Milan's Agora Network has awarded Kuehne + Nagel a six-year contract to manage food warehousing for the retailer's stores across northern Italy that include Iperal-Comservice, Poli, Tigros and Sogegross.

At the Kuehne + Nagel shared-user distribution centre in Brignano Gera d'Adda, east of Milan, 35,000-square metres have been dedicated to Agora. By early 2008, the retailer's network of 350 points of sale across northern Italy will be supplied with a range of 12,000 different grocery items from this warehouse. This, according to a Kuehne + Nagel statement, represents over 36 million cases annually received, stored, picked and loaded.



Warehouse operations are supported by radio frequency technology and a pick-to-voice order system, thereby ensuring highest levels of accuracy and productivity, said a company statement.



Said Agora CEO Antonio Tirelli: "Outsourcing our warehousing activities to Kuehne + Nagel represents a decisive milestone in the integration of our operations. In 2006, we engaged in a redesign and simplification of our supply chain from purchasing to sales and stock management."