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RTLS solutions for logistics, manufacturing and trasportation

Leading-Edge RTLS solutions for business growth

How to develop smarter logistics with RTLS

RTLS Solutions for Logistics

Use cases of real-time location systems and IoT technologies and their benefits for process visibility, efficiency, and safety in the logistics sector.

How can RTLS solutions optimize logistics processes?

The use of RTLS and Industry 4.0 technologies is deeply transforming warehouse logistics. The ability to connect assets used in logistics processes (such as material handling vehicles), thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT), allows for more efficient operations.

Benefits of RTLS and Automation in Logistics

Operations with RTLS become more and more automated. On one hand, this automation makes it possible to speed up actions, relieving workers of those dangerous or repetitive tasks with low cognitive value. On the other hand, the introduction of autonomous vehicles into warehouses also transforms these settings into hybrid spaces and requires special focus on the safety of workers.

Hence the need for increased visibility on the entire supply chain of the company thanks to the integration of IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) with company resources, such as ERP and WMS.

RTLS systems are very versatile and can generate great benefits and efficiency in various contexts. An example can be found in intensive logistics where assets location, combined with the use of AI applications and integration with systems such as WMS enables tangible benefits allowing position-based scheduling, reducing empty trips and minimizing tasks execution times.
How to increase the efficiency of production processes

RTLS Solutions for Manufacturing

RTLS use cases that support production, warehouse management, and safety, making the manufacturing industry more efficient, competitive, and technologically advanced.

In che modo le soluzioni RTLS possono ottimizzare i processi manifatturieri?

A variety of RTLS applications and solutions are available within the industry, which are often adaptable and flexible over time, adjusting to present and future requirements, growing with the company’s needs, and progressively extending to cover an increasing range of assets and work areas.

Benefits of RTLS and Automation in Manufacturing
  • Operations become more and more automated. Automation achieved with RTLS makes it possible to speed up actions, relieving workers of those dangerous or repetitive tasks with low cognitive value. At the same time, the introduction of automation in the production context transforms these settings into hybrid spaces and requires a special focus on the safety of workers.
  • Provide greater visibility thanks to indirect tracking of goods: the reduction of operating costs also involves greater efficiency in the management of semi-finished and finished products. A particularly relevant necessity in those contexts characterized by large volumes, such as the manufacturing sector, production, and large logistics hubs.
  • Generate higher levels of compliance and quality: removing human error, enabling efficient stock control and providing more accurate data transparency.
  • Enable process efficiency and orchestration: integrating RTLS with WMS and MES provides a smart management of production processes by introducing a governance layer that optimizes lead-times and maximizes the usage of resources.
  • Contribute to a more sustainable environment: in light of the changing perspective on sustainability in the manufacturing sector, one of the primary goals of Chief Supply Chain Officers (CSCO) is to reduce energy consumption and waste. In fact, 72% of CSCO* acknowledge the risks of climate change and seek to enhance sustainability in their operations. Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) provide valuable insights to improve operational efficiency and offer transparent data for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings.

* https://www.g2.com/articles/warehouse-automation-statistics
How to improve transportation efficiency with RTLS

RTLS Solutions for Transportation

RTLS use cases in the transportation industry to monitor and manage the real-time, direct or indirect, location of vehicles, goods, and personnel. These systems offer numerous advantages in optimizing mobile asset management processes, production, goods transportation, and safety.

How can RTLS solutions optimize logistics processes?

The introduction of RTLS systems in the transportation sector aids in the optimization of operations, the reduction of costs, the improvement of safety, the streamlined use and distribution of assets, and the provision of more insight into the supply chain.

Some RTLS applications in the transportation sector
  • Vehicles and mobile assets tracking: RTLS systems can be used to track the exact location of vehicles in indoor and outdoor environments. This is useful for optimizing routes, managing preventive maintenance, improving planning and making the use of resources more rational.
  • Cargo management: RTLS allows to track the location of goods during transportation. This is crucial to reduce downtime and improve inventory management. Real-time information on the location of goods can be integrated into supply chain management systems also with the use of sensors that check the conditions of the goods (for example the temperature).
  • Vehicle and personnel safety: monitoring the real-time location of vehicles and personnel can improve safety. For example, it enables the detection of abnormal movements or accidents and a quick response to emergency situations.
  • Shipment tracking and deliveries: for delivery and logistics companies, RTLS are essential for tracking the location of shipments throughout the transportation process, from collection to final delivery.
  • Asset tracking: in the context of airports, ports, large stations, knowing the position of mobile assets such as luggage trolleys, caddies, aids for people with reduced mobility is essential for efficient asset management.
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about which use cases can be managed using RTLS Systems

How is RTLS used across logistics, manufacturing, and transportation environments?

RTLS is used across logistics, manufacturing, and transportation environments to provide continuous, real‑time visibility of assets, vehicles, and personnel throughout complex operational spaces. By adding location intelligence to enterprise systems, RTLS supports different workflows while enabling consistent process monitoring and control.

In logistics and warehousing, RTLS tracks forklifts, pallets, goods, and operators to improve picking efficiency, inventory accuracy, yard management, and workplace safety, with tight integration into WMS and supply chain systems.

In manufacturing, RTLS provides real‑time visibility across the production floor by tracking materials, work‑in‑progress items, mobile equipment, and operators. This supports production flow monitoring, automatic traceability, safety management, and integration with MES and quality systems.

In transportation and freight operations, RTLS tracks vehicles, trailers, containers, and mobile assets across hubs, terminals, yards, and intermodal facilities. Combined with outdoor tracking technologies, it ensures continuous visibility across indoor and outdoor areas, improving fleet coordination and operational control.
What specific logistics challenges does RTLS solve in distribution centers? Distribution centers face recurring challenges that RTLS directly addresses. Misplaced inventory causes picking errors and stockouts, which RTLS eliminates by tracking every item to its current location in real time. Inefficient picking routes increase labor cost and reduce throughput; RTLS data enables route optimization that cuts travel distance per pick by 20–40%. Vehicle utilization is often poor because dispatchers do not know where idle equipment is; RTLS gives instant visibility. Cross-docking operations require precise coordination of inbound and outbound flows; RTLS provides the real-time tracking needed to manage this coordination. Dock management is improved because the system tracks which docks are occupied and how long vehicles have been waiting.
How does RTLS improve picking optimization in a warehouse? RTLS improves warehouse picking in multiple ways. First, because the system knows the precise location of every inventory item, it can generate pick instructions that guide pickers along the shortest possible path through the warehouse, minimizing travel distance and time. Second, RTLS tracks picker movement and confirms pick completion automatically based on location detection, eliminating the need to scan each item. Third, real-time monitoring of picking progress allows supervisors to identify when a picker is falling behind schedule and reassign resources proactively. Fourth, historical picking data reveals systematic inefficiencies in the warehouse layout or slot assignments that can be corrected to improve flow for all pickers.
How does RTLS in logistics integrate with Warehouse Management Systems? Ubiquicom's logistics RTLS platform integrates with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) through standard APIs, enriching the WMS with real-time location data that it cannot generate on its own. Location events from the RTLS are mapped to WMS inventory transactions, so stock records are updated automatically as goods move without requiring manual scanner input. The WMS can leverage RTLS data to assign picking tasks to the nearest available picker, direct replenishment based on real-time slot availability, and trigger dispatch processes when orders are confirmed as staged. This integration makes the WMS more responsive and accurate while reducing the data entry workload on warehouse staff.
What safety improvements does RTLS provide in logistics warehouses? RTLS significantly improves safety in logistics warehouses where forklifts, automated guided vehicles, and pedestrian workers share the same floor space. Ubiquicom's safety-focused features include real-time proximity detection between vehicles and pedestrians using UWB, triggering audible and visual warnings on the vehicle and wearable alerts for workers when they approach too closely. Geofencing restricts vehicle access to pedestrian zones or defines one-way traffic corridors. Speed monitoring flags vehicles exceeding limits in high-risk zones such as narrow aisles or loading docks. All safety events are automatically logged, creating an evidence base for safety audits and incident investigations. This integrated safety layer reduces the frequency of warehouse accidents, which are among the leading sources of workplace injuries.
What manufacturing assets can RTLS system track in undustrial environments? Ubiquicom's manufacturing RTLS system can track a comprehensive range of production assets. On the materials side, it tracks raw material pallets and bins, work-in-progress assemblies and sub-components, and finished goods awaiting dispatch. On the equipment side, it monitors forklifts, tugger trains, carts, AGVs, and mobile tooling. For personnel, wearable tags enable worker location tracking for safety applications and productivity analysis. Fixed machinery is monitored for activity state based on operator and material presence at each machine. Special tooling, dies, and fixtures can also be tagged to enable instant location search. The system is designed to scale from tracking a handful of critical assets up to thousands of items across a large manufacturing campus.
How does RTLS improve production traceability in manufacturing? Production traceability requires a complete record of every process step applied to a product or batch, including which machine it was processed on, when, and by whom. RTLS provides automatic traceability data by recording every location event for tracked work-in-progress items. When a tagged assembly enters a workstation zone, the system timestamps its arrival. When an operator begins working on it, the system records the operator's tag ID and the time. When the assembly leaves the station, the departure is logged. This creates a complete production genealogy for each item without requiring manual scan entries. For regulated industries such as aerospace, automotive, and medical devices, this automatic traceability log satisfies customer and regulatory audit requirements.
How does RTLS enhance worker safety on the manufacturing floor? Worker safety on the manufacturing floor is improved through several RTLS-enabled mechanisms. UWB-based proximity detection between industrial vehicles and pedestrian workers triggers warnings on the vehicle operator's display and a vibration or audible alert on the worker's wearable tag when the gap closes below a safe threshold. This prevents collisions in areas where forklifts and workers share aisles. Geofencing creates virtual exclusion zones around hazardous machinery, robotic cells, or restricted areas, alerting supervisors if an unauthorized person enters. Emergency muster functionality locates all personnel instantly in the event of an evacuation, accelerating headcount and search operations. The complete safety event log supports incident investigation and regulatory compliance reporting.
Can RTLS integrate with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)? Yes, Ubiquicom's RTLS platform is designed to integrate with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and other manufacturing IT systems through standard APIs. Location events generated by the RTLS are sent to the MES as structured data, enabling automatic work order updates as production items move between stations. The MES can use RTLS data to trigger automated instructions to workers or AGVs based on production progress, improving the responsiveness of production scheduling. Quality systems receive location data to link inspection results to specific production zones and time windows. ERP systems benefit from accurate work-in-progress location data that improves production status reporting and on-time delivery performance.
What fleet visibility benefits does RTLS provide for transportation operators? Fleet visibility is the cornerstone benefit of RTLS in transportation. Rather than relying on driver radio check-ins or periodic GPS pings, RTLS provides continuous, high-frequency position updates for every vehicle in the fleet. Dispatchers see all vehicles simultaneously on a live map, enabling proactive management of delays, traffic diversions, and resource reallocation. Idle vehicle locations are immediately visible, reducing the time needed to locate and redeploy available units. Historical route data is available for every vehicle, enabling performance analysis and driver coaching. Fleet visibility also improves customer service by providing accurate, real-time shipment status information that can be shared with consignees waiting for deliveries.
How does RTLS support intermodal transport tracking? Intermodal transport involves shipments moving across multiple transport modes, such as truck to rail to sea, with transfers at intermodal terminals. Visibility gaps at these transfer points are a major source of delays and lost shipments. RTLS addresses this by tracking containers and trailers as they move between vehicles and modes at intermodal facilities. When a container is transferred from a truck to a rail car or ship, the RTLS records the transfer event, the new vehicle or vessel association, and the departure time. This creates a continuous chain-of-custody record across the entire intermodal journey. Combined with GPS tracking during transport legs, the solution provides unbroken visibility from origin to destination.
Can RTLS improve on-time delivery performance in transportation networks? Yes, RTLS directly improves on-time delivery performance by providing the early warning visibility needed to intervene before delays become delivery failures. When a vehicle is detected as running behind schedule based on its current location versus its expected position, dispatchers receive an alert and can act immediately, whether by rerouting the vehicle, alerting the consignee, or deploying a backup unit. At sorting and consolidation facilities, RTLS tracks inbound load progress to ensure that outbound vehicles are loaded on schedule. Dwell time monitoring identifies which facilities or processes are consistently causing delays, enabling targeted improvements. The combination of real-time alerts and historical trend analysis gives transportation managers both the tactical and strategic tools to improve on-time performance.
How does RTLS handle outdoor vehicle tracking for transportation? For outdoor transportation tracking, Ubiquicom integrates GPS positioning into the same platform that manages UWB indoor tracking. Vehicles and trailers in outdoor yards, open lots, and on-road routes are tracked via GPS, with positions reported to the central platform at configurable intervals. When a vehicle enters an indoor facility such as a sorting center or warehouse, the tracking automatically transitions to UWB for precise indoor positioning. The platform presents both indoor and outdoor data on a unified map, so operators always have a single, continuous view of each asset's location regardless of its environment. Cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity options are available for transmitting GPS data from vehicles on road routes.
What industries are represented in Ubiquicom's case studies?

Ubiquicom's case study portfolio spans a wide range of industrial sectors, demonstrating the versatility of its RTLS and IoT platform. Industries represented include third-party logistics and warehouse management, airport cargo and ground support operations, manufacturing and production facilities, construction machinery, precious metals refining, luxury automotive manufacturing, and cold chain temperature-controlled logistics. Each case study documents a real customer deployment, detailing the operational challenges, the Ubiquicom solution applied, and the measurable results achieved.
What types of operational problems do Ubiquicom case studies address? The case studies collectively cover the two core problem categories that Ubiquicom solves: operational efficiency and workplace safety. On the efficiency side, cases address asset and vehicle location visibility, picking accuracy improvement, WMS integration, production traceability, fleet utilization optimization, and cold chain compliance monitoring. On the safety side, cases cover anti-collision systems for industrial vehicles, pedestrian protection in high-traffic facilities, and personnel tracking in high-security environments. This dual focus reflects Ubiquicom's unique market positioning as a provider of both efficiency and safety solutions within a single platform.
How large and complex are the Ubiquicom deployments documented in the case studies? Ubiquicom case studies range from mid-sized production facility deployments to large-scale airport operations tracking thousands of assets. For example, the Gruppo SAVE implementation at Venice Marco Polo Airport involved tracking over 2,200 baggage trolleys and multiple categories of ground support equipment across a large, multi-zone outdoor and indoor campus. Other cases involve multi-warehouse logistics centers with dozens of forklifts, production lines with hundreds of semi-finished components under simultaneous tracking, and high-security refineries requiring precise personnel and asset accountability. Ubiquicom scales from single-facility pilots to enterprise-wide multi-site programs.
Which Ubiquicom products appear most frequently across the case studies? The most frequently deployed products across Ubiquicom case studies are Locator, the core RTLS positioning system for real-time asset and vehicle tracking; Synchro, the AI-powered fleet management and task optimization system; TrackVision, the asset and temperature monitoring platform; and the Proximity family of anti-collision safety systems. These products are often combined in integrated deployments where both location tracking and safety protection are required simultaneously. Custom integrations with customer WMS and ERP systems are also a recurring element across the logistics and manufacturing cases.
What measurable results have Ubiquicom customers achieved? Ubiquicom customers consistently report significant improvements across key operational metrics. Documented outcomes include meaningful reductions in asset search time, increases in picking accuracy and mission throughput, improved forklift utilization rates that reduce the need for additional vehicle procurement, greater production traceability enabling faster quality issue identification, enhanced cold chain compliance reducing the risk of regulatory failures, and strengthened workplace safety outcomes through collision prevention and worker protection. While specific percentage improvements vary by site and operational baseline, the case study portfolio demonstrates consistent positive ROI across sectors from logistics to airport operations to manufacturing.
How can a company evaluate whether Ubiquicom is the right RTLS solution for its operations? The most effective way to evaluate Ubiquicom is to review case studies in your sector and then request a consultation with the Ubiquicom team. The company offers site assessments to identify the optimal technology mix — UWB, BLE, or RFID — based on the facility layout, precision requirements, and existing IT infrastructure. Ubiquicom also conducts proof-of-concept deployments that allow companies to validate the solution in their own environment before committing to a full rollout. Contact can be made directly through the form to start the evaluation process.