In the heart of Emilia, just a few kilometres from Parma, Barilla opened the doors of its historic Pedrignano plant – known as the "City of Pasta" – to showcase, together with technology provider Transporeon, a success story in transport and logistics management on a global scale. The event, hosted in the Ringo conference hall, featured contributions from the top logistics executives of the Barilla group, including Roberto Magnani, Gianluigi Mason and Davide Busato, alongside the participation of Andrea Chiaravalli for Transporeon.
The logistics context in which Barilla operates is complex and articulated: around 600,000 tonnes of goods transported every year, 110,000 full truckload road shipments across more than one hundred countries. Within this framework, transport accounts for 65% of the group's logistics budget, and half of the loads travel by road. Figures such as these demand an efficient, flexible and technologically advanced management of the distribution network. It is within this framework that the collaboration with Transporeon, launched in 2014, fits.
Following the reorganisation of its logistics network and the international expansion of the group, Barilla identified Transporeon as the provider capable of addressing complex challenges such as dynamic load assignment, management of loading and unloading times and diversification of carriers. One of the first solutions adopted was Time Slot Management, which made it possible to harmonise flows between the warehouse and loading bays, reducing waiting times by 20% and improving internal coordination. This tool is now active in all Italian plants and in a large part of the group's European facilities.
Another crucial element is Transport Assignment, a feature that has enabled the digitalisation of carrier selection, moving beyond traditional manual processes. Thanks to an automated evaluation of key parameters – from geographical coverage to delivery performance – the platform identifies in real time the most suitable carrier for each route. This approach has ensured greater speed and accuracy in decision-making, achieving over 95% accuracy in assignments.
Since 2022, Barilla has also been using the Rate Management function, particularly useful in a context characterised by a high variety of routes and operators. In the event of the main carrier’s unavailability, the system automatically proposes alternative solutions, ensuring operational continuity. "This allows us to be open to all the opportunities offered by the market and makes the work of our planners simpler and more efficient," explained Davide Busato.
The information processed by Transporeon flows into Barilla’s Logistic Control Tower, the heart of the group’s logistics decision-making system. Here, routes are assigned according to two main modes: No Touch Order for already contracted trips and Best Carrier for spot shipments. All this is fully integrated with the company's internal systems, demonstrating the flexibility and adaptability of the platform.
"Transporeon is not just a piece of software, but a technological bridge between industry, carriers and distribution," emphasised Andrea Chiaravalli. "The ability to customise every assignment parameter has allowed the creation of a tailor-made solution for Barilla, capable of ensuring capacity and service quality every day."
