A Virtual Warehouse That Predicts the Future
Digital twin technology is transforming warehouse logistics in Russia, helping operators prevent costly errors and design facilities that think for themselves
When a Computer Sees More
A warehouse digital twin is far more than a 3D visualization; it is a fully functional computational replica of a real facility, modeling all processes, equipment, goods flows, and worker operations. When an issue arises, engineers see it in two dimensions at once: in the physical world and in a synchronized virtual simulation that helps pinpoint the cause and plan a fix.
A real case from automated warehouses operated by major retailers illustrates the value. Robots that had been working normally suddenly began throwing errors and refusing to move. Engineers reviewed logs, rechecked software, and still could not identify the source. Once the warehouse’s digital twin was paired with a video-recognition system, the answer appeared instantly: loose packaging film was interfering with the robot’s lidar, triggering false obstacle alerts.
In the virtual model, affected robots glowed red, their positions marked precisely, with error descriptions displayed on screen. It took one minute for a technician to remove the obstruction — and the problem disappeared.
The effect is profound. Previously, identifying such failures took hours — and downtime at an automated warehouse can cost tens of thousands of dollars per hour. Now diagnostics take minutes.
From Experiments to a Logistics Transformation
Demand for warehouse digital twins in Russia is ready for explosive growth. Major retailers such as Wildberries, OZON, and M.Video, FMCG distributors, and logistics operators like DPD are all rapidly automating warehouse operations — and every automated site becomes a candidate for a digital twin.
This shift creates a major opportunity for Russia’s tech industry. Demand is surging for domestic modeling platforms, WMS (warehouse management system) integration tools, AI-driven video analytics, and IoT solutions that link sensors and cameras. Russian developers such as Format Koda and WMS integrators are gaining momentum.
The export potential is equally strong. Across the post-Soviet region, Asia, and the Middle East, logistics optimization is in high demand — but many foreign solutions are prohibitively expensive. Russian platforms can offer a more affordable alternative to Western systems.
From Diagnostics to Prediction
Digital twin technology did not originate in logistics. The concept was first applied in aerospace, where NASA created virtual spacecraft to simulate missions and detect issues well before launch. It later spread into manufacturing, becoming a standard tool for design and optimization.
The logistics sector began applying digital twins between 2018 and 2020, as large companies struggled to manage rapidly growing e-commerce volumes and increasingly complex supply chains. Early projects were experimental: consulting teams built warehouse models in specialized software and ran simulations for bottleneck analysis.
In 2025, the field expanded dramatically: companies began modeling entire logistics networks — multiple distribution centers, transportation routes, suppliers, and buyers — while integrating digital twins with AI and big data systems. Supporting technologies evolved in parallel, creating an ecosystem in which digital twins transitioned from novelty to essential tool.
Virtual Safety Net for Real-World Operations
A warehouse digital twin provides measurable cost savings, boosts operational efficiency, and strengthens resilience to unexpected disruptions.
Over the next three years, the number of warehouses equipped with digital twins is expected to surge. What was considered cutting-edge in 2024 should become standard for automated warehouses with more than 100,000 SKUs by 2027–2028.
Future advances will move toward deeper integration of physical and virtual environments. AI-powered digital twins will not just display current operations — they will predict failures before they occur.
The next-generation smart warehouse will operate with minimal human involvement. People will focus on high-level tasks: strategic planning, robot training, and resolving non‑standard issues.
For Russia, the opportunity is immense. Companies developing domestic digital-twin platforms today stand to become global leaders in this niche.
