Warehouse RTLS: real-time location for forklifts, pallets and stock, connected to your WMS.
Free 30-minute call with a specialist · written proposal with the price after · fixed-scope engagements from £3k.
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A warehouse RTLS shows where forklifts, pallets and stock are in real time. Done well, it confirms put-aways without an extra scan, shows where stock really is and cuts the time spent searching. Done badly, it is a map nobody uses.
We help you pick the use case that pays, choose the technology that suits your racking and layout, and specify the link to your WMS before you buy. Advice first. We also supply, lease and integrate if you choose.
Start from the use case.
Forklift location and put-away confirmation. Where the truck is when it sets a pallet down confirms the storage location in the WMS. See forklift tracking.
Finding pallets and stock in block storage, staging lanes and overflow areas.
Dock and staging. What is waiting at which door, and for how long.
Safety. Pedestrian and forklift warnings are a separate safety system with their own requirements. Location can feed them. See collision avoidance.
Each use case needs a different accuracy and update rate, so the use case decides the technology, not the other way round.
Which technology fits.
UWB is usually the most precise radio option. It suits forklift positions and put-away confirmation, but needs anchors and careful design around racking. See UWB RTLS advice.
BLE costs less per tag and suits zone-level location of assets and people.
Passive RFID reads pallets and cases at doors, dock portals and on forklifts, with no batteries in the tags. See RFID advice.
Cameras and vision on forklifts or in the roof need no tags on goods, but bring more processing and privacy work.
Steel racking and stock reflect radio signals, so the accuracy you get depends on your building. We confirm it in a site survey before you commit.
The WMS link decides the value.
Location data pays only when it changes what the WMS does: confirming a put-away, correcting a stock location or releasing the next task. That needs agreed events, clear rules for when a location overrides a scan, and testing with your WMS team. We write this interface scope with you, whether you run SAP EWM, Manhattan, Blue Yonder or another WMS. See integrations.
Prove it on one area first.
Run a pilot on one aisle group, dock or staging area, and measure on your own floor: the share of put-aways placed in the right location, the time saved searching, and how often the RTLS and the WMS disagree. Scale only when those numbers hold.
How we work on it.
It starts with a free 30-minute call about your site, your WMS and the problem you want to fix. After the call you get a written proposal with the price. Supply is optional and on a separate contract from our advice. You can also buy direct from the supplier.
For the wider picture of layout, slotting and flow, see warehouse optimisation.
Frequently asked questions
Is RTLS better than barcode scanning in a warehouse?
Not always. Scanning is cheap and reliable for many tasks. RTLS earns its place where scans are missed, stock moves without being booked, or forklifts and staging areas need live visibility.
How accurate does warehouse RTLS need to be?
It depends on the use case. Confirming a pallet in a rack location needs much finer accuracy than knowing which zone a forklift is in. We set the target per use case and test it in your building.
Can it work with our existing WMS?
Usually, through an interface or middleware. The work is agreeing which events may change WMS data and testing them. We scope that before you buy.
What about forklift collision warning?
That is a safety system with its own requirements. Location can feed it, but it should be chosen and tested as a safety product.
What does the first step cost?
The 30-minute call is free. After it you get a written proposal with a fixed price for the scope we agree.
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