Bindi
Famous Pastries Tracked from Production to Delivery, Improving Productivity and Reducing Costs
“The ability to manage our entire logistics trail, facilitated by Psion, has significantly improved our productivity, and reduced our costs.” – Dr. Scurati, Operations Director, Bindi
Founded in Milan, Italy in 1946, Bindi is world-renowned for its imaginative ice creams, cakes and desserts. Over the years, traditional skills and original recipes have been combined with modern production techniques to ensure consistent, high-quality products for their customers. The company, who sells fresh and frozen product, produces roughly 35,000 pastries per day. It supplies 180 concessions, provides other companies with products for branding, as well as selling directly to the final consumer via its own stores. The result is extremely complex logistics. “It’s a fairly unique situation,” said Dr. Marco Scurati, Operations Director. “Not only are the products delicate, they must reach the final consumer in excellent condition. Therefore, the timeliness of handling is of utmost importance, and the warehouse must be strictly managed.”
The Challenge:
- The main warehouse is kept at a temperature of -30°C (22°F) to maintain the quality of its frozen products. It holds approximately 8,000 pallet sections and manages approximately 700 different codes. More importantly, there are 70,000 to 80,000 containers delivered per year, each with multiple layers, which require an incredible amount of sorting. As a result, management of the logistics is extremely complex. Staff must manage an extraordinary number of references for various types of customers with different service requirements, all in an environment of -30°C (-22°F).
- The complex logistics of the warehouse gave rise to a need for automatic individual identification and tracking of each Bindi product.
- Another critical aspect to consider was the passage of equipment from a temperature of -30°C (-22°F) to approximately 0°C (32°F). This thermal increase results in condensation, which is harmful to normal electronic equipment and cables. It was very important that the mobile terminals function in both environments.
The Solution:
- Psion was chosen to provide the solution due, in part, to the reputation of its hardware to be rugged enough to withstand the frigid conditions of the warehouse. The handhelds were subjected to laboratory tests that verified their ability to endure and perform in such conditions. The potential problem of failing batteries was also resolved with Psion equipment.
- The automatic identification system is based on narrowband radio frequency transmission, in part because of its known reliability. The system is comprised of one Psion Wireless Gateway operating as a mini-controller and one operating as a Base Station on slave mode, managed via the Ethernet, using TCP/IP protocol. The company also adopted the use of five handheld terminals and four vehicle mount, full screen terminals, as well as eight scanners.
- The automated system identifies each product by means of a barcode, and tracks its progress from production, to the warehouse and through to delivery. When the products arrive at the warehouse, the operator can determine from the terminal where to place them, based on the required conditions as well as optimization of warehouse spaces.
- Upon receipt of a customer order with defined expiration dates, the system determines availability. The warehouse operator verifies the information and gives the order to prepare the product for release. Operators receive all order information and verification via the terminals, and arrange for the loading of the product onto the appropriate vehicles. The system retains all the information on the released product, including the name of the customer to whom it has been sent.
The Benefits:
- Psion provided a sophisticated and reliable solution, able to withstand the harsh conditions of the Bindi warehouse.
- The company is able to track their products, in a timely manner, from production through to storage and final delivery. “The ability to manage our entire logistics trail, facilitated by Psion, has significantly improved our productivity, and reduced our costs,” said Dr. Scurati.
- “With the success of our Psion implementation, we’re currently looking at other ways to improve our operations,” said Mr. Zanini. Psion technology is compatible with most software applications. As a result, the Bindi Company has found that the application need not be limited to automatic product identification and the management of product expiration dates. Indeed, the system would have substantial value in its review of the total distribution structure, including optimization of the freezer cells layout.
