Assessment of local food distribution

There is increasing interest in local food, as consumers feel confidence in such food. Local food has good opportunities to fulfil quality aspects/requirements of transparency and traceability in the supply chain due to the possibilities for direct interaction between producers and consumers. However, local food producers often face logistics challenges due to their small scale, decentralisation and integration difficulties with larger supply chains. This necessitates analysis of specific logistics systems in order to identify successful approaches for improving the local food supply chain. Important questions are whether local and small-scale food producers can transport their goods more efficiently and how they can improve distribution and its environmental impact. This thesis examined local food distribution systems to determine how cooperation, optimisation and integration in the supply chain can make the distribution systems of local and small-scale food producers more efficient and to estimate the environmental impact of the transport. The work comprised a producer survey examining marketing channels and impediments to development in local supply chains in Sweden, three case studies on distribution systems of different scales and an analysis of the environmental impact of local food distribution, based on quantification of emissions and energy use. The case studies involved small-scale producers integrating their marketing and distribution into a large retail chain using an electronic trading system; the distribution of local food in and around a city; and a distribution system for municipal units in four municipalities. Based on the results, distribution strategies for local and small-scale food producers and distributors were developed and refined. By mapping distribution systems and impediments to development, optimising routes and estimating emissions, potential improvements in the distribution system were identified. This revealed scope for local and small-scale food producers to improve their distribution and reduce their environmental impact. Cooperation, integration and route optimisation are suitable strategies for producers to adopt in order to make their transport more efficient

AI and OR in management of operations: history and trends

The last decade has seen a considerable growth in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for operations management with the aim of finding solutions to problems that are increasing in complexity and scale. This paper begins by setting the context for the survey through a historical perspective of OR and AI. An extensive survey of applications of AI techniques for operations management, covering a total of over 1200 papers published from 1995 to 2004 is then presented. The survey utilizes Elsevier's ScienceDirect database as a source. Hence, the survey may not cover all the relevant journals but includes a sufficiently wide range of publications to make it representative of the research in the field. The papers are categorized into four areas of operations management: (a) design, (b) scheduling, (c) process planning and control and (d) quality, maintenance and fault diagnosis. Each of the four areas is categorized in terms of the AI techniques used: genetic algorithms, case-based reasoning, knowledge-based systems, fuzzy logic and hybrid techniques. The trends over the last decade are identified, discussed with respect to expected trends and directions for future work suggested

Modelling Planner-Carrier Interactions in Road Freight Transport: Optimization of Road Maintenance Costs Via Overloading Control

A bi-level modelling approach is proposed to represent the interaction between the vehicle loading practices of road freight transport carriers, and the decisions of a road planning authority responsible both for road maintenance and for the enforcement of overloading control. At the lower (reactive) level, the overloading decisions of the carriers impact on road maintenance expenditure, while at the upper (anticipatory) level the planner decides fine and enforcement levels by anticipating the responses of the carriers. A case study using data from Mexico is used to illustrate the method

An Overview of the Problematic Issues in Logistics Cost Management

Logistics cost management is associated with certain specific challenges, since increasing the quality of logistics services for customers often comes with increased logistics costs. In addition, reducing the costs of one logistic component causes an increase in the costs of another logistic component, which results in higher total logistics costs. Various cost models have been developed to support the optimisation of logistics activities, which represent the main focus of research and a key practical tool for logistics management. The purpose of the study is therefore to determine whether current scientific studies are addressing the issues related to logistics cost management. The aim of the study is to determine the scope of the optimisation of individual logistics models from the point of view of how individual logistics costs categories and processes are treated. The analysis of logistics costs management issues provides an important empirical foundation for the improvement of logistic processes in supply chains and synthesises scientific literature in the field of logistics cost modelling, which represents an important framework for future empirical studies

Recent Trends and Innovations in Modelling City Logistics

AbstractThere are many challenges associated with moving goods within cities as urban areas become larger and elderly residents require more healthcare in their homes. Air quality is also impacted by urban freight vehicles. This paper presents a review of recent trends and innovations in modelling city logistics. New techniques for modelling city logistics developed in the areas of emissions, healthcare and mega-cities are outlined. This paper describes the formulation, solution methodologies and applications of these models

Applying an integrated logistics network design and optimisation model: the Pirelli Tyre case

The aim of the present paper is to provide an application to a real-life supply-chain context (i.e. the Pirelli Tyre European logistics network) of an integrated logistics network design and optimisation model. Starting from the analysis of supply chain under study and of the configuration problem to be solved, we identified the most suitable approach: a mixed integer linear programming optimisation model endowed with a series of guidelines for gathering and processing all the data necessary to set-up and run the model. The application of the selected integrated design and optimisation model to the Pirelli Tyre case led to significant cost savings related to three different service-level scenarios. Thus, the applied model could be profitably implemented by supply chain and logistics managers for optimising various operating contexts. Moreover, the exemplified data-mapping section represents a useful guideline, which can be applied by practitioners to gather and handle the high volume of data necessary for running the model in a real-life context. In conclusion, since the current state of the art is particularly lacking exhaustive supply-chain design models, the implemented integrated approach represents a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge on supply chain configuration