Industry
Food & Beverage
Tecnoblend streamlines food ingredient storage and retrieval with SILO² VLMs, reducing recipe preparation times by 50%
- Food & Beverage
- SILO²
- Raw materials
Ingredients always available where they are needed, replacing traditional racking with goods-to-person flow
For manufacturers of ingredients and semi-finished products for the gelato, pastry and bakery industries, consistent ingredient availability is essential to maintaining production continuity. As the number of SKUs grows and available space becomes increasingly limited, managing inventory on conventional shelving can slow down operations and increase the risk of errors during recipe preparation.
To support both efficiency and growth, Tecnoblend installed a SILO² VLM at its Matera facility. The system serves two operational areas simultaneously through two opposite picking/refilling stations: one dedicated to weighing bulk ingredients for production, and the other supporting packaging and packing activities within the warehouse.
Product
SILO²
Key result
–35% recipe preparation time
Key features
– Two opposite picking/refilling stations serving production and packaging operations
– Custom tray supports designed for the safe tilting of stainless-steel drums
Tecnoblend: tailored ingredients for ice cream parlours, patisseries and bakeries
Founded in Matera in 1989, Tecnoblend develops and distributes ingredients and semi-finished products for gelato shops, pastry laboratories, bakeries and food production facilities. With a team of 11 people, four specialised business units and a commercial presence in more than 22 countries, the company generates approximately €3 million in annual revenue. Operations combine Make-to-Order and Make-to-Stock production models, with an average lead time of 15 days.
The market served by Tecnoblend is constantly evolving. Demand is increasingly driven by healthier products, customised formulations and allergen-conscious recipes. As a result, the company must manage a growing number of SKUs while maintaining advance inventory for seasonal products, such as gelato ingredients produced during the winter to meet summer demand. This requires efficient use of space, full traceability and tight control over inventory and preparation times.
The market served by Tecnoblend is constantly evolving. Demand is increasingly driven by healthier products, customised formulations and allergen-conscious recipes. As a result, the company must manage a growing number of SKUs while maintaining advance inventory for seasonal products, such as gelato ingredients produced during the winter to meet summer demand. This requires efficient use of space, full traceability and tight control over inventory and preparation times.
The logistical challenges
As product variety increased, conventional shelving became a constraint rather than a support to operations.
In a continuous production environment, every minute spent retrieving ingredients is time taken away from value-added activities.
The most pressing pain points were:
- approximately 1,400 references — raw materials and finished products — spread across multiple levels, with space increasingly saturated
- operators were required to handle heavy ingredient bags manually, often retrieving products from shelving up to three metres high using electric pallet trucks.
- slow picking and weighing cycles, with a real risk of ingredient selection errors
- no structured traceability: expiry management relied on operator experience, with no systematic FIFO logic in place
- recipes with up to 15 ingredients took 60 to 90 minutes to prepare
One SILO² VLM, two opposite picking/refilling stations for production and packaging
Installed at Tecnoblend’s Matera facility, the SILO² VLM occupies just 8 m² while providing more than 21 m³ of storage capacity across a height of over 9 metres.
The two opposite picking/refilling stations serve two operational areas simultaneously. One station is located on the production side, where ingredients are retrieved and weighed for recipe preparation. The second, positioned on the opposite side of the VLM, serves the warehouse area dedicated to the packaging and packing of finished products.
The trays are equipped with custom supports that allow stainless-steel drums to be tilted, making it easier to handle liquid and bulk ingredients without manual lifting. Each item is delivered to the operator within seconds at an ergonomic working height.
The two opposite picking/refilling stations serve two operational areas simultaneously. One station is located on the production side, where ingredients are retrieved and weighed for recipe preparation. The second, positioned on the opposite side of the VLM, serves the warehouse area dedicated to the packaging and packing of finished products.
The trays are equipped with custom supports that allow stainless-steel drums to be tilted, making it easier to handle liquid and bulk ingredients without manual lifting. Each item is delivered to the operator within seconds at an ergonomic working height.
Product-based storage, FIFO traceability and weekly replenishment
Around 60 SKUs, including colourings, thickeners, stabilisers, plant fibres and packaging materials, are organised by product family and weighing requirements. This minimises movement between picks and speeds up recipe preparation.
Every ingredient follows FIFO rules. ICON always selects the oldest available stock first, helping prevent expiry-related waste.
Replenishment is carried out weekly. The system supports 60–70 picks per day for around 15 recipes, each requiring approximately 15 ingredients.
Every ingredient follows FIFO rules. ICON always selects the oldest available stock first, helping prevent expiry-related waste.
Replenishment is carried out weekly. The system supports 60–70 picks per day for around 15 recipes, each requiring approximately 15 ingredients.
Key results
Faster, safer and fully traceable ingredient management
-
Up to 55% faster recipe preparation
from 90 to 40 minutes per recipe, with full ingredient traceability
-
Dual opposing picking and refilling stations
production and packaging served simultaneously, with no interference between workflows
-
Trays configured for the application
integrated drum-tilting supports for handling liquid and bulk ingredients without manual lifting
-
Improved operator ergonomics
heavy manual lifting and pallet-truck retrievals at height have been eliminated. Ingredients are delivered to the operator within seconds at an ergonomic working height
-
Guaranteed FIFO traceability
Every ingredient is managed by receipt date, eliminating the risk of expired or out-of-sequence ingredients
-
60–70 picks per day
Handled smoothly and with full traceability, supporting approximately 15 recipes daily
Explore the Tecnoblend project in detail
Previously, preparing a recipe took around one to one and a half hours, depending on the recipe. Today, thanks to the SILO² Vertical Lift Module and the automatic dosing units purchased at the same time, operators need only 40 to 50 minutes, with a significant reduction in time and operating costs.
Discover the solution chosen by Tecnoblend
SILO²: the Vertical Lift Module
With 2 to 7 storage columns, over 120 tray size configurations and specific tray load bearing capacity up to 1,000 kg/m², SILO² is ICAM’s answer for companies managing small and medium-sized items, even those with a very high specific weight.
Explore SILO²
Want to achieve the same results?
Every distribution hub has its own SKU mix, volumes and seasonal peaks.
Tell us about your setup and we will design the right solution for you.