The economic and environmental performance of distribution networks: A case study from the petrochemical industry

Designing a company's distribution network is a challenging task that requires the consideration of different aspects. In this respect, especially trade-offs between, for example, operational costs and customer service are the focus of the companies' attention. However, growing concerns of governments and customers about environmental protection have raised awareness towards the environmental impact of operations. Activities associated with the distribution of products, i.e. transportation and warehousing, are not yet subject to strict environmental regulations, but this situation is expected to change soon. Companies must, therefore, start to concentrate not only on economic but also on environmental aspects in the design of their supply chain. Based on a case study from the petrochemical industry, this paper presents a way to combine both, economic as well as environmental criteria, when evaluating (strategic) distribution network design decisions. The results show a trade-off between total (distribution) costs and transport carbon emissions. (author's abstract

Facility location decisions with environmental considerations. A case study from the petrochemical industry

The recently growing concerns of customers and governments about environmental protection and greenhouse gas reduction have forced companies to integrate the topic of environmental sustainability into their decision making. Facility location decisions are of special relevance in this respect because of their strategic nature. Furthermore, many different trade-offs must be considered, for example between operational costs and customer service. But as soon as environmental issues are concerned, other critical issues must be considered as well. Based on a case study from the petrochemical industry, this paper extends two basic facility location models and shows the impact of distribution network-design decisions on the economic and environmental performance of the company. The results show a trade-off between total (distribution) costs and transport carbon emissions. (authors' abstract

Optimierungspotenziale in der petrochemischen Industrie

Die Prozesse und Aktivitäten der petrochemischen Industrie bieten aufgrund ihrer Vielfalt und Komplexität meist ein großes Potenzial für Verbesserungen. In diesem Beitrag sollen anhand kurzer Fallbeispiele, die in Kooperation mit OMV entstanden sind, drei solcher Optimierungspotenziale beispielhaft aufgezeigt werden. Dabei wird der Fokus auf die Downstream-Logistik gelegt und die Distribution der raffinierten Endprodukte zu den Endkunden (Tankstellen) analysiert. Auf strategischer Planungsebene werden die optimalen Standorte von Tanklägem bestimmt und die ökonomische und ökologische Performance verschiedener Netzwerk-Designs verglichen. In einem Fallbeispiel zur taktischen Planung wird ein Optimierungsmodell zur Planung der Transportmengen in einem Distributionsnetzwerk mit stochastischer Nachfrage dargestellt. Die effiziente Tourenplanung von den Lkw zu den Tankstellen stellt schlussendlich ein operatives Planungsbeispiel dar

The economic and environmental analysis of a petrochemical distribution network

The structure of a company's distribution network is of vital importance for competitiveness but also involves considerable costs. In recent years, competitive pressure as well as regulatory measures, especially in the European Union, have also raised awareness towards the environmental impact of supply chain activities. However, activities associated with the distribution of products are not yet subject to environmental regulations but this might change in the near future. Therefore, companies will have to consider not only economic but also environmental aspects in the design of their supply chains. Based on a case study from the petrochemical industry we present a way to evaluate (strategic) distribution network design decisions, taking into account economic as well as environmental criteria. The results of the analysis show a clear trade-off between (distribution) costs and transport carbon emissions. (author's abstract

Mass Spectrometry-Based Adrenal and Peripheral Venous Steroid Profiling for Subtyping Primary Aldosteronism

BACKGROUND Differentiating patients with primary aldosteronism caused by aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) from those with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (BAH), which is essential for choice of therapeutic intervention, relies on adrenal venous sampling (AVS)-based measurements of aldosterone and cortisol. We assessed the utility of LC-MS/MS-based steroid profiling to stratify patients with primary aldosteronism. METHODS Fifteen adrenal steroids were measured by LC-MS/MS in peripheral and adrenal venous plasma from AVS studies for 216 patients with primary aldosteronism at 3 tertiary referral centers. Ninety patients were diagnosed with BAH and 126 with APAs on the basis of immunoassay-derived adrenal venous aldosterone lateralization ratios. RESULTS Among 119 patients confirmed to have APAs at follow-up, LC-MS/MS-derived lateralization ratios of aldosterone normalized to cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, and androstenedione were all higher (P < 0.0001) than immunoassay-derived ratios. The hybrid steroids, 18-oxocortisol and 18-hydroxycortisol, also showed lateralized secretion in 76% and 35% of patients with APAs. Adrenal venous concentrations of glucocorticoids and androgens were bilaterally higher in patients with BAH than in those with APAs. Consequently, peripheral plasma concentrations of 18-oxocortisol were 8.5-fold higher, whereas concentrations of cortisol, corticosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone were lower in patients with APAs than in those with BAH. Correct classification of 80% of cases of APAs vs BAH was thereby possible by use of a combination of steroids in peripheral plasma. CONCLUSIONS LC-MS/MS-based steroid profiling during AVS achieves higher aldosterone lateralization ratios in patients with APAs than immunoassay. LC-MS/MS also enables multiple measures for discriminating unilateral from bilateral aldosterone excess, with potential use of peripheral plasma for subtype classification