THE IMPORTANCE OF TRACEABILITY AND VISUAL MANAGEMENT IN REDUCING LOSSES OF PERISHABLE ITEMS: A CASE STUDY IN AN INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION COMPANY

Resumo

Operational efficiency in industrial warehouses is fundamental, especially in the control of perishable items that suffer from a disconnection between ERP system records and physical inventory. Given this issue, this case study aims to analyze how the implementation of batch traceability and visual management tools can reduce the loss of perishable items in the warehouse of a company in the industrial automation sector. The research adopts a qualitative approach of an applied and descriptive nature, using direct observation of logistical routines and semi-structured interviews for data collection. The results demonstrated that the application of standardized labels with color codes and the physical reorganization of shelves under the FEFO (First Expired, First Out) criterion allowed for the quick identification of materials nearing expiration. The intervention almost entirely mitigated human errors in batch selection and resulted in an average reduction of 30% in the separation and dispatch time of supplies. It is concluded that visual management proved to be an effective and low-cost strategy, transforming the warehouse into a proactive strategic center and ensuring the proper use of organizational resources