By Paul R Salmon FCILT, FSCM
As organisations race to modernise their warehouse operations – embracing automation, robotics, and AI-driven systems – one critical truth is often overlooked: without accurate volumetric data, even the most advanced warehouses will fail to deliver on their promise.
The warehouses of the future are not static storage spaces. They are dynamic, algorithm-driven environments, optimised for space, efficiency, and throughput. But these algorithms are only as good as the data they receive.
🔑 Why Volumetric Data Matters:
Space is finite. Warehouses are designed around the dimensions and weights of the items they store. Poor or missing volumetric data leads to wasted space, inefficient stacking, and unnecessary costs. Automation depends on precision. Robotics and automated picking systems require exact measurements to function properly. A single misrecorded dimension can jam a conveyor or misroute an item. Carbon and cost implications. Overestimated or underestimated volumes can lead to poor transport and storage planning, increasing emissions and costs.
📉 The Risk of Bad Data:
Too many organisations still rely on manual entry or out-of-date product dimensions. The result? Pallets that don’t fit racking, containers underutilised, and warehouses that run out of space long before they should.
💡 Warehouses of the Future Demand:
✅ Accurate, dynamic volumetric data captured at the point of origin.
✅ Integrated systems that use this data to optimise layout and flow.
✅ Continuous data stewardship to keep records clean and actionable.
🗣 “If you don’t get your data right, you’re not optimising a warehouse – you’re just shifting the inefficiencies around.”
The future of warehouse optimisation starts not with hardware, but with data discipline. Are you ready?
