management is also achieved thanks to the synergy and teamwork created between the various Team Leaders, who share requirements in advance under the motto: "a place for everything and everything in its place".

Among the key actions taken in this respect, it is important to point out the diversity of finished product shipments, dividing them into "single-code pallet" and "multi-code pallet" lines/processes in order to prepare them in a more practical and efficient manner. At the same time, we have also diversified the picking areas and reduced the number of handling operations to a minimum before the goods are loaded onto a truck.

The choice of "single-code pallets" was based on valuable collaboration and interaction with our customers, with whom we have shared this decision based on common needs. These include having products clearly identified in fixed and specific quantities, which not only meet the needs of our customer's production chains but also our warehouse space management system. "Multi-code pallets", on the other hand, are based on the principles of optimised picking, intended to make pallet preparation as efficient as possible. This is achieved by picking departing goods in dedicated areas and preparing pallets close to departure times in order to optimise lead times.

Before being shipped, all Anodica pallets are provided with customised P. Lists, indicating the customer, quantity and destination codes for easy identification at all times and to facilitate traceability. Matching our customers’ needs with our own business requirements is fundamental to guaranteeing shipments that are correctly handled and on time, thus ensuring a tailor-made service.

Anodica is fully focused on the transition to Industry 4.0, which is crucial for remaining competitive and trying to set itself apart from its competitors. The various actions taken in this regard include a number of investments, such as the new management system, which will use WMS (Warehouse Management Software) to control, coordinate and optimise handling operations and processes, in addition to coordinating the supply chain.".