How a Pharma Leader Unlocked Capacity with a Digital Twin
The story of how a GLP-1 leader discovered a path to double throughput using AWS-enabled digital twin, simulation and AI
INDUSTRY
SOLUTION
Warehouse Operations & AutomationOFFERING
Warehouse Automation & Optimization (WAO), Warehouse Design & Simulation, Material Flow AnalysisTECHNOLOGY
AWS, BigBearHow do you meet surging demand when you can’t expand your DC’s footprint?
When demand for GLP-1 therapies exploded following U.S. FDA approval, this global pharma’s North American logistics operations hit an unmovable ceiling.
The problem? Their distribution throughput needed to double by 2027, but the facility's footprint was fixed. It was constrained by both physical and regulatory limits.
Operationally, it also had highly manual processes and a fragmented technology environment that limited visibility, scalability and innovation. Without intervention, the company risked order fulfillment delays, regulatory noncompliance, and revenue loss tied to missed deliveries of life-changing medications.
Plus, in the absence of predictive maintenance and real-time serialization validation, equipment downtime and quality risks compounded operational uncertainty.
These challenges not only threatened short-term service levels but also put long-term supply resilience and margin protection at risk. This wasn’t just a capacity issue. It was a flow, visibility and system design problem.
In partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the Spinnaker SCA team got to work, bringing decades of operational and pharmaceutical expertise.
Shedding constraints. Adding capacity.
AWS and Spinnaker SCA partnered together to deliver Warehouse Automation & Optimization (WAO) grounded in simulation, AI and real-world operational expertise to design a scalable, automation-ready future state operation.
- 01 Rapid diagnostic
- 02 Learning from Amazon
- 03 Digital twin & simulation
- 04 Edge intelligence at work
- 05 Future-state blueprint
See the operation clearly—then challenge it
Spinnaker SCA and AWS launched with a structured Warehouse Automation & Optimization (WAO) assessment—identifying 20+ use cases within the first week, all tied back to the company's business goals.
Reset the standard for what “good” looks like
Using AWS’s Learning From Amazon (LFA) framework, the team was exposed to global best practices in warehouse design, automation justification and long-term enablement.
Find the constraint and then fix it
A high-fidelity 3D digital twin of the facility was created using AWS-powered AnyLogic modeling software. We modeled every aspect of operations, from inbound to outbound.
Then we used simulation engines to run iterative “what-if” scenarios for layout changes, automation investment and throughput impacts—validating decisions before the company had to make an investment.
Move from reactive to predictive operations
Computer vision and machine learning models were deployed to support real-time serialization validation, predictive maintenance and equipment health tracking—reducing downtime and manual quality control tasks.
Proven automation strategy and phased roadmap
We created a phased automation implementation roadmap for pharma leader which integrates AutoStore, SwissLog, SAP and additional automation technologies into a single, scalable solution.
All changes were modeled for ROI, risk and rollout sequencing to ensure implementation success.
Twice the output. Same four walls.
Through the insights of a warehouse digital twin, advanced AI and simulation modeling, the pharmaceutical leader found a path to double throughput without making any structural changes to their building.
- Increased throughput 2X without expanding the building
- 42% more capacity uncovered through optimized future layout and automation
- $900K in cost reductions via improved system integrations and innovations
- Redesigned warehouse flow based on Material Flow Analysis exposed hidden constraints and capacity
- Digital twin & 3D simulation validated layout, automation, and system decisions in advance before any investment was made
- Edge AI applications enabled real-time visibility, serialization validation, and predictive maintenance moving from reactive to more predictive operations
Some warehouses don't need more space. They just need a better flow.
Spinnaker SCA, in partnership with AWS, helps companies optimize their space through material flow analysis, digital twins and
AI-enabled warehouse optimization—turning operational constraints into capacity.