LYDIA Voice Accelerates the Picking Process at Gentile
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The digitalization of intralogistics plays a central role at Gebr. Gentile AG, one of Switzerland's leading experts in the wholesale and logistics of fruits and vegetables. To prepare the previously paper-based picking process for their sensitive, heterogeneous, and highly perishable fresh produce for future challenges, Gentile has been successfully using the Pick-by-Voice solution LYDIA Voice from EPG (Ehrhardt Partner Group) since late 2023. Within a very short time, they have achieved efficiency gains in the double-digit percent range.
Efficiency Gains in the Double-Digit Percent Range
From its logistics center in Näfels, Switzerland, the food wholesaler has been supplying industrial customers, franchisees, discounters, and the wholesale trade with fruits and vegetables several times a day for decades. Due to the perishable nature of the goods, daily operations in the 3,000 m² refrigerated facility are characterized by short order and delivery cycles. "The products stay in our warehouse for an average of 0.7 days, meaning the goods that come in are immediately shipped out again," explains Renato Häfliger, Managing Director of Gentile AG. "We handle approximately 80 to 100 tons of goods daily. Ideally, our inventory rotates quickly, ensuring maximum product freshness." Each day, about 200 to 300 items are managed for approximately 200 customers. "On average, this corresponds to 6,000 to 10,000 shipping units that our pickers must process daily," Häfliger adds. “Each order involves about 20 to 60 picks. Using paper lists made this process challenging, as employees never had both hands free. This led to errors and noticeably slowed down the workflow.”
Pick-by-Voice as a Gamechanger in Seasonal Operations
LYDIA Voice can be used by any picker without prior voice training, regardless of gender, dialect, or accent. This makes it an ideal solution for teams that fluctuate seasonally, allowing them to start working productively right away. "LYDIA Voice was very easy and intuitive to use during testing, so it’s ready to go immediately," explains Häfliger. “This was one of the main reasons why we quickly decided on this system, as we employ many seasonal workers in addition to our core team. Long training periods are simply not an option for us.”
Efficiency Gains in the Double-Digit Percent Range
Currently, 20 employees work in a two-shift system using the Pick-by-Voice solution. They utilize the LYDIA Voice Bluetooth headset and the mobile VOXTER voice computer, which is worn on a belt. This setup allows pickers to keep both hands and eyes free while assembling shipping units. As a result, Gentile benefits from faster picking processes, significantly higher output with the same number of employees, and efficiency improvements in the double-digit percent range. The new system has also been well received by employees, as the "hands-free/eyes-free" approach enables intuitive and ergonomic work. This improvement in working conditions has also led to a significant reduction in picking errors. Gentile is equally satisfied with the implementation and support provided by the project team. "The introduction of LYDIA Voice was pragmatic, the project team took a hands-on approach, and all tests were successfully completed. Furthermore, our employees were able to start working productively with the system immediately without extensive training. This is exactly what I envision for a successful digitalization project.", Häfliger concludes.
