In a landscape where warehouses are increasingly evolving towards automation, the WCS – Warehouse Control System plays a key role. The first relevant fact to highlight is the growing adoption of automated systems in warehouses across all industries, including Manufacturing.
According to the 2025 Gartner® Innovation Insight: Multiagent Orchestration Platforms report:
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“93% of supply chain leader respondents to the 2025 Gartner Supply Chain Technology UWaN Survey have already deployed or plan to deploy their first intralogistics smart robot within the next two years;
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over 80% of those who have already deployed their first robot plan to expand their use of intralogistics smart robotics. Of those pursuing additional robotics use cases, over 90% will likely use different robotic form factors with many procured from multiple vendors.”*
In this scenario, machinery integration becomes increasingly complex, and adopting a WCS to manage automation is a strategic choice, especially in Manufacturing. In addition to robotics, the manufacturing sector often requires integration with production control systems such as MES – Manufacturing Execution System or SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition.
What are the options for a WCS?
The role of WCS is to integrate automated systems with the rest of the facility. In most cases, each hardware vendor provides their equipment together with its own WCS (or control software), which leads to two possible approaches:
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Keeping the vendor’s WCS. Each piece of equipment is managed by its own WCS, independent from the other systems;
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Choosing an independent WCS. The equipment control software is not provided by the hardware vendor but by a specialized third-party provider;
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Improving process efficiency. Synchronizing machines allows, among other things, the elimination of idle time and better workload balancing, making logistics processes smoother and more efficient;
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Reducing bottlenecks and downtime. If machine controls are separate, work queues may build up, or, conversely, periods of inactivity may occur, resulting in a clear drop in overall efficiency;
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Increasing productivity. This is a measurable benefit, typically expressed in terms of processed orders (lines/hour), enabled by better order sequencing.
For operational coordination purposes, the second option is generally preferable, since Manufacturing environments involve a high level of complexity. A unified WCS can deliver several tangible benefits in automation-driven operations:
However, using an external WCS is not always possible. Some hardware vendors require the use of their proprietary WCS and do not allow the equipment to be integrated through third-party software. In such cases, operational coordination must be handled at a higher level, by the WMS – Warehouse Management System.
WCS: How to select and implement it
The range of scenarios described above requires Manufacturing companies to take a structured and strategic approach to WCS selection and implementation, following a 4-step process:
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WMS Selection. The Warehouse Management platform must be able to easily interface with WCS systems, whether they are vendor-provided or third-party solutions.
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WCS Selection. Choosing an independent WCS is the optimal solution to ensure process optimization. Where this is not possible, it is essential to verify that the WMS can effectively take on the coordination role.
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WCS ConfigurationIn highly complex facilities, where multiple automation systems are deployed and organized into homogeneous functional groups (picking, sorting, etc.), configuration may be layered: multiple WCS instances coordinate individual functional islands, while the WMS is responsible for coordinating the overall groups.
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Evaluation of Automated Systems . Automation technology should be selected not only based on intrinsic capabilities, but also on integration potential. The technological performance of a machine is not an independent variable: it depends on the operating context. The WCS type (proprietary or third-party) and the way it is deployed (configuration model) will be decisive in maximizing the value delivered by the technology.
Supply Chain performance, and especially Production Planning, is strongly dependent on intralogistics performance. Maximizing production output depends on seamless integration across the software platforms managing the entire chain: Demand Planning, corporate ERP, production control systems, WMS, and WCS.
The WCS, which may initially appear to play a secondary role, is actually central to optimizing the overall process. Its coordination capabilities directly determine the plant’s ability to maximize throughput. Selecting the right WCS model and defining how it should be used is a strategic decision that can significantly contribute to business growth in Manufacturing.
*Gartner, Innovation Insight: Multiagent Orchestration Platforms, 27 June 2025. GARTNER is a trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.