When the answer is automation: Machieraldo Gustavo SpA chooses AutoStore with Swisslog

Machieraldo Gustavo SpA has been distributing hardware and household items from its headquarters in Cavaglià, Biella, for over a century – since 1910. From a small shop with the sign "Mechanical Works and Electrical Systems", the company has grown to become a distribution powerhouse.

The foundations on which the company has been built on over 110 years of history are knowledge of the territory, retailers and their needs, strong customer service, and reliability in commercial relations.

For these reasons, Machieraldo Gustavo SpA decided to improve its service even further by turning its focus to warehouse automation.

Respond to market needs

With distribution customers in the hardware, household and security sectors, orders are extremely fragmented and dispersed throughout the territory. Improving shipping times and stock management are factors that directly affect customer service, and therefore are a primary objective for the Piedmontese company.

"The activities of picking and storing materials, previously carried out in semi-automatic mode, were no longer suitable to respond adequately to a market always in search of performance, speed, and space efficiency. Improving the material stock management and guaranteeing greater safety at work were necessary elements to fulfill the company’s new requirements," says Andrea Bernardi, Swisslog sales manager.

With a view to improving processes and management, Machieraldo Gustavo SpA has decided to equip itself with an automated warehouse system capable of optimizing the storage area for small and light goods. By concentrating everything in a single space, all operations are managed through a new AutoStore system that was able to communicate perfectly with its host, throughout the whole goods in and goods out process.

When small means big

With a base of 60x15 meters utilizing a height of only 7.5 meters, the AutoStore system, designed and commissioned by Swisslog, will go live by the first quarter of 2023.

The system, with 16 storage levels and 45 robots, will manage 31,500 boxes. The five carousel doors will ensure quick and precise picking, simplified by the "put to light" system which will facilitate operators in preparing orders by indicating the exact location of the goods for correct shipment. The implementation of a Cluster Port with two operators, dedicated to the inbound procedures of the material in the warehouse, will make the storage of goods even faster and more flexible.

The Swisslog QuickMove conveyor line will transport the goods to the shipping area.

"At Machieraldo, we have responded to the customer requirements by offering the possibility to process the highest possible number of orders."

I think that the proposed and accepted AutoStore technology responds well to the needs of a company like Machieraldo due to its ability to make the most of the height of the warehouse, the high number of references and the speed of implementation that we have guaranteed thanks to our experience gained in over 40 systems in Italy alone. Our SynQ software has also been appreciated for its very high standards and the simplicity of dialogue and implementation it will have with the customer's host.

Andrea Bernardi, Swisslog Italy Sales Manager

Images for reporting

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About Swisslog

Swisslog delivers data-driven & robotic solutions for your logistics automation alongside reliable, modular service concepts. Collaborating with forward-thinking companies, we are committed to setting new standards in warehouse automation to provide future-proof products and solutions. As part of the KUKA Group, our customers trust the competence of our passionate employees – more than 14,000 people working across the globe.