Optimizing Operational Efficiency in the Picking Process: A Case Study in a Pharmaceutical Distribution Center

The travel restrictions imposed by the authorities with the aim of reducing the speed of Covid-19 contagion, which occurred between the years 2020-2022, accelerated the delivery process in the country. As a result, the search for ways to optimize internal processes in distribution centers has also grown. However, many companies still do not have the culture of mapping their processes, nor do they seek to understand through the scientific method where improvements can be applied. This article will demonstrate how simulation can help companies understand their processes and identify where changes should be made in order to improve their indicators. For the case study, a pharmaceutical distribution center that operates in last-mile deliveries was chosen. The software used to simulate internal processes will be Arena. By collecting quantitative data and mapping existing processes, the aim is to verify the problems that delay the process flow and test alternative scenarios through simulation. When comparing the results, it became clear that the distribution center processes have bottlenecks that generate queues and hinder the continuous flow of orders, from picking to shipping, allowing solutions to be tested by simulating new scenarios. From this article, it is possible to state that there are often obstacles that hinder the best process flow, and that these could be easily corrected if they were detected before a major loss occurs, in order to maximize operational excellence and ensure end consumer satisfaction.