Automation Design & Supplier Selections

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) design, build, and supply the core machinery and systems that power modern warehouses, distribution centers, and production facilities. They produce equipment such as conveyors, sorters, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), robotics, and control systems that enable efficient movement, storage, and processing of goods. OEMs play a central role in integrating mechanical, electrical, and digital technologies to improve throughput, accuracy, and labor efficiency.

Many OEMs offer comprehensive, interconnected suites, but often excel in some areas and experience challenges in others. Software orchestration platforms are often modular in nature and struggle in more complex environments.  Partnerships are often leveraged to fill gaps in their product offerings if the situation warrants it.

Systems integrators specialize in designing, engineering, and implementing end-to-end solutions that combine equipment, software, and controls from multiple vendors into a cohesive, optimized system. They assess operational requirements, select and integrate technologies such as conveyors, robotics, AS/RS, and warehouse control or execution systems, and ensure seamless interoperability across hardware and software layers. Beyond technical integration, they manage project delivery from concept and simulation through installation, testing, and commissioning – while aligning system design with the client’s business objectives. Their expertise enables organizations to achieve efficient, scalable, and data-driven warehouse and distribution operations.

These firms often focus on positioning familiar equipment and solutions and often bring foundational solutions to bear that can accelerate implementations or drive performance for niche needs.  However, they also expedite implementations without adequate consideration for broader strategy needs or change management.

Design build consultancies provide specialized advisory services focused on optimizing warehouse and distribution performance through tailored strategies and technology recommendations. Unlike large generalist firms, they offer deep, hands-on expertise in automation design, operational improvement, and vendor selection, often acting as trusted advisors to bridge the gap between business objectives and technical execution. These firms typically conduct assessments, develop business cases, and create detailed design or implementation roadmaps that balance cost, complexity, and ROI. Their independence from equipment suppliers allows them to deliver unbiased insights and customized solutions that align with each client’s unique operational goals and maturity level.

SCT Advisory offers end-to-end automation design and build services with a focus on creating a scalable capability within client organizations that drives repeatability, standardization, and long-term enterprise value. By combining holistic business differentiation and operating objectives with network and facility material flow expertise, engineering capabilities, and strategic governance and change management, we work with clients to embed automation as a core capability rather than a one-time project. The resulting model ensures consistent design principles, technology standards, and implementation practices across sites, accelerating deployment while reducing risk and cost over time. Through structured change management, the consultancy also supports workforce alignment, process adaptation, and leadership engagement to sustain adoption and maximize the return on automation investments.

For clients that  are beginning the process of designing automation – whether they know what types of automation are needed or not, SCT will help to develop a high level view of automation options, capacity and sizing requirements, supporting systems, and overall budgetary requirements.

Using order profiles and slotting logic, we conceptualize automation usage and order selection strategies. We evaluate pallet, case, and unit picking processes alongside item velocities to recommend optimal storage and automation solutions. High-level budgeting includes systems, peripherals, security, vehicles, equipment, and professional services.

The result allows us to benchmark with representative providers current market conditions so our stakeholders can receive budgetary approval to proceed with design.

Deeper dive assessment of warehousing processes and material flows allow us to engineer a facility layout with the required automation embedded into the design.  Understanding day in the life processes ensures that processing capacities are adequate to support projected volumes within appropriate tolerances for volatility.

Our value proposition lies in the process that ensures requirements are not a regurgitation of the current state, but a well developed visionary view of capabilities that will achieve organizational objectives, and that the leadership team is well aligned to those objectives, and these objectives are ready to be vetted with the broader organization and potential partners.

• Integrated System Architecture & Analytics Design – As SCT lays out a broad view of the provider landscape, it is often necessary to shortlist those providers that are more likely to participate in the proposed architecture.  This may include large WMS vendors, smaller niche providers, adjacent software providers, and warehouse automation technologies.  Vendor identification and interviews allow our clients to hear the stories and prioritize activities in a way that will provide the needed insight to develop scope for the evaluation and program planning exercises.  The output is a longer term vision to a holistic architecture that establishes a foundational alignment for roadmap development and vendor selection purposes.
• Requirements Definition – Detailed process walk-throughs through each area of the business and user persona allows SCT to align current state capabilities to best practices, identifying the list of critical capabilities needed from a warehouse solution as well as additional capabilities and considerations.  The output is a prioritized list of requirements to be used in an RFI/RFP, along with any near term improvements that can be achieved prior to a more formal project.
• Critical Differentiators – SCT’s elevation of critical requirements and differentiators across functional requirements and provider approach can be leveraged in weighted scorecards as an effective tool to socialize priorities across different stakeholder entities within the organization and to ensure that priorities are aligned when selecting a vendor and solution.

SCT Advisory provides RFI and RFP support for Warehouse Management System and associated technology selections by capturing and prioritizing key business requirements, facilitating the organizational alignment on program objectives while orchestrating the selection process with the right group of warehousing solutions providers given the required capabilities, budget and culture fit.  Our unique value proposition combines the depth of familiarity with the solutions and how they can be configured or customized to achieve process objectives and operational results, combined with an understanding of the effort required to translate requirements into systems capabilities.  We drive aggressive plans with the partners, while setting realistic expectations and contingency plans with our clients.

• Sourcing Strategy, RFP Oversight, & Vendor Selection – As project scope is defined, mobilizing the best-fit ecosystem of vendors and services providers across software, cloud, services, and support is needed.  Designing partner-friendly programs leveraging our industry expertise provides a stream-lined approach and short list of candidates to deliver a successful implementation.
• RFP Management – Managing vendor communications, scoring responses, consolidating evaluations, and tracking contract progress can be time-consuming and complex. Our proven methodology streamlines this process, keeping it efficient and transparent—while providing clear updates and recommendations to your executive team.
• Vendor demonstrations are a critical step in vetting the solutions and ensuring consensus on success factors and preferred vendors across the organization which is critical to the success of the overall program.  SCT provides vendors with guidance on your organizational priorities and while presenting what we see as critical differentiators to you for a 360-degree view of the options to choose from.  Briefing sessions following the demonstrations translate vendor positioning into valid expectations, and roundtable discussions unveil any reservations from the team that can be addressed in future conversations with the vendors.

Once a preferred vendor has been identified, but before contracts are executed, SCT will work with the supplier to fully vet the proposal to ensure engineering designs have been exhaustively aligned on, system capabilities are documented (including exception handling conditions), and roles and responsibilities are clearly defined so that final contracts are representative of the required path to success and final approvals can be attained.

SCT will lead the following and coordinate with suppliers to ensure common understanding (and balanced coverage).

• Program Planning – Company-wide projects require careful collaboration, roadmap development, milestone planning, and executive engagement. With hundreds of supply chain projects completed, SCT knows which questions to ask, critical success milestones to track, and KPIs to monitor—helping you build a strategic program plan that drives lasting value across your organization. Following vendor demonstrations, as the preferred solution is materializing, Scoping workshops allow our customers to dig deeper into capabilities and setup requirements to more fully develop an appreciation for solution capabilities and the effort required to achieve them.  SCT facilitates workshops with 1-2 vendors to walk through the day in the life of warehouse operation (end to end given the surrounding system architecture), implementation methodology, roles and responsibilities, and critical success factors.
• Scoping, Scheduling, and Roles & Responsibilities – Aligning project and program objectives with high level estimates of effort allows a best in class approach to take shape.  Iterations allowing the evaluation of complexity and projected results allow refinement of scope to deliver optimal value.  Considerations of staff availability and supplementation options allow time and cost tradeoffs to be evaluated, delivering an ideal balance of speed and value.

We will then vet contracts with Procurement to ensure that detailed descriptions of roles, methodology, and deliverables are documented, and that payment terms align to industry norms.  Finally, we will complete the Program Justification & Business Case Preparation – Investment priorities will be scoped and sequenced, providing clarity on transformation strategies and business justification.  Cost estimation and returns on investment will be combined into a time phased justification for your program, and combined with soft benefits and insights to socialize effort & procure funding.

SCT’s advisors integrate with your project teams to help extend conversations related to warehousing project design and its successful delivery.    In many cases, SCT will provide both a systems lead and a facilities lead to guide the implementation of systems and the installation of equipment through the delivery, QA, and ramp up to production volumes.

Embedding ourselves into regular conversations with program stakeholders provides a third-party view of progress and a supportive yet challenging voice seeking to provide optimal impacts and value realized from of your warehousing solutions, while minimizing the disruptions that might result in the process.  Participating in or leading steering committee meetings provides a third party view free from internal politics on the readiness for system cutovers as well as the ability of the solution to achieve value.

• Industry Best Practices – Our advisors have succeeded in guiding some of the most complex environments through global design contemplation efforts the balance operational efficiencies with throughput while protecting agile processes prepared to address the needs of channel growth, shifting demand, and the prospect of merger and acquisition impact to operations.  Throughout design and continuously as issues arise and parking lots are addressed our advisors provide invaluable insight into industry recognized best practices and opportunities to improve existing processes. Managing the balance of delivering the best solution and deferring potentially disruptive changes to the business delivers a high value outcome with opportunity to grow from a foundation of success.
• Implementation Methodology – Following the critical elements of a best in class methodology assures solution readiness and business preparations to absorb the extended capabilities that implementations have to offer. Our advisors, through years of experience, ensure the rigorous exercises of data cleanliness, testing thoroughness, and robust training are executed in alignment with the appropriate milestones.
• Change Management – Change management is perhaps the most critical element assuring the success of an implementation. Preparing the business for the impacts of process and technology changes, while championing the positive impacts it will have on the personnel and the business can go miles towards driving the correct outcomes. SCT works with client leadership to build awareness of pending change and communicate effectively across stakeholder groups while preparing them for a successful transition.
• Program Leadership Alignment & Coaching – Ensuring stakeholders maintain a clear line of sight to both project success and program objectives is critical.  Opportunity often lies beyond your typical cadence of status reporting and milestone presentations.  With ongoing and frequent dialogue beyond the mechanics, our advisors will cultivate a dialogue with project stakeholders deliberating project risks related to people, process, and technology, adding rigor to change management and calibrating scoping decisions to balance results with objectives around schedule and costs.
• Steering Committee Oversight & Support – Formal, objective reviews of program success prove useful to calibrating program investment.  Our advisors, extracted from the day to day challenges of operations and project management, provide a useful rudder to steer your program to achieve its longer term vision, and serve as a reality check when responding to trends and anticipating potential disruptions.