Say goodbye to paper, welcome to the digital warehouse
A few years ago, warehouse order picking was based on printouts, manually ticking off products, and paper labels stuck to pallets. Such a system made mistakes easy—missing items, wrong storage locations, or misread batch numbers. Today, those methods are obsolete.
So how should efficient intralogistics work in 2025? Here's the answer.
What you need to stop losing inventory in your warehouse
A modern warehouse is a fully digital environment. Instead of paper—tablets. Instead of manual checking—automation and barcode scanning. Instead of guessing—clear prompts on a monitor or wearable computer screen. This way, every operator knows exactly what to pick, where to find it, and how many units to collect. It’s not just a time-saver—it dramatically improves the quality of order picking.
The foundation of a well-functioning warehouse is a system that "knows" what is stored where—and can communicate this to the operator at the right moment. That’s why the most important element is the WMS (Warehouse Management System). It manages inventory flow, issues tasks, verifies order picking, and provides data for analysis.
The second pillar is the end devices (laptops, tablets, and increasingly AR solutions, more on that here), used daily by warehouse staff. In real conditions—low temperatures, dust, vibrations, falls—the equipment must be rugged and reliable.
This equipment doesn’t work alone—its strength lies in integration with the WMS. When everything is connected, the system can automatically send picking orders to a tablet or wearable headset, the operator sees what to do immediately, and data from the process goes back into the system. Plus, warehouse managers have full visibility. They know which employee is responsible for what and the real-time progress of any task.
How it works at the Elmark Automatyka warehouse
Instead of theorizing, let’s show how these solutions work in practice at our own site. Our newly launched Elmark Automatyka Distribution Center (just last year) covers 2,183 m², features high-bay storage, and uses semi-automated shelf management. Importantly, we didn’t rely on ready-made tools—we developed our own WMS tailored precisely to our processes, inventory, and team’s needs. This decision fundamentally transformed how our warehouse operates.
Our WMS automatically sends picking orders to tablets mounted on carts. Operators don’t have to search for anything—they get a message like:
“Pick 3 units of product X from level 3, location 4.”
This eliminates errors, speeds up picking, and gives us full control over every movement in the warehouse.
Everything runs on trusted hardware—we use Getac and Durabook tablets, which can withstand drops, vibrations, and dust. Their screens are easy to read even in tough conditions, and built-in cameras let us scan barcodes without any extra equipment.
We also added RFID to track which operator is using which cart. We can measure task completion time, analyze efficiency, and quickly identify issues.
Our solution is stable—it doesn’t crash, doesn’t need restarts, and helps us fulfill orders efficiently and almost flawlessly every day.
“Since implementing our own WMS and pairing it with rugged hardware, we’ve had full control over our order picking process. Operators receive clear instructions, everything runs smoothly, and picking has become easier than ever. This was one of the best operational decisions we’ve made in recent years.”
Recommended rugged computers and AR solutions
Reliability is everything in a modern warehouse. Devices must survive drops, dust, gloved use, and fluctuating temperatures. If a tablet goes down, so does your picking operation—and that’s not an option. That’s why we only recommend solutions we’ve tested and proven to work.
Durabook R11
A lightweight, compact tablet ideal for use on forklifts and by handheld operators. It offers military-grade durability, long battery life, and easy scanning with its built-in camera.
Getac UX10
A rugged tablet with powerful internals and flexible configuration options. It supports more demanding applications and performs well in tough environments. It’s stable, fast, and integrates seamlessly with WMS.
RealWear Navigator 5020
Voice-controlled AR glasses that let operators work hands-free while accessing key information and picking instructions. Ideal for dynamic environments and mobile tasks.
Vuzix M400
Lightweight, modern AR glasses that deliver high-quality visuals and integrate quickly with warehouse systems. Their compact form makes them comfortable for extended use.
Conclusion: warehouse order depends on the right system
Inventory losses aren’t random—they’re a sign that your system isn’t working. At Elmark Automatyka, we’ve embraced full digitalization of our warehouse operations: our own WMS, rugged hardware, and modern picking methods. The result? We know exactly what we have, where it is, and who picked it.
With the right combination of software and hardware, you can drastically reduce errors, speed up operations, and gain full control over your warehouse. It’s not about technology for technology’s sake—it’s about efficiency that truly works.
Need proven intralogistics solutions?
Get in touch with us. Rugged Experts is Elmark Automatyka’s dedicated team for rugged and AR devices, ready to recommend the best options tailored to your work environment.
