nGroup runs a high-complexity, multi-client reverse logistics facility in Lebanon, TN. With a constantly rotating client roster and demanding onboarding expectations, they needed to eliminate layout risk, validate slotting decisions, and prove throughput capacity before clients signed contracts. A warehouse digital twin made it possible — and the results hit from day one.
40%
Reduction in time-to-stage Validated in simulation before go-live
50%
Pick-cart lead time reduction ABC velocity slotting, footwear client
57 min
Saved per day From material handling optimization alone
The Challenge
nGroup's Lebanon facility handles reverse logistics — incoming goods are variable, each client has unique process requirements, and the operational complexity compounds across every tenant in the building simultaneously. There's no static playbook when your client mix is always changing.
Clients onboard and offboard frequently, each bringing unique layout requirements, SKU profiles, and value-add service needs. Every configuration is a new problem — and there's no margin for solving it wrong the first time.
Physical layout changes are expensive — in labor, equipment, and lost throughput. Discovering an inefficient layout after go-live means paying for that mistake in productivity, every single shift.
Reverse operations require processing steps beyond standard receiving and shipping — inspection, repackaging, reprocessing, sorting — all of which compound travel distances and pick times in ways that are hard to predict without modeling.
Prospective clients want hard evidence — throughput data, capacity validation, a clear picture of how their operations will run inside the building — before signing. "Trust us" doesn't win contracts at this level.
The Approach
CreateASoft deployed a warehouse digital twin of the Lebanon facility — a living, data-driven model of the entire operation. Rather than solving for a single tenant configuration, the twin became a reusable planning engine: every new client engagement starts with a validated model, not a gamble.
Test racking, slotting, and material flow configurations virtually — before a single rack is placed or a dollar is spent.
Model full reverse logistics flows — receiving through reprocessing through outbound — under highly variable demand conditions for each client.
Explore AMR/AGV integration and automated material handling decisions in simulation — commit to capital only when the model says it works.
Real-time operational visibility keeps the twin working post-launch — it doesn't retire when the client moves in; it drives ongoing performance.
3D simulations show prospective clients exactly how their inventory will fit, flow, and perform — before they sign. The conversation shifts from "trust us" to "see for yourself."
Based on Lebanon's success, nGroup is expanding the digital twin to multiple sites — including a high-profile Williams-Sonoma facility. One model architecture, deployed at scale.
Client Results · Layout Optimization
Textile Client
For a major textile client, the digital twin uncovered inefficiencies in the initial value-add service layout before a single rack was placed. By modeling and simulating conveyor placement and material flow paths, nGroup was able to redesign the entire layout — dramatically cutting travel distances and eliminating bottlenecks that would have compounded across every shift.
Reduction in time-to-stage
57 min/day
Saved from conveyor optimization alone
Day One
Efficiency gains delivered from the very first shift
Client Results · Slotting Optimization
Pick-cart lead time reduction
< 30 min
Slotting logic recalculates — enabling continuous optimization
Footwear Client
A footwear client was experiencing high pick-cart lead times and labor inefficiency driven by fragmented slotting across the warehouse. Two conventional cleanup strategies were modeled and tested in the digital twin. Neither moved the needle.
The digital twin identified the issue as structural. CreateASoft implemented ABC velocity-based slotting — validated in simulation before a single location changed — and the results were immediate.
"For me, it's a no-brainer. You're taking the guesswork out and replacing it with science. Our clients love it because they can see exactly how their operations will run before moving in. Internally, it's helped us plan smarter, execute faster, and continuously improve. We're rolling it out network-wide."
What It Means for 3PLs
nGroup's results aren't a single-client win. They're a proof of concept for the multi-client 3PL model: one digital twin, one building, delivering measurable ROI independently for each tenant — and compounding as more clients come in.
Validate layout configurations and flow paths in simulation before any physical work begins. Problems found in the model cost nothing. Problems found after go-live cost weeks of throughput and expensive equipment moves.
Show prospective clients a 3D simulation of their own operations running inside your facility. When they can see exactly how their inventory will flow and perform, hesitation disappears and the sales cycle compresses.
Faster picks, shorter travel paths, and smarter slotting compound across every client in the building. The gains are measurable and repeatable — and slotting logic recalculates in under 30 minutes as demand shifts, so the model stays current without manual upkeep.
nGroup is expanding the digital twin across their network. Each new site starts with a validated model — not a blank floor plan. That's the compounding advantage of a network-wide deployment strategy.
Ready to see it for your facility?
Whether you're onboarding a new client, evaluating a layout change, or trying to squeeze more throughput from the same footprint — a warehouse digital twin gets you to the right answer before you commit. Let's show you what it looks like for your operation.