{"id":6395,"date":"2025-12-12T10:27:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T09:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trace.si\/news\/interview-matevz-vuga-logistician-of-the-year-2024-automation-makes-sense-where-the-worker-does-not-create-added-value\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T09:17:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T07:17:25","slug":"interview-matevz-vuga-logistician-of-the-year-2024-automation-makes-sense-where-the-worker-does-not-create-added-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trace.si\/en\/user-experiences\/interview-matevz-vuga-logistician-of-the-year-2024-automation-makes-sense-where-the-worker-does-not-create-added-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Matev\u017e Vuga, Logistician of the Year 2024: Automation makes sense where the worker does not create added value"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Matev\u017e Vuga is the winner of the award of the Slovenian Logistics Association and is also the director of logistics at the Big Bang company. He earned the award for the project of renovating warehouses in Slovenia and Croatia and later introducing numerous innovations. But, as he points out, his entire team is responsible for that. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

What does the “Logistician of the Year” award mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

First of all, this is confirmation that we have created a very strong story. Naturally, Big Bang is not primarily a logistics company, but a retail company that aims to offer customers a complete experience. This means that they receive the item they purchase at the right time\u2014whether online or in-store\u2014while both the shopping and delivery services are provided at the highest level.The recognition is therefore proof that we have taken a big step forward in this area in recent years. <\/p>\n\n

I must emphasize that we did not rely heavily on external partners when implementing the changes; instead, we utilized most of the knowledge within the company itself, which is a tremendous achievement. We motivated the team to be as involved as possible. And ultimately, this recognition does not belong to Matev\u017e Vuga, but to the entire Big Bang logistics team. <\/p>\n\n

Was this carried out solely by the Slovenian Big Bang team, or did the Croatian branch participate as well?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

In the beginning, it was the Slovenian team. But when we started expanding our operations in Croatia last year, we identified several individuals there who demonstrated strong knowledge, experience, and motivation, and we brought them into the project. Their contributions helped develop the project locally, while at the same time improving certain processes in Slovenia as well. In a way, it follows the principle of \u2018more heads, more knowledge.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n

We first completely renovated the warehouse in Celje and established the foundations for processes to operate independently and without anomalies. At the same time, we began considering how to build the warehouse in Zagreb according to the same principles.The Order Management System (OMS), Warehouse Management System (WMS), and the packing module are practically identical\u2014or very similar\u2014in both warehouses. This means that the processes are interconnected, with differences arising mainly due to the different warehouse structures. However, it is clear that the logic developed in the Slovenian warehouse has also been extended to the Croatian warehouse. <\/p>\n\n

So, what are the differences between warehouses in Celje and Zagreb?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The main difference is that we use two different ERP systems, meaning two separate databases from which we extract data. For example, in Slovenia we can complete tasks partially, while in Croatia tasks or orders must be fully completed at closing before the required documents can be generated. <\/p>\n\n

Another difference is that the warehouse in Celje is designed so that goods are received on one side, then some final processing is carried out inside the warehouse, and afterward the goods are prepared, packed, and shipped. The Croatian warehouse, however, has both inbound and outbound ramps on the same side, which requires more work in warehouse management and more coordination\u2014but this is not a major issue. <\/p>\n\n

What are the biggest or most important innovations that you have introduced when renovating the warehouse?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I am most proud of introducing the Modula automated storage units, which have significantly accelerated the picking of small items. While a typical picker performs around 175 movements per day (picking, receiving, etc.), with the new modules an employee can perform up to 286 touches per hour, or between 1,100 and 1,300 touches each day\u2014which is significantly more than before. Another important innovation is the introduction of the packing module, whose development was overseen entirely by our General Manager, Robert Sraka. <\/p>\n\n

This packing module is connected to all external carriers, such as Mil\u0161ped, Intereuropa, Po\u0161ta Slovenije, Hrvatska po\u0161ta, and others. We exchange parcel data via web connectivity, and thanks to this service, customers can also track the status of their shipments. <\/p>\n\n

You mentioned that you can now handle multiple touches at the same time. What does that mean for the consumer? How much faster do they receive the ordered products, and how much lower are the resulting storage costs? Finally, but not least, you have increased the added value per employee by 15 percent in the past year. So, the added value has grown thanks to the expansion of the shelf\u2011technology segment. As we know, televisions are getting wider, refrigerators taller, products larger. Therefore, a warehouse must have completely different specifications than it had ten or fifteen years ago. <\/p>\n\n

We have replaced the old and unreliable forklifts with new ones and, together with the manufacturer Jungheinrich, adapted them to best meet our requirements. We slightly bypassed the standard order\u2011picking solutions and created our own version of an order\u2011picking forklift that suits us best. <\/p>\n\n

This has also reduced the number of transfers from reserve microlocations to picking microlocations, which means we have reduced the number of transport workers from four to two. The remaining workers can be reassigned to other areas. At the same time, picking is much faster, because until now we could keep only one product in a single microlocation. Now, the system allows us to store multiple items in the same microlocation. <\/p>\n\n

This is especially useful for preparing small items such as watches, phones, mice, etc. All these products can be stored in one location, which increases warehouse utilization, compresses the storage area, and gives us more space for other products. The mentioned modules, or automated vertical cabinets, then allow us\u2014particularly during sales campaigns for small products\u2014to prepare, pick, and assemble products for 24 customers at the same time, instead of handling each order individually. <\/p>\n\n

You mentioned the new forklifts. Are we talking about conventional forklifts or autonomous forklifts? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Here I will summarize Mr. \u010cedilnik (Dr. Marko \u010cedilnik, Head of Logistics at Mercator), who said in an interview that automation should be implemented only where automation is truly needed. In the current situation, we do not need additional automation. There are still many items that must be picked manually. Their range is very diverse, as is the packaging, so manual picking remains the only solution. Therefore, we need to understand what our added value is when automation comes into play. <\/p>\n\n

My wish for this area is to establish an automated packing system within the next two or three years. This system would collect the goods that have already arrived at the outbound ramp, consolidate them, and create a single package. This would be relatively easy, because we already know for which customer the package is being prepared, and we also have information about the parcel and the delivery location, which are provided on the labels with Data Matrix codes. <\/p>\n\n

It is worth mentioning, from the picking perspective, that we have organized the warehouse into zones depending on the type of goods: white goods, televisions, audio\u2011video equipment, and similar categories, where the largest products are located. After that comes the area with smaller items, small household appliances, and so on, all the way to small accessories. Depending on the zone or the size of the product, we then choose the appropriate forklift, collect the goods, and deliver them to the outbound ramp where the package is prepared. <\/p>\n\n

How big of a financial undertaking was the warehouse renovation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

We began renovating the warehouse in Celje together with the owner of the facility, who was also the main investor in the storage technology. Our costs are currently around half a million euros. <\/p>\n\n

Artificial intelligence \u2014 are you already using it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Not yet in the field of logistics, but our colleagues from Marketing and IT Solutions are already working on it. However, we do have an ambition to introduce self\u2011driving vehicles and autonomous robots, where human labor would no longer be needed for movement. This mainly concerns repetitive work processes or the movement of goods. Of course, people would still remain present, especially for handling attractive and sensitive products whose value can be very high. <\/p>\n\n

What about artificial intelligence in the area of delivery fleet management?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

This is a step we still need to take. For now, we are primarily focusing on the warehouse operations. The next step is the optimization of vehicles and deliveries to the end customer. The team is working in this area to establish optimal conditions for the fastest delivery in the vicinity of the cities where we have central warehouses, delivering the ordered goods to the customer within three hours. We still need to prepare the transport module, but it is true that artificial intelligence plays an even more important role here than with autonomous robots. <\/p>\n\n

You also recently launched the Big Bang online marketplace. How does it work, and what results have you seen? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Great! We also organize logistics for certain suppliers. This means that the supplier collects all orders, sends them to us, and then we deliver them to the customers. Others handle this process themselves, using their own delivery services or the postal service and other partners. The online marketplace is a major contribution, especially in the sales area, because it allows us to step outside the framework we were used to in Big Bang and essentially sell a much wider range of products \u2014 practically everything. <\/p>\n\n

The challenge or issue I see here is that many online shoppers are still not familiar with the concept of an online marketplace. And since they don\u2019t check who the supplier of the product is or who the actual sender is, they contact us with delivery-related questions and similar inquiries, and we then redirect them. So people need to become more familiar with this type of service. <\/p>\n\n

How does this reflect on your website? Are you seeing more visits, more orders?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Of course, these two go hand in hand. If you buy a new iPhone and want a protective case that Big Bang doesn\u2019t have, but a supplier on the marketplace does, it\u2019s a win\u2011win situation. We don\u2019t lose the sale, but we do gain new visits to our website, which strengthens our brand visibility. And every click counts \u2014 maybe not the first one, but probably the next, when the customer decides to purchase a product from us. The customer will continue browsing, find the product they need, and add it to the cart along with the main item. <\/p>\n\n

However, I must emphasize that many people still choose traditional shopping. Above all, they want confirmation that the product they\u2019ve selected is the right one. From my own experience, I know that our salespeople do everything they can to keep the customer \u2014 whether through an additional service, a discount, or something similar. <\/p>\n\n

A more general question: how is the trade war affecting you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Personally, I believe that unless there are significant price changes, there will be no impact on the end consumer apart from headlines in newspapers and online. As long as retailers do not increase prices and there are alternatives available on the market \u2014 even if they are not Chinese \u2014 there will be no serious impact on consumers. However, a prolonged trade war could still lead to price increases, which would result in more cautious purchasing decisions, for example, people choosing not to buy a new mobile phone every year. <\/p>\n\n

Of course, the situation will be difficult for certain segments of the population who are at or even below the poverty line and are already struggling to make ends meet.<\/p>\n\n

Based on your answer, can we expect a slowdown in consumption and an increase in the sale of products manufactured locally or in nearby countries?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

We all hope for this. I am one of those who wish and hope that in the future we will have more factories, that we will produce more things ourselves, and that there will be as little importing as possible. The positive effects of this can already be seen in food. Slovenians are quite good in this area \u2014 although we still have a large amount of imported food, we largely continue to rely on domestic products. Abroad, however, we can see that people often don\u2019t care at all about what they consume. <\/p>\n\n

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