Efficient preparation of orders in a distributor coffee company using taboo search

Abstract

The article aims to develop a taboo search metaheuristic to solve the routing travelling salesman problem (TSP) in the order picking process to obtain minimum distances when collecting products from the storage positions. The taboo search metaheuristic was implemented in the order picking of a coffee trading company in Antioquia, allowing the reduction of distance, time and cost of 44%, what amounts to a cost savings of $825000 a month and 825 minutes a month compared to a FLCL (Farthest Locations- Closest Location) routing strategy, currently being used by the company which allows to increase the efficiency of this operation.