Sofidel Enhances Safety and Efficiency with AMESPHERE from AME, Tissue360º Fall/Winter 2024

Sofidel was founded in Italy more than 50 years ago and has since expanded its tissue production throughout Europe and the United States to provide extensive local product distribution capability for its customers. Due to the production of high volumes of tissue, the company requires extensive warehousing facilities with the ability to transport bulky, heavy loads safely and efficiently. To this end, its plants employ numerous forklifts. Some are automated and others manually operated, but both need to work safely in busy environments with multiple vehicles and pedestrians. However, the volumes involved mean that, while safety is paramount, efficiency is also a prime objective for the business.

Alberto Cinelli, Sofidel Corporate Spare Parts Optimisation & CNV Machinery director, explains the logistical challenges the business faces: “Our products are bulky, and a pallet can weigh around 200 kg with two to four pallets typically being transported together. Our production processes are also designed to produce large reels of paper which are converted into smaller rolls at a later stage. These reels can weigh up to five tons. This requires large warehouse facilities and involves a lot of handling, loading, and unloading. Forklifts are used to move the products; some are automated (AGVs) and others manually driven by an operator. Using manual forklifts gives us flexibility in areas where it is needed, but inevitably this increases the risk of collisions or accidents in our busy work areas. Overall, we have significant sizes of vehicles and heavy loads. We need to manage these precisely and as safely as possible to protect drivers, pedestrians, and vehicles over large areas.”

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