We sat down with the lead engineering team at Apex Logistics to discuss the complexities of modeling physical warehouse space in real-time, and the impact it has on carbon reduction.
Data Forward: Apex Logistics recently won both the Best Supply Chain and Best Warehouse Consultancy awards. A significant part of that success was your use of digital twin technology. What makes your approach different?
Apex Logistics: Most firms use digital twins as a shiny 3D dashboard for executives to look at. We use it strictly as a mathematical proving ground. Before our clients pour concrete or buy a £5M automated retrieval system, we run 10,000 simulations using historical throughput data to see exactly where the bottlenecks will occur.
Data Forward: You often speak about 'modular' architecture over massive enterprise overhauls. Why?
Apex Logistics: Massive, monolithic software overhauls paralyze warehouse operations. These environments are high-stress. If you tell a plant manager you need to pause operations for two days to migrate data, you've already lost. We deploy small, modular scripts that fix one specific bottleneck—like picker routing or SKU slotting—and integrate silently with their existing ERP.
Data Forward: How does this translate to sustainability?
Apex Logistics: By mathematically optimizing how goods move and where they are stored, we unlocked 35% more space for a major client. That meant they didn't have to build a completely new facility, saving thousands of tonnes of concrete and structural steel.