Overview
Tegola Canadese Spa, part of the industrial IWIS Holding Group, is an important company recognized all over Europe for the production of bituminous shingles coated with metal and granulized asphalt, along with photovoltaic and photocatalytic shingles. The factory in Vittorio Veneto, Italy, produces 80,000 sq.m. of shingles a day, covering about 400 average sized roofs, which is one roof every 2.5 minutes! Its sales network is vast with sales agents, importers and distributors spread out in 70 countries all over the world and sales subsidiaries strategically located in several countries.
The Challenge
The company’s constant growth over the years, along with its expansion into international markets, made it necessary for Tegola Canadese to switch over from its traditional manual system based on an individual’s knowledge, to one based on standard technology, which is simple for the operators to use and easily integrated into the work methodologies of the company.
The Solution
The need for warehouse management in which cross checks could be made to avoid accounting and shipping errors, as well as the desire to implement a system that could reduce the impact on the company to a minimum drove Tegola Canadese to choose a hardware solution based on automatic data collection with bar codes. Datalogic ADC’s mobile computer and Algoritmo’s Logika software proved to be the best combination for the company.
These products work together to make warehouse management seamless. The selected mobile computer from Datalogic ADC is quick, reliable and rugged, the latter being a particularly important feature in industrial environments. It offers IP64 protection against water and dust and resists drops onto cement surfaces from 1.8 m, providing the ideal solution for Tegola Canadese’s warehouse. Another winning factor is this mobile computer’s wireless connection possibilities. Its WiFi 802.11 Cisco certified radio connection guarantees rapid data transfer and complete interaction with various computer systems, including the most recent RF security protocols. The Logika software created by Datalogic ADC’s Partner, Algoritmo works with the mobile computer, providing a modular system that manages warehouse and production operations, making all the processes handled in the warehouse safer, faster and easier.
The new automated product work cycle using this solution starts with the work order being sent directly to the production line computer. The software handles the order and automatically generates a bar code that contains information regarding the type, batch and quantity of material produced. It also permits a production summary to be printed. Commercialized material (i.e. products acquired to be resold), on the other hand, is labeled as soon as it arrives with the material and quantity indicated.
In order for the materials to be stocked in the warehouse, the operator then reads the bar code attached to the recently produced pallet and the code on the label fixed to the shelf where the pallet will be placed using Datalogic ADC’s mobile computer. This procedure assures that the material always corresponds to the correct warehouse location.
The cycle continues with the order being sent to the warehouse supervisor’s computer. At this point, the supervisor determines who will take care of the order and sends all the information regarding the pick-up list to the mobile computer of the selected operator. The warehouse operator uses the program as a guide to carry out all the requests on the list on the basis of the quantity of material to pick-up. He/she is free to determine which order to execute first, to put one job on hold in order to carry out another and to return to the previous order later on.
The preparation phase ends when the last product on the list is picked up. Notification is sent to the server, allowing an e-mail to be generated, which is sometimes accompanied by a packing list. The e-mail is then sent to the warehouse supervisor automatically, as well as to the shipping office so that the delivery note can be prepared.
The Results
Tegola Canadese noticed the positive results of the new system right away. Thanks to Datalogic ADC’s mobile computer and Algoritmo’s Logika software, Tegola Canadese’s warehouse now runs more efficiently than ever before. Stock management errors practically no longer exist, inventory processes are simple and customer service quality has improved significantly.
Customer: Tegola Canadese
Industry: Manufacturing/Building and Construction
Application: Warehousing/Picking and Staging
Country: Italy
Datalogic ADC Products: Kyman™ mobile computer
Datalogic ADC Partner: Algoritmo
