Industry
Distribution and Logistics
Gabbiano: SILO² VLM for multi-order picking of consumer goods and medical devices
- Distribution and Logistics
- SILO²
- Finished products
More orders, less travel: picking redefined
Gabbiano manages fast-moving consumer SKUs for personal care, home care and healthcare, supplied to large-scale retail distribution in Italy, France and Spain. A significant share of these products is classified as medical devices, including ready-made reading glasses, plasters and gauze, and requires controlled storage conditions and batch traceability.
As the number of SKUs and served markets grew, traditional racking could no longer provide the required picking speed or the correct storage conditions for the most sensitive products. Gabbiano installed 2 SILO² VLMs in the end-of-line area of its gravity-flow warehouse in Mantua.
Product
SILO²
Key result
+42% picks per operator per hour
Key feature
Color Batch Picking enabling simultaneous fulfilment of up to 6 orders
Gabbiano: 5,500 SKUs, 13,500 retail outlets, no slack on service
The Gabbiano Group turns over around €80 million and distributes over 5,500 SKUs across six product lines (parapharmaceuticals and medical devices, toiletries, household goods, eyewear, party products and footwear care) to more than 13,500 organised and specialist retail points across Italy, France and Spain. A team of 100 internal staff and 220 field merchandisers keeps nationwide delivery within four days of order receipt.
Thin margins make logistics efficiency non-negotiable. In a range that runs from sunglasses to tablecloth rolls, every inefficiency in the picking zone shows up directly on the bottom line.
Thin margins make logistics efficiency non-negotiable. In a range that runs from sunglasses to tablecloth rolls, every inefficiency in the picking zone shows up directly on the bottom line.
The logistical challenges
At the Mantua hub, smaller replenishment SKUs including sunglasses, kids accessories, pet products, brushes and watches sat on traditional open shelving.
The critical issues were clear:
- 148 picks per hour, not enough to make low-margin SKUs profitable
- one order at a time, with long walks between shelving aisles
- open shelving unable to meet storage requirements for medical device SKUs, including pre-mounted reading glasses
- a growing SKU count with no room to expand picking capacity without adding more shelving
2 SILO² VLMs in the end-of-line area: 230 SKUs and medical devices protected within 10.57 m²
The two SILO² VLMs, each 7.3 metres high with two storage columns and two picking stations, are installed in the end-of-line area of a gravity-fed warehouse.
Within just 10.57 m², they manage 230 SKUs and process 1,000 to 1,200 packages per day. A single operator accesses the entire inventory from one workstation, without walking through aisles or moving between storage lanes.
The fully enclosed structure ensures the required storage conditions for products classified as medical devices, protecting them from dust, light and environmental factors.
Within just 10.57 m², they manage 230 SKUs and process 1,000 to 1,200 packages per day. A single operator accesses the entire inventory from one workstation, without walking through aisles or moving between storage lanes.
The fully enclosed structure ensures the required storage conditions for products classified as medical devices, protecting them from dust, light and environmental factors.
Color Batch Picking with IRIDE and automatic load balancing across the two systems
IRIDE enables Color Batch Picking: when the tray arrives at the station, the operator picks from the illuminated compartment and places each item into the container matching the order colour. Every pick is confirmed via barcode scanning, ensuring real-time system updates. ICON, ICAM’s warehouse management software, is integrated with Replica Sistemi’s Stock System WMS: orders are automatically grouped into batches of up to six and sent to the SILO² systems with no manual intervention.
ICAM developed a custom tray extraction policy that manages both SILO² VLMs as a single, integrated system, automatically balancing movements between the storage systems and minimizing wait times, even with 6 lists running simultaneously.
ICAM developed a custom tray extraction policy that manages both SILO² VLMs as a single, integrated system, automatically balancing movements between the storage systems and minimizing wait times, even with 6 lists running simultaneously.
Key results
Higher throughput, compliant storage, less floor space — same operator
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+49% pick rate
From 148 to 220 picks per hour per operator
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5 simultaneous orders
From one at a time to five in preparation concurrently
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Dozens of metres of shelving eliminated
To manage the same SKUs, 30 metres of double-sided shelving or 52 metres of single-sided shelving would have been required.
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Medical devices compliant
Enclosed structure ensures product integrity and storage conditions
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99.95% service level
Held through guided picking and barcode verification on every pick
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Zero waiting time
Custom ICAM policy balances tray movements across both machines in real time
Gabbiano has evolved from a pure service provider into a company capable of engineering and manufacturing innovative products under brands that are now highly recognized in the market. We do not see ourselves as mere wholesalers or importers because today Gabbiano commands the entire value chain.
Discover the product chosen by Gabbiano
SILO²: the Vertical Lift Module
From 2 to 7 storage columns, over 120 tray size configurations and a specific tray load bearing capacity of up to 1,000 kg/m²: SILO² is ICAM’s solution for high-density storage of small and medium-sized items.
Explore SILO²
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