Springer Book on Warehousing

Warehousing in the Global Supply Chain

Advanced Models, Tools and Applications for Storage Systems

Editors: Manzini, Riccardo (Ed.)

With increased globalization and offshore sourcing, global supply chain management is becoming an important issue for many businesses as it involves a company’s worldwide interests and suppliers rather than simply a local or national orientation. The storage systems significantly affect the level of quality of products, the customer’s service level, and the global logistic cost. The mission of warehousing systems design, control and optimization is to effectively ship products in the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantity (i.e. in any configuration) without any damages or alterations, and minimizing costs.

Warehousing in the Global Supply Chain presents and discusses a set of models, tools and real applications, including a few case studies rarely presented with a sufficient detail by other literature, to illustrate the main challenges in warehousing activities. This includes all warehouse operations (from receiving to shipping), problems and issues (e.g. storage allocation, assignment, layout, vehicle routing) for industrial and service systems as parts of global supply chains.

Advanced and effective solving methods are also illustrated and the discussed case studies help the reader to quickly apply the proposed models and techniques/algorithms. Warehousing in the Global Supply Chain is useful to managers and practitioners of industry and service sectors for the determination and modeling of the critical issues concerning warehousing systems planning and design. It is a valuable source of information for engineering students, doctoral and post-doctoral students, and researchers of academic institutions who are searching for advanced modeling approaches and solving techniques to complex logistic decision making problems.

Life Cycle Picking, 2016

Riccardo Manzini, Riccardo Accorsi, Mauro Gamberi, Stefano Penazzi, 2015, Modeling class-based storage assignment over life cycle picking patterns. International Journal of Production Economics. Volume 170, Part C, December 2015, Pages 790-800. doi:10.1016/j.ijpe.2015.06.026

Highlights

• A new approach for the design and management of a class-based storage system.
• Life-cycle picking: the life-cycle pattern applied to warehousing systems.
• Original MILP models for the class-based and time-based storage assignment.
• Numerical examples exemplifying the effectiveness of the proposed approach and models.

Abstract

This paper aims to introduce a new approach for the design and management of warehousing systems, which involves variable demand patterns in agreement with the life cycle of stock keeping units (SKUs). Two cost-based mixed integer linear programming (MILP) models are formulated to address both the technology selection, e.g. part-to-picker systems (as automated storage and retrieval systems – AS/RS, miniloads, etc.) and picker-to-part order picking systems, and the SKU assignment to the storage areas. In particular, a class based storage assignment over a life cycle picking metric is adopted. This metric is a rolling measure of popularity.

The proposed approach, the adopted measure of popularity and the developed models can support (1) decision making for the selection of warehousing and material handling (W&MH) systems, (2) the determination of the storage capacity for the storage classes, (3) the assignment of SKU to the storage classes and (4) the dynamic, i.e., time-based, management of re-warehousing handlings. Two significant numerical examples illustrate the application and the potential of the proposed approach and models.

Keywords

Life cycle picking;
Product life cycle;
Order picking system (OPS);
Class-based storage;
Storage assignment;
Storage allocation;
Warehouse;
Re-warehousing

2016, A special Issue on Warehousing

Riccardo Manzini, Yavuz Bozer , Sunderesh Heragu , 2015, Decision models for the design, optimization and management of warehousing and material handling systems. International Journal of Production Economics. Volume 170, Part C, December 2015, Pages 711-716

Introduction

For many companies, warehousing and materials handling (MH) are essentially non-value added activities. Storing a product on a shelf or moving it in and out of storage racks does not add value to the product. However, both are important elements in a supply chain and play a critical role in enabling efficiency and in providing customer satisfaction (Bartholdi and Hackman, 2012 and Tompkins et al., 2003). Warehousing and material handling allow matching vendor supply with customer demand, smoothing demand for seasonal products, consolidating products, customizing product or packaging and arranging distribution activities. Furthermore, for certain service providers such as logistics/transportation companies and third-party logistics providers, part of the warehousing and MH activities including personalizing a package or repairing a product are value-add activities because their customers are willing to pay for those key services (Accorsi et al., 2014).

Warehousing and MH involve solving a large number of important design and operational problems in production/distribution systems and economics research. Both are critical topics of interest for industry, managers, practitioners, public and private research, including academic research, as they affect costs, efficiency, profit, environmental impact, risks, maintenance, safety and ergonomics.

CPR immagine Immagine1

Environmental and economic assessment of fresh fruit supply chain through value chain analysis, 2015

MATTEO M. SAVINO, RICCARDO MANZINI, ANTONIO MAZZA, 2015, Environmental and economic assessment of fresh fruit supply chain through value chain analysis. A case study in chestnuts industry. PRODUCTION PLANNING & CONTROL, vol 26(1), 1-18. ISSN: 0953-7287. doi: 10.1080/09537287.2013.839066

Abstract

In recent years, both researches and practitioners have devoted attention to environmental sustainability of supply chain (SC), while firms have modified their marketing strategies highlighting green practices in productive and logistic processes among the features of their products. These behaviours move firms to require to their suppliers the adoption of green measures and practices to reduce environmental impacts within the entire SC. This paper presents the results on an exploratory case-based research on the SC of fresh chestnuts aimed to integrate environmental concepts in the value chain approach, with a concurrent evaluation of sustainability improvements and their economic impact. Within the value chain configuration, environmental KPIs are defined for the specific case study and a logistic environmental model is developed. Within the model, an evaluation of carbon footprint for this SC is proposed, along with its possible improvements. Results include the analysis of different improvement scenarios and their comparison.

Keywords

green supply chain management, chestnut value chain, economic impact, environmental assessment

Life Cycle Assessment of Extra-Virgin Olive oil, 2015

OPEN ACCESS TO THE PAPER

ACCORSI R., VERSARI L., MANZINI R., 2015, Glass vs. Plastic: Life Cycle Assessment of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Bottles across Global Supply Chains. Sustainability 2015, 7(3), 2818-2840; WOS: 000351843400028. Scopus: 2-s2.0-84926325756. doi:10.3390/su7032818.

Abstract

The environmental impacts of global food supply chains are growing with the need for their measurement and management. This paper explores the operations of a global supply chain for extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) according to a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The LCA assessment methodology is applied to determine the environmental impact categories associated with the bottled EVOO life cycle, focusing on packaging decisions. The proposed analysis identifies the greatest environmental stressors of the EVOO supply chain, thereby supporting strategic and operative decisions toward more efficient and environmentally-friendly operations management and packaging choices. This paper quantifies the environmental categories of the impacts of global warming potential, ozone layer depletion, non-renewable energy use, acidification, eutrophication and photochemical smog, for the observed EVOO supply chain, given alternative packaging configurations, i.e., a glass bottle vs. a plastic bottle. The observed system includes the supply of EVOO, the EVOO processing and bottling, the supply of packaging, the distribution of final products to customers, the end-of-life (EOL) treatments regarding the management, recycling and the disposal of waste across a global supply chain. The findings from the LCA highlight the potential of PET bottles in reducing the environmental impact of EVOO supply chains and identifies hotspots of discussion for policy-makers, EVOO producers and consumers.

Keywords:

food supply chain; life cycle assessment; LCA; sustainability; extra-virgin olive oil; EVOO; recycle; packaging

Closed-loop network for product life cycle, 2015

Accorsi, Riccardo; Manzini, Riccardo; Pini, Chiara; Penazzi, Stefano, 2015. On the design of closed-loop networks for product life cycle management: Economic, environmental and geography considerations. DOI:10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2015.09.005. pp.121-134. In JOURNAL OF TRANSPORT GEOGRAPHY – ISSN:0966-6923 vol. 48.

Highlights

• A MILP model for the strategic design of a closed-loop supply chain

• Two objective functions considering costs and carbon emissions

• How the product assembling, disassembling, and recycling processes affect the transport flows

• Location decisions of intermodal infrastructures over a large-scale geography

• A case study on the transport geography of the furniture industry in Italy

Abstract

The management of the product life cycle needs industrial synergies along large-scale networks to collect, recycle, reuse, and recover the end-of-life products. This paper provides a tool to assess the enabling economic, environmental, and transport geography conditions to design sustainable closed-loop networks for the management of a generic product along its life-cycle. The proposed tool is built through a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model for the strategic design of a multi-echelon closed-loop network. The product life cycle is handled via a cascade through seven stages, including raw material suppliers, manufacturing plants, distribution centers, retailers, collection nodes for waste and by-products, recycling centers, and landfills.

The model minimizes a cost-based and a carbon-based function to determine the optimal geographic location of the nodes of the network and the allocation of transport flows. The model is applied to a case study inspired by the furniture industry over the Italian geography and a multi-scenario analysis is illustrated. The resulting considerations on the economic, environmental performances of the network couple with the transport geography to provide guidelines for designer, logistics planners and regional geographers toward a circular economy scenario.

Keywords

Closed-loop supply chain; Network design; Intermodality; Waste; Sustainability; Product life cycle

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

A comparison of shipping containers from technical, economic and environmental perspectives, 2014

transportationresearch

RICCARDO ACCORSI, RICCARDO MANZINI, EMILIO FERRARI, 2014, A comparison of shipping containers from technical, economic and environmental perspectives. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH. PART D, TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT, 26, 52-59

Highlights

• An integrated approach is used to evaluate alternative containers in maritime transportation.
• Four case studies of international shipments are conducted.
• Thermal liner container are the best solution to control the quality, costs and environmental effects.

Abstract

This paper compares standard, reefer, and thermal liner containers for the long-range transportation of temperature-sensitive products. The thermal liner container is an alternative solution for maritime, rail and truck transportation between the dry and reefer containers. This study introduces a multi-criteria methodology to assess and compare alternative container solutions that involves technical, economical, and environmental perspectives. The proposed methodology is applied to four significant instances of maritime shipments, which highlight the performances of alternative container solutions in reducing the transport temperature fluctuations. Economic aspects and transport environmental impacts are also analyzed.

Keywords

Maritime transportation;
Freight container;
Temperature sensitive products;
Food supply chain

A decision-support system for the design and management of warehousing systems, 2014

Computers in Industry

RICCARDO ACCORSI, RICCARDO MANZINI, FAUSTO MARANESI, 2014, A decision-support system for the design and management of warehousing systems. COMPUTERS IN INDUSTRY. Vol.65, pp.175-186. ISSN: 0166-3615

Highlights

• This paper presents an original decision-support system (DSS) for storage system design and operations control.
• Analytical methods, models and algorithms are implemented in a top-down methodology to lead problem-solving process.
• Storage layout, allocation and assignment issues are handled, and system performances assessed through a what-if analysis.
• User-friendly interfaces provide useful panels for real-world industry case studies.
• A solid DBMS architecture is developed to store real-world datasets and enables statistical assessment of results.

Abstract

The issue of material handling involves the design and operative control of warehousing systems (i.e., distribution centres), which allow matching vendors and demands, smoothing with seasonality, consolidating products and arranging distribution activities. Warehousing systems play a crucial role in providing efficiency and customer satisfaction. The warehouse design entails a wide set of decisions, which involve layout constraints and operative issues that seriously affect the performances and the overall logistics costs.

This study presents an original decision-support system (DSS) for the design, management, and control of warehousing systems. Specifically, the proposed DSS implements a top-down methodology that considers both strategic warehouse design and operative operations management. The DSS can simulate the logistics and material handling performances of a warehousing system. Heuristic methods and algorithms address several critical warehouse issues, such as the order picking process, which is responsible for 55% of the overall costs in a distribution centre. The benefits due to the adoption of the proposed decision-support system are summarised as a dashboard of key performance indicators (KPIs) of space and time efficiency that allow logistics providers, practitioners, and managers as well as academicians and educators to face real-world warehousing instances and to find useful guidelines for material handling.

Keywords

Logistics;
Warehousing systems;
Industrial storage systems;
Decision-support system;
Order picking;
Material handling

Economic and environmental assessment of reusable plastic containers: a food catering supply chain case study, 2014

RICCARDO ACCORSI, ALESSANDRO CASCINI, SUSAN CHOLETTE, RICCARDO MANZINI, CRISTINA MORA, 2014, Economic and environmental assessment of reusable plastic containers: a food catering supply chain case study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION ECONOMICS. Vol.152, 88–101

Highlights

• Original framework for the integrated design of a food packaging system and distribution network.
• Illustration of the economical and environmental assessment of a food supply chain.
• Focus on packaging and distribution issues to address a sustainable food chain.
• Application of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology for the analysis of alternative food packaging systems.
• Comparison of alternative food packaging solutions (i.e. single-use vs. multi-use) and related distribution/recovery chain.
• A significant case study in food catering chain supported by a comprehensive what-if analysis

Abstract

Increasing concern for sustainability compels citizens and enterprises to reduce waste and encourage recycling, reuse and remanufacturing of end-of-life products. Since packaging is one of the most relevant waste sources, attention to packaging design and management is warranted, especially in sectors where packaging is integral to handling and transportation, i.e. the fresh food supply chain. The analysis of a product′s life cycle highlights potential sources of waste throughout the food supply chain (FSC).

This paper proposes an original conceptual framework for the integrated design of a food packaging and distribution network. The framework′s generality supports application to different food manufacturing and distribution supply chains. The paper considers fresh fruit and vegetable flow throughout a food catering chain, from vendors to final customers. The paper compares a multi-use system to traditional single-use packaging (e.g. wooden boxes, disposable plastic crates and cardboard boxes) to quantify the economic returns and environmental impacts of the reusable plastic container (RPC). Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is used to evaluate the carbon footprint (CF) associated with the life cycle of packages in this distribution network. Sensitivity analysis explores how drivers and parameters (i.e. RPC lifespan, washing rate, waste disposal treatment, network geography) alter the environmental and economic impacts. The paper concludes with implications of the results and suggestions for further investigation.

Keywords

Packaging;
Food supply chain (FSC);
Life cycle assessment (LCA);
Sensitivity analysis;
Sustainability

2014, Special issue on Food Supply Chain

International Journal of Production Economics

Volume 152, June 2014, Sustainable Food Supply Chain Management

LI, D.,WANG, X., CHAN, H.K., MANZINI R., 2014, Sustainable food supply chain management. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRODUCTION ECONOMICS. Vol.152, 1-8

Sustainable production and distribution is a pertinent and timely issue in production economics. This is particularly critical for the food industry, which is still the largest manufacturing sector in many developed and developing countries. Although food production and distribution systems have become more efficient in many aspects, the industry consumes large amounts of natural resources and faces ever increasing demands. Sustainable food supply has been con- stantly a global challenge in the industry. It is estimated that 175 million people in India and 130 million in China are being “fed with grain by over-pumping” of water. 24% of families now have foodless days in India (Brown, 2012). In the mean time, food waste has been a significant challenge to sustainable food supply. It is estimated that “approximately one third of the global food production is wasted or lost annually” (Gustavsson et al. 2011) […]

Operational planning models for distribution networks, 2014

MANZINI R., ACCORSI R., BORTOLINI M., 2014, Operational planning models for distribution networks, International Journal of Production Research, Vol.52(1), 89-116. ISSN: 0020-7543, DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2013.828168

Abstract

The design and optimisation of a logistic network deals with a wide set of decisions, e.g. the determination of the best location and capacity of the different logistic facilities (production plants, distribution centres, transit points, wholesalers, etc.), the allocation of the product demand coming from customers in presence (or absence) of fractionable flows of material, the determination of the best transportation mode (truck, rail, etc.) as well as loading and routing of vehicles. These decisions involve multiple stages of a distribution network: customers-regional distribution centres (RDC), RDCs-central distribution centres (CDC) and CDCs-production plants and sources, in presence of multiple products and the variable time (i.e. time-dependent product demand and flows of material). This paper presents a top-down methodology that joins the strategic planning, the tactical planning and the operational planning of distribution networks with a special focus on the development of effective heuristic methods to face the vehicle routing problem. Original models and heuristic algorithms for the operational planning are illustrated. The impact of the strategic and tactical decisions on the performance of the operational planning is evaluated by the application of the proposed hierarchical approach to two realistic case studies. Obtained results are illustrated in a what-if experimental analysis conducted on multiple problem settings and realistic scenarios.

Sustainability and quality in the food supply chain. A case study of shipment of edible oils, 2014

Manzini, R., Accorsi, R., Ayyad, Z., Bendini, A., Bortolini, M., Gamberi, M., Valli, E., Gallina Toschi, T. (2014), Sustainability and quality in the food supply chain. A case study of shipment of edible oils. BRITISH FOOD JOURNAL. Vol.16(12), pp. 2069-2090. ISSN: 0007-070X.

Purpose

– Modern supply chains collect and deliver products worldwide and link vendors and consumers over thousands of miles. In the food industry, the quality of products is affected by manufacturing/processing and logistics activities, such as transportation and packaging. Specifically, transportation is likely the most critical step throughout the “food journey” from farm to fork because of the potential stresses that affect the products during shipment and storage activities. The purpose of this paper is to present and apply an original assessment of quality, safety and environmental effects due to the international distribution of food products via different container solutions. A case study that examines the shipment of edible oils from Italy to Canada demonstrates that the quality of a product at the place of consumption can be significantly affected by the use of different containers.

Design/methodology/approach

A simulation-based quality assessment, combined with a life cycle and environmental analysis, supports the logistic manager in the decision-making process in order to guarantee the highest level of product quality at the place of consumption.

Findings

The proposed approach and the illustrated case study demonstrate the importance of conducting safety and quality assessment combined with environmental analyses of sustainable food supply chains.

Originality/value:

This paper highlights the interdependency of implications and decisions on food quality and environmental sustainability of supply chain processes and activities.

Keywords:

Supply chain, Food, Freight container, International shipment, Life cycle assessment (LCA), Edible oil Publisher:Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Acknowledgments:

The authors would like to heartily thank the company Giorgio Gori S.r.l. significantly and fruitfully involved in this study. Especially in the name of Nino Caponi, Riccardo Pazzaglia and Alexander Braun, for their valuable inputs, their support and their willingness to cooperate in this research project about Giorgio Gori (www2.ggori.com/).

The new conceptual framework for food supply chain assessment, 2013

MANZINI R., ACCORSI R. (2013). The new conceptual framework for food supply chain assessment. JOURNAL OF FOOD ENGINEERING. Vol. 115, Issue 2, March 2013, Pages 251–263.

Abstract

Food industry is the first in European Community for revenues, with more than 8 millions of employee. Logistics and supply chain management play a crucial role in food industry.

This paper presents a general and conceptual framework for the assessment of food supply chain (FSC) and logistics of food products in agreement with a multidisciplinary and integrated view. The target of the proposed integrated approach to supply chain design and management is the simultaneous control of quality (1), safety (2), sustainability (3) and logistics efficiency (4) of food products and processes along the whole FSC “from farm to fork”.

A case study focused on package design, distribution issues, and supported by the development of an original close-loop control system is a first exemplifying step towards a new integrated approach on FSC assessment in agreement with the proposed conceptual framework.

Finally, the paper presents a discussion on the most important challenges in FSC for public and private research in industry and in academic institutions.

Highlights

logoplanisfero ► A literature-based discussion of food supply chain. ► The new perspectives and challenges for the future food supply chain management. ► A new conceptual framework for food supply chain assessment. ► A simulation-based analysis of food packaging. ► A case study of international shipment of food from Italy to Taiwan.

Keywords

Logistics;
Food quality;
Food safety;
Efficiency;
Sustainability;
Horizon 2020 framework programme;
Made in Italy

Quality at destination: simulating shipment of three bottled edible oils from Italy to Taiwan, 2013

olio

ENRICO VALLI, RICCARDO MANZINI, RICCARDO ACCORSI, MARCO BORTOLINI, MAURO GAMBERI, ALESSANDRA BENDINI, GIOVANNI LERCKER AND TULLIA GALLINA TOSCHI, (2013). Quality at destination: simulating shipment of three bottled edible oils from Italy to Taiwan. La Rivista Italiana delle Sostanze Grasse. Vol. 90, Issue 3, pp.163-169.

Abstract

olive The effects on quality and safety of foodstuffs after transportation process are important for both the producers and the consumers. Herein, a shipment of different bottled vegetable oils (olive oil, extra virgin olive oil and grape seed oils) from Italy to Taiwan, has been simulated within a climate-controlled chamber. The treated samples have been chemically and sensory analyzed, considering basic quality parameters; then, the results were compared with the non-simulated oils from the same production batches. The analyses demonstrate that there is a risk of oxidation due to the shipment to be taken into account

A top-down approach and a decision support system for the design and management of logistic networks, 2012

TRE cover

MANZINI R. (2012). A top-down approach and a decision support system for the design and management of logistic networks. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART E-LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION REVIEW, vol. Volume 48, Issue 6, p. 1185-1204, ISSN: 1366-5545.

Abstract

This paper presents an original top-down approach, made of original models and solving methods, and a decision support system (DSS) for the execution of the strategic planning, the tactical planning and the operational planning in a multi-echelon multi-stage multi-commodity and multi-period production, distribution and transportation system. The DSS is a software platform useful for the design, management and control of real instances. It can efficiently supports the decision making process of logistic managers and planners of large enterprises as multi-facilities companies and production–distribution networks. A significant case study is illustrated. The results obtained by the application of different problem settings are compared and discussed.

Highlights

► Original top-down approach for the strategic, tactical and operational planning. ► Original mixed integer programming (MILP) models for strategic planning and operational planning. ► Original heuristic approach for the operational planning and vehicle routing. ► Original decision support system (DSS), a software platform for supporting decisions making process on design, planning and management of a distribution logistic. ► An original case study. The obtained results by the application of the proposed models and platform have been discussed and compared for different problem settings.

Keywords:

Logistic network;
Supply chain (SC);
Decision support system (DSS);
Cluster analysis (CA);
Mixed integer linear programming (MILP);
Location allocation problem (LAP)

2007, Traceability of food products: general framework and experimental evidence

food engineering

REGATTIERI A., GAMBERI M., MANZINI R. (2007). Traceability of food products: general framework and experimental evidence. JOURNAL OF FOOD ENGINEERING. vol. 81, pp. 347 – 356. ISSN: 0260-8774,

Abstract

Traceability is becoming a method of providing safer food supplies and of connecting producers and consumers. Recent diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) and the questions concerning genetically modified organism (GMO) mean systems that enable control of each link in the food chain have become particularly relevant. Furthermore, although EU law no. 178 came into effect on the 1st January 2005, at the time of writing the regulatory situation is very confused.

The aim of this paper is to analyze legal and regulatory aspects of food traceability, and to provide a general framework for the identification of fundamental mainstays and functionalities in an effective traceability system.

Possible technical resources were clarified by analyzing assessment criteria obtained from studies of alphanumerical codes, bar codes, and radio frequency identification (RFID).

Finally, the paper presents the traceability system used by Parmigiano Reggiano (the famous Italian cheese) which was developed using the proposed general framework. Based on an integration of alphanumerical codes and RFID technology, the system is working well with very good results for both cheese producers and consumers.

Some interesting observations concerning development trends and traceability system costs close the paper.

Keywords:.

Food traceability;
Framework;
Bar code;
RFID;
Parmigiano Reggiano

2003, Redesign of the Mozzarella cheese production process through development of a micro-forming and stretching extruder system

food engineering

FERRARI E., GAMBERI M., MANZINI R., PARESCHI A., PERSONA A., REGATTIERI A. (2003) Redesign of the Mozzarella cheese production process through development of a micro-forming and stretching extruder system, JOURNAL OF FOOD ENGINEERING, vol. 59, n°1, pp.13-23. ISSN: 0260-8774.

Abstract
The aim of this paper is the analysis and examination of the industrial processes for Mozzarella pizza cheese (hereafter referred to as pizza cheese). Specific phases and mechanical devices are studied in order to optimise and rationalise the production cycle. This goal is reached by developing a new and innovative forming method. At present pizza cheese is produced in 1–5 kg pats whereas, as this paper intends to highlight, by forming the cheese in smaller-sized dimensions (5–10 g) the processes will benefit in terms of energy consumption and use of resources (equipment, water, time etc.). Another advantage would be that the customer would be provided with a ready-to-use product, without the need for additional cutting.

The paper deals with an innovative process for pizza cheese production, by focusing mainly on the forming phase; a double-screw extruder with a productivity of 20 kg/h was designed and tested in order to evaluate its functionality and applicability.

The most relevant spin-offs deriving from the new forming device are the elimination of the pre-hardening phase, the reduction of the chilling time of about 10-fold, the reduction of the total processing time of about 25% and the diminution of the refrigerant water consumption.

Keywords
Mozzarella; Industrial plants; Process innovation and optimisation; Efficiency