Zero Carbon Warehouseby Lovecchio Consulting
Zero environmental impact warehouses

Warehouse & production-site design

Inventory optimization · Process digitalization

Efficient, sustainable, tailor-made logistics: we design the space, the flows and the rules that make the investment pay off.

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30+
Years of experience
17
Projects delivered
28,000
m² max area
2008–26
Project span

The logistics solution, designed to measure.

The realization and optimization of warehouses and production sites is the activity through which the tailored logistics solution is designed by integrating structural and architectural features with the functional and operational ones of the warehouse or production site.

This enables a fast return on the investment in optimization, renovation or construction: in practice, the margin on the product sold is increased thanks to a more effective organization of space, information systems and work.

The method

How, when and why

A four-phase path, grounded in concrete data, to reach a measurable layout and measurable processes.

  1. Survey

    Of the current warehouse or production site — or of your requirements, if it is yet to be built.

    • Racking and storage systems
    • Handling equipment
    • Saturation and accessibility indices
    • Product load by product family
    • Rules and procedures (goods receipt, control, storage, picking, preparation, shipping…)

  2. Data & business analysis

    • Business development over the next 3–5 years
    • Average load requirement per product family
    • Functional features of the new warehouse

  3. Macro-layout

    • Material flow
    • Storage and production systems
    • Handling-equipment requirements
    • Product-family arrangement
    • Location mapping
    • Lean, simplified management

  4. Documentation

    • Preliminary and/or detailed drawings
    • Report illustrating the new integrated logistics solution

When

Two to three months at most

to launch and achieve:

  • Resource optimization
  • Simplification of rules and production processes
  • Measurability of operating costs and service level
  • The first concrete, visible results

Why

Optimizing the logistics-production solution means:

  • Deciding on concrete data, for a more informed choice
  • Reducing the costs of inventory, transport, any relocation and working capital — with inventory analysis via analisiabc.cloud
  • Increasing the service level and customer loyalty
  • Accounting for energy, sustainability and Industry 4.0 aspects
  • More value and competitiveness by eliminating every waste — visible and especially “hidden” — with a fast return on investment
The approach

Methodologies and reference standards

The proposed approach combines Industry 4.0 innovations, the Lean Six Sigma methodology and sound inventory and production management, grounded in the body of knowledge of ASCM — the global references for the supply chain — with project management following the guidelines of the PMI and WERC.

The results

  • Higher service level
  • Lower working capital
  • Higher product margin
Project Management based on PMI®
Experiences & references

Delivered projects

17
Projects
2008–2026
Timeframe
500–28,000
m² per project
10+
Sectors
A selection of reorganization, new-layout and new-warehouse projects, 2008–2026.
YearProjectSectorArea
2008Warehouse reorganization & new layoutFood distribution4,500 m²
2009Warehouse reorganization & new layoutPlumbing & heating distribution3,600 m²
2010New distribution warehouseHome-furnishing distribution10,500 m²
2010New distribution warehouseHome-furnishing distribution8,500 m²
2011New distribution warehouseSanitary-ware distribution28,000 m²
2012Warehouse reorganization & new layoutBuilding-materials distribution8,000 m²
2012New Cash & CarryFood distribution3,500 m²
2014New logistics project with warehouse reorganizationFootwear manufacturing4,500 m²
2017Production-warehouse reorganization & new layoutFood manufacturing4,500 m²
2017Distribution-warehouse reorganizationHardware distribution600 m²
2018Warehouse reorganization & new layout (ongoing)Metal-products distribution10,000 m²
2018Reorganization with automated warehouseFasteners & work tools500 m²
2018New distribution warehouseHousehold-goods distribution1,000 m²
2020Warehouse expansionConstruction-products distribution2,000 m²
2021Production-site reorganizationElectrical-components manufacturing6,000 m²
2022Warehouse reorganizationApparel distribution6,000 m²
2023Warehouse reorganizationHORECA sector1,000 m²
Experience

We draw on thirty years of international experience, with several success stories already delivered. We are available for an in-depth conversation, with no obligation.

Reference standards ASCM Demand Driven Institute PMI WERC
Eng. Giuseppe Lovecchio
Owner · Lovecchio Consulting
APICS Certified PMI® PMP

Thirty years of international projects in the design and optimization of warehouses and production sites, from distribution to manufacturing.

Publications

Articles & publications

A selection of articles by Eng. Giuseppe Lovecchio published in logistics and supply-chain magazines. Each comes with a summary and the full PDF.

2015
Logistica Management · No. 255

Logistics that fits perfectly

The business case of Base Protection S.r.l., a Barletta-based maker of professional and safety footwear that redesigned its logistics along lean and green lines to support production growth and e-commerce. A careful cost-benefit assessment ruled out full warehouse automation in favour of gravity FIFO racking for class-A items and traditional racking with height picking for the rest (about 2,800 SKUs across 4,600 m²). With a new cardboard pallet, a WMS with wifi and barcode, and a suitable forklift fleet, the project optimised space and picking routes, achieved full traceability and increased transport load by up to 20%.

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2015
Qualità ed Efficienza Immobiliare · Politecnico di Milano

Efficient and sustainable logistics

How logistics activities — transport and storage in particular — affect the sustainability of a production system, to be assessed in economic, environmental and social terms. The article covers warehouse location within the supply chain, the «ecological footprint», and the design of energy-neutral platforms: layout flexibility, insulation, LED lighting, on-site energy generation and rainwater reuse, alongside energy-environmental rating systems (EP index, BRaVe Logistics, LEED, BREEAM, GREEN STAR, CASBEE, ITACA Protocol). Integrating a warehouse's structural, architectural and operational features yields a fast return on investment and benefits for builders, operators and end clients.

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2013
Logistica Management · No. 239

The SCOR model: a help to develop supply chain projects

An introduction to the SCOR model (Supply Chain Operations Reference), the standard developed by the Supply Chain Council to structure any supply chain project regardless of sector or company size. It describes the three pillars: the five macro-processes (Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, Return) broken down to a third level, performance indicators across five attributes (Reliability, Responsiveness, Agility, Cost, Asset management), and best practices. Comparing indicators against market benchmarks (Parity, Advantage, Superior) lets a company identify concrete improvement paths — a methodological foundation useful also for enterprise networks.

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2011
Logistica Management · November

Distribution Planning: it is time to change the rules

Distribution planning across the supply chain, where demand volatility and unreliable forecasts make the traditional «separate worlds» model unsustainable. The author explains the «bullwhip» effect — whereby oversized lots, lead times and inefficiencies amplify variability from downstream to upstream, with waste estimated at about a third of the value of stock held — and proposes an evolution of DRP based on collecting daily sales only at the point of sale and sharing forecasts «bottom-up», supported by SaaS technologies. The result is optimal service levels and lower costs for returns, lost sales, excess stock and urgent deliveries.

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2010
APICS Magazine · Vol. 20 No. 6

The Green Warehouse

How to design and manage a «green» warehouse to cut carbon footprint and waste, acting on three areas: location in the supply chain, design principles and management methods. Since buildings account for 36-40% of energy use, the article recommends passive design, daylighting and efficient lighting, rooftop photovoltaics, wind energy and gray-water reuse. Picking and handling — the largest energy draw — offer the greatest opportunities, together with flexible layouts, electric or hybrid forklifts and returnable packaging; it closes with certifications (LEED, BREEAM, Green Star, CASBEE) and the EU 20-20-20 targets, toward a profitable zero-carbon warehouse.

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2009
Il Giornale della Logistica · No. 9

Warehouse: a mixed blessing of logistics

A warehouse is justified only if it makes upstream and downstream processes independent and effective: its real role is the «decoupling point» of the logistics-production process across contexts (MTS, ATO, MTO, ETO), set by the ratio between delivery lead time and supply/production time. Too often seen merely as a cost or a «treasure» to fill, stock is tied-up capital to be turned over as fast as possible. The author reviews physical, managerial and operational aspects — racking and handling equipment, information systems (WMS), FIFO logic, picking, inventory accuracy and staff skills — to turn the warehouse from a cost centre into a profit centre.

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2007
L'Ufficio Acquisti (ADACI) · No. 25

The (former) logistics black hole: the pallet

The pallet, the most used and exchanged element in logistics, long called the sector's «black hole» for the hidden costs and waste of its complex management. The author retraces its origin and evolution (from «Clark» forklifts and rail transport to the EUR/Europallet 800×1200 mm) and outlines the standards: UNI 4121, ISO 6780:2003 with six sizes, the EPAL system and ISPM-15 phytosanitary rules. Standardisation improves vehicle load saturation, while proper management — pooling, rental (CHEP) or EPAL interchange, best practice and compliance — cuts inefficiency costs.

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2005
L'Ufficio Acquisti (ADACI) · No. 10

RFID system: contactless identification

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), an automatic, contactless system for identifying products at a distance using a transponder (tag) and a radio-frequency reader, compared with the barcode and across passive and active tags. The article reviews applications in identification and anti-counterfeiting, production and logistics, medicine, agri-food and automotive, with real examples (the Italian postal service, Nokia) of supply-chain traceability. It also addresses standards (the 13.56 MHz frequency for passive tags), falling costs and the move toward rewritable tags, stressing the role of consulting in assessing their economic value.

Read the article (PDF)
Resources

Insights and documents

Activity presentation A complete overview of services and approach (in Italian). Open the PDF → Brochure A one-page overview of approach, method and results. Open the PDF → Course catalogue Training on logistics, inventory and processes (in Italian). Open the PDF → Publications All articles on logistics, warehousing and supply chain. Go to the articles →
Contact

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Via Giuseppe del Drago 58M
Monopoli (BA) · Italy
Phone +39 340 17 12 110
Email info@lovecchioconsulting.it
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