Malfatti & Tacchini boost picking accuracy and speed in its new logistics centre just outside Milan

Malfatti & Tacchini boost picking accuracy and speed in its new logistics centre just outside Milan

Pallet racking for pallet storage and picking accelerate the operations at Malfatti & Tacchini

Malfatti-tacchini

The new Malfatti & Tacchini warehouse, an Italian company specialising in hardware and security items ― mainly locks ― has been designed to meet its current logistical needs, as well as to deal with the growth forecasts and expansion in the future. The primary objective posed to Mecalux was to speed up picking operations. For that reason, the installed pallet racks offer direct access to the stored goods and allow swift order preparation.

Needs of Malfatti & Tacchini

Malfatti & Tacchini was founded in Italy in 1908 and over the years has established itself as a leader in the distribution of security and hardware items.

The company required a warehouse with a capacity for more than 30,000 SKUs, as well as an efficient picking system that would allow the preparation of more than 200 orders per day, for a total of approximately 4,000 lines of products.
 

Warehouse distribution

Mecalux has equipped the centre with pallet racks that are organised into two distinct areas:

  • Specific picking racks for small and medium-sized goods.
  • Racks for large volume palletised loads or those of relevant quantities.

On the side of the building, there are the reception and dispatch docks, working in different time slots to avoid interference between the two operations. Also, the warehouse has a wide preloads area on the ground floor, where pallets are packed and prepared for their subsequent shipment.

Loaded pallet racking
In this area, seven double and two single 9.5 m high, 53 m long racks were installed with capacity for more than 4,000 pallets. In these racks, high-volume goods and consumer products delivered in complete boxes are stored. Picking is done at all racking levels by order pickers.

The direct access to the load afforded by pallet racking provides flexibility in the preparation of orders.

As a safety measure, an intermediate passageway was set up in the palletisation area and the picking zone that serves as the emergency exit and facilitates rapid evacuation if necessary.

Picking area
There were seven double-deep and two single-deep racks installed, which are 9 high and 53 m long reserved for the principal warehouse operation: picking. They consist of 16 levels with galvanised metal shelves for the storage of smaller goods, with a 620 kg capacity per level. Operators access products at heights with the help of order pickers, which are adapted for picking in an ergonomic and safe position. Workers prepare orders by waves, i.e., several orders at a time, to optimise the route along the locations within the facility.

The operator stands on a platform and, on the one side, places goods in the containers that make up each order. And on the other side, they access machinery controls to direct the machine to the corresponding locations, following the instructions transmitted by the RF terminal. Finally, orders coming from the two different storage areas are routed to the joint consolidation area where they are prepared and sorted.
 

Advantages for Malfatti & Tacchini

  • Direct access to goods: installed racks offer direct access to the stored goods, allowing very quick order prep.
  • Large capacity: the facility has a capacity for more than 30,000 different SKUs, including more than 4,000 stored on pallets.
  • Nimble picking system: the distribution of shelves and the use of specific machines streamlines the preparation of orders.
Malfatti & Tacchini logistics centre
Storage capacity: 4,388 pallets
Pallet size: 800 x 1,200 mm
Max. pallet weight: 700 kg
Racking height: 9,5 m
Racking length: 53 m

Products used in this project

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