{"id":5222,"date":"2026-05-21T08:41:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T08:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.icamonline.eu\/?post_type=case-study&p=5222"},"modified":"2026-05-29T07:44:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T07:44:35","slug":"uniservice-silo2-hydraulic-distribution","status":"publish","type":"case-study","link":"https:\/\/www.icamonline.eu\/en\/case-studies\/uniservice-silo2-hydraulic-distribution\/","title":{"rendered":"4 SILO\u00b2 VLMs for Uniservice hydraulic distribution: from 180 picks per day to over 200 in half a day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n When downtime hits, fast response matters as much as product range\n <\/h2>\n \n

\n To manage SKU growth, serve dealers, OEMs and the retail counter at the same time, and maintain fast, accurate delivery times, Uniservice installed four ICAM SILO\u00b2 automated vertical storage systems at its Casoria facility near Naples, integrated with Zucchetti\u2019s Infinity ERP. The result: picking errors eliminated across 20,000 SKUs, picking productivity more than doubled and space maximized in a 92 m\u00b2 pod of machines. \n <\/p>\n <\/header>\n \n

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\n Industry\n <\/h3>\n \n

\n Distribution and logistics \n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/article>\n \n

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\n Product\n <\/h3>\n \n

\n SILO\u00b2\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/article>\n \n

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\n Key results \n <\/h3>\n \n

\n \u00b7 Picking errors eliminated
\r\n\u00b7 From 160 to 180 picks per day to more than 200 picks in half a day
\r\n\u00b7 50% more SKUs within the same footprint\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/article>\n \n

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\n Key feature\n <\/h3>\n \n

\n \u2022 Dedicated priority for each picking and refilling station: one for the counter, one for shipments
\r\n\u2022 ICON integration with Infinity ERP\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n

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\n Uniservice<\/span>: wide product range, technical consulting and on-time delivery\n <\/h2>\n \n
\n Founded in 2004 in Casoria, near Naples, Uniservice is a benchmark in the distribution of hydraulic system components, including hoses, fittings, pumps, valves, cylinders and seals, serving dealers, OEMs and end users.
\r\nExclusive distributor of Manuli, Casappa, Ikron and Atlantic for Central and Southern Italy, Uniservice operates 4 branches and has its own design office and turning workshop for customized products. With 20,000 SKUs in stock and 40 to 50 new SKUs added every month, product range is the company\u2019s first promise to the market.
Its second promise is speed: when a customer has equipment downtime caused by a faulty hydraulic component, they cannot wait. \n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n\n
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\n The logistical challenges\n <\/h2>\n \n
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As its product range grew and retail outlets were opened, Uniservice found itself managing two very different types of orders at the same time: large order lists from dealers and OEMs, with up to 200 lines, and walk-in purchases at the retail counter.<\/p>\n

All SKUs were stored on traditional three-level racking, accessed with ladders.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Uniservice needed a system that would make every operator autonomous across 20,000 SKUs, regardless of their product experience.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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The critical issues were clear:<\/p>\n

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\u2022 Operators had to walk through aisles and climb ladders while handling 4 to 5 kg packages, with a risk of falling and time loss.<\/p>\n

\u2022 SKUs were constantly increasing, while the existing racking could no longer contain them.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Picking errors were common, especially for new operators who were not yet familiar with the product range.<\/p>\n

\u2022 It was impossible to manage the retail counter and shipments in parallel without slowing down both flows.<\/p>\n

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\n 4 SILO\u00b2 VLMs installed in a pod of machines configuration: 100 m\u00b3 in 92 m\u00b2, with IRIDE-guided picking\n <\/h2>\n \n
\n The four SILO\u00b2 vertical storage systems, over 7 meters high, are installed in two side-by-side pairs facing each other, creating a pod of machines configuration that provides almost 100 m\u00b3 of capacity in just 92 m\u00b2. Each system is equipped with 2 picking and refilling stations with IRIDE, the visual guidance system that allows any operator to pick the correct item simply by entering the code, without needing to know the product. This is especially important for Uniservice, which adds around 40 to 50 new SKUs every month.
\r\n25% of high-turnover SKUs stored in the SILO\u00b2 VLMs cover 60 to 70% of all daily picking activity.
\r\nItems are allocated by package size for Manuli small parts and by product family for spare parts, with picking always managed according to FIFO logic.\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n\n
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\n Retail counter and shipments in parallel: dedicated priority for each picking and refilling station, orders managed by the ERP\n <\/h2>\n \n
\n The two picking and refilling stations of each SILO\u00b2 have distinct priorities: one is reserved for the retail counter, with absolute priority; the other manages the consolidation of orders to be shipped.
Orders received electronically flow into Zucchetti\u2019s Infinity ERP, which automatically breaks them down into allocation lines and routes them to the different storage systems.
\r\nSince 20% of SKUs are shared across multiple simultaneous lists, operators can prepare several orders in parallel with a single tray delivery, drastically reducing idle time. The result: from 160 to 180 picks per day with traditional racking to over 200 operations in half a day, with 62-second cycles and 200 to 300 total daily picks. \n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n\n
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\n Key results
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\n More speed, zero errors, maximized space across two parallel channels\n <\/p>\n <\/header>\n \n

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    \n Picking errors brought to zero\n <\/h3>\n \n

    \n IRIDE guides every pick regardless of the operator’s product knowledge\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n \n

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    \n From 160 to 180 picks per day to over 200 in half a day\n <\/h3>\n \n

    \n Productivity per operator more than doubled\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n \n

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    \n 25% of SKUs, 60\u201370% of all picks\n <\/h3>\n \n

    \n SILO\u00b2 VLMs concentrate high-turnover SKUs for maximum efficiency\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n \n

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    \n Station-specific priorities\n <\/h3>\n \n

    \n Counter and despatch run in parallel with no interference\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n \n

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    \n +50% more SKUs within the same floor space\n <\/h3>\n \n

    \n 100 m\u00b3 managed in 92 m\u00b2, with residual capacity to expand the product range without new structural investments.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n \n

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    \n Operators autonomous from day one\n <\/h3>\n \n

    \n No product knowledge required: the SKU code drives the entire process\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n \n

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    \n Safer operations\n <\/h3>\n \n

    \n Ladders and walking distances while carrying loads have been eliminated, reducing injury risk to zero\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n \n

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    \n ICON and Infinity ERP integration\n <\/h3>\n \n

    \n ERP orders are automatically converted into picking missions at the picking and refilling station: no manual steps, no loss of information\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n

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    \n For a company like ours, which must guarantee a broad product range and fast, accurate deliveries to customers experiencing downtime caused by damaged machinery, material storage and picking operations play a fundamental strategic role. In the intralogistics evolution project we had in mind, ICAM proved to be the ideal partner thanks to its innovative vision, technical know-how and consulting approach, focused on identifying the best solution, tailored to our space and business goals.\n <\/p>\n\n