Luxoro optimizes its storage space for hot stamping coils without losing direct access

About Luxoro

Founded in 1968, Luxoro is the exclusive distributor in Italy of the Leonhard Kurz group, a benchmark in the production of technologies for hot and cold stamping. Luxoro supplies Kurz products for the finishing of all kinds of surfaces: paper, cardboard, wood, plastic, and fabrics, among others. Thanks to stringent company policies aimed at environmental sustainability, Luxoro operates with 100% renewable energy.

With its specialized hot stamping equipment, Luxoro makes all its customers’ products and packaging unique. To provide quality service, it is essential for the company to take care of every last detail, and this applies to logistics as well.

To outfit its warehouse, the business knew it needed a storage system capable of optimizing the surface area, thus accommodating a larger number of SKUs. “Our main need was to expand our storage capacity,” says Roberto Barbieri, Production Manager at Luxoro.

After analyzing the company’s requirements, Mecalux proposed installing the Movirack system: pallet racking on mobile bases. This is because this high-density system makes the most of warehousing space to increase storage capacity while maintaining direct access to goods.

By opening a working aisle, operators access the locations to store or remove goods. With this solution, Luxoro has leveraged 80% to 120% more warehousing space compared to a conventional system.

“We chose Mecalux mobile racking because we were really impressed by the ratio between the occupied surface area and the number of stored products,” says Barbieri.

Additionally, Mecalux was charged with ensuring the safety of the facility as a whole. The Luxoro warehouse is located in an earthquake zone, so the racks had to be designed to meet the highest safety standards.

In this regard, the racking was calculated taking into account the indications of Italian standard NTC 2018 and European standard EN 16681. This means that they were reinforced to support any possible ground motion that could occur in the region.

Movirack in the Luxoro facility

The racks stand 26' tall and have eight levels. They are installed on mobile bases that move sideways autonomously. The total storage capacity is 1,900 pallets containing coils with a maximum weight of 1,100 lb.

The entire Movirack system has been adapted to house a specific unit load for storing coils. To do this efficiently, Mecalux placed wire mesh panels on each of the levels.

Goods are sorted and deposited in their corresponding locations based on their size and demand level. Every day, around 100 pallets are dispatched to Luxoro customers. To retrieve the pallets, operators use forklifts. Direct access to each of the pallets is crucial for ensuring the flow of movements required by the company.

The racks move sideways when the operator gives the command by means of a remote control. They incorporate motors, travel components, electronic equipment, and the following safety systems for safe, controlled movements:

• Exterior barriers. Stop the racks from moving when an operator enters the aisle.
• Interior barriers. Detect the presence of objects in the aisle that would prevent the system from operating properly.
• Emergency buttons. Block the movement of the racks in the event of an incident.
• Proximity photocells. Ensure a smooth, safe stop.

Optimizing space, maintaining accessibility

The Movirack mobile racks installed in the Luxoro warehouse have made the most of all the available space and provided the highest possible occupancy without forfeiting direct access to all the products stored. In 8,600 ft², Luxoro can store 1,900 pallets, significantly reducing logistics costs. The Italian company’s supply chain is now optimized and more competitive, ready to take on present and future challenges.

We chose Mecalux mobile racking because we were really impressed by the ratio between the occupied surface area and the number of stored products. We’re happy with the result and the operation of the Movirack racking — it’s just what we needed.