Ten million books for Italy: Kuehne+Nagel manages Pearson’s entire supply chain in the peninsula

Kuehne+Nagel and Pearson, the world’s learning company with more than 22.500 employees operating in 70 countries, have started a multi-year cooperation in Italy. The partnership complements the existing collaboration between Pearson and Kuehne+Nagel in several other markets, such as in Belgium, Brazil, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom.

Going forward, Kuehne+Nagel will be the unique point of contact for all logistics activities of Pearson Italy and will be responsible for domestic inbound and outbound transport, warehousing activities such as receiving, put-away, picking, packing, loading, and reverse logistics. Value-added services include kitting and labelling (VAS), six transit and customer pick-up points as well as cash on delivery.

Pearson’s logistics will be managed out of Kuehne+Nagel’s logistics center in Santa Cristina e Bissone (PV), in a dedicated warehouse covering an area of approximately 10.000 sqm for the storage of about 12.700 pallet locations. Specific equipment has been set up for the kitting and shrink-wrapping of books and for the labelling activity.

Kuehne+Nagel will process approximately ten million books, four million kit products and 36.500 customer shipments per year. To ensure optimal supply chain performance, Kuehne+Nagel has implemented an EDI-based solution – allowing direct communication between Pearson’s ERP and Kuehne+Nagel’s warehouse management system – as well as a transport management system for shipment planning and tracking.

Ruggero Poli, Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel Italy, comments: “The new partnership with Pearson in Italy underlines our strong customer focus and confirms our strength to develop attractive and efficient integrated logistics solutions. Together with Pearson, we analysed their existing supply chain to optimise the physical flow of educational material from the supplier to the final customer.”

Mario Mariani, Pearson MD Europe, Italy & DACH, comments: “The decision to entrust Kuehne+Nagel with logistics activities in Italy is based both on the consolidated partnership already developed in Europe and on other continents with Pearson and on the proven reliability and versatility shown by Kuehne+Nagel in dealing with such a peculiar sector as the Editorial one, providing a competitive and a long term solution”.

Massimo Berti, Pearson VP Operations Italy & DACH, comments: “The agreement with Kuehne+Nagel in Italy offers Pearson the opportunity to guarantee the support of a leading international organization in the supply chain, capable of offering integrated and cutting-edge solutions, bringing added value to the evolution of the physical distribution through a cultural fit that perfectly matches Pearson's”.