Designing sustainable cold chains for long-range food distribution: Energy-effective corridors on the Silk Road Belt

Modern food production-distribution processes represent a critical stressor for the environment and for natural ecosystems. The rising flows of food across growing and consumption areas couple with the higher expectations of consumers for the quality of products and compel the intensive use of refrigerated rooms and transport means throughout the food supply chain. In order to aid the design of sustainable cold chains that incorporate such aspects, this paper proposes a mixed integer linear programming model to minimize the total energy consumption associated with the cold operations experienced by perishable products. This model is intended for food traders, logistics practitioners, retail managers, and importers collaboratively called to design and plan a cost and environmentally effective supply strategy, physical channels, and infrastructures for cold chains. The proposed model is validated with a case study inspired by the distribution of two example food products, namely fresh apples and ice cream, along the New Silk Road connecting Europe and China. The illustrated analysis investigates the effect of alternative routes and transport modes on the sustainability of the cold chain. It is found that the most energy-efficient route for ice cream is via rail over a northern route and, for apples, is via a southern maritime route, and, for these two routes, the ratios of the total energy consumed to the energy content of the food are 760 and 913, respectively. By incorporating the energy lost due to the food quality decay, the model identifies the optimal route to adopt in accordance with the shelf life and the conservation temperature of each product

Chains in Chains - Logic and Challenges of Blockchains in Supply Chains

Due to the disruptive role of the Bitcoin in the financial sector, both scholars and practitioners are increasingly wondering whether it is possible to replicate the impact of the Blockchain technology in the supply chain context. As a distributed ledger technology characterized by the decentralized consensus, Blockchain is touted by many as the proper platform to collect all the information about supply chains from the producer to the consumer. However, the current technology immaturity and the lack of successful supply chain implementations pave the way for doubt about the disruptive role of this technology in supply chains. To the authors' knowledge, this work is one of the very first attempts to link the blockchain technology to supply chain and logistics. This paper investigates the state-of-the-art application of blockchain in supply chains, exploring both the literature and the industry initiatives, contributing to the increase of the managerial insight and providing a future research agenda. (Less

Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment

Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitous pathogen isolated from different host species including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, but it is rarely a pathogenic microorganism to marine reptiles. In particular, only two cases of fatal disseminated listeriosis have been described in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). In this study, we describe a lethal case of L. monocytogenes infection in a loggerhead sea turtle. The turtle was found alive, stranded on a beach in North-eastern Italy, but perished soon after being rescued. The autoptic examination revealed that heart, lung, liver, spleen, and urinary bladder were disseminated with multiple, firm, 0.1–0.5 mm sized, nodular, white-green lesions. Microscopically, these lesions corresponded with heterophilic granulomas with Gram+ bacteria within the necrotic center. Furthermore, the Ziehl–Neelsen stain was negative for acid-fast organisms. Colonies isolated from heart and liver were tested through MALDI-TOF for species identification, revealing the presence of L. monocytogenes. Whole Genome Sequencing on L. monocytogenes isolates was performed and the subsequent in silico genotyping revealed the belonging to Sequence Type 6 (ST 6); the virulence profile was evaluated, showing the presence of pathogenicity islands commonly observed in ST 6. Our results further confirm that L. monocytogenes should be posed in differential diagnosis in case of nodular lesions of loggerhead sea turtles; thus, given the zoonotic potential of the microorganism, animals should be treated with particular caution. In addition, wildlife animals can play an active role as carriers of possibly pathogenetic and virulent strains and contribute to the distribution of L. monocytogenes in the environment

Human talar ontogeny: Insights from morphological and trabecular changes during postnatal growth

The study of the development of human bipedalism can provide a unique perspective on the evolution of morphology and behavior across species. To generate new knowledge of these mechanisms, we analyze changes in both internal and external morphology of the growing human talus in a sample of modern human juveniles using an innovative approach. The sample consists of high‐resolution microCT scans of 70 modern juvenile tali, aged between 8 postnatal weeks and 10 years old, from a broad chronological range from Middle/Late Neolithic, that is, between 4800 and 4500 BCE, to the 20th century. We applied geometric morphometric and whole‐bone trabecular analysis (bone volume fraction, degree of anisotropy, trabecular number, thickness, and spacing) to all specimens to identify changes in the external and internal morphology during growth. Morphometric maps were also generated. During the first year of life, the talus has an immature and globular shape, with a dense, compact, and rather isotropic trabecular architecture, with numerous trabeculae packed closely together. This pattern changes while children acquire a more mature gait, and the talus tends to have a lower bone volume fraction, a higher anisotropy, and a more mature shape. The changes in talar internal and external morphologies reflect the different loading patterns experienced during growth, gradually shifting from an “unspecialized” morphology to a more complex one, following the development of bipedal gait. Our research shows that talar plasticity, even though genetically driven, may show mechanical influences and contribute to tracking the main locomotor milestones

Sustainable Operations Management for Perishable Products along Global Supply Chains

In the last years, together with the proliferation of quality and safety standards, the global trade of perishable products has dealt with the increasing concern of costumers on credence attributes (e.g. quality, safety, sustainability, fair trade, etc.). Consequently, supply chain actors claim for a higher compliance with such standards, as well as, for a major information disclosure on the products’ journey. From their side, researchers are called to develop sustainable solutions to handle products perishability, in order to support managers during the daily operations. Quality and safety of perishable products are affected both by the logistics operations and by the environmental conditions experienced along the supply chain. Due to the seasonality in the weather conditions, the realization of effective temperature-controlled storage and distribution operations is the most important driver to control the quality degradation and the safety decay of perishable products. However, the realization of cold chains is highly energy-intensive, negatively affecting the environmental impact of perishable products supply chains (PPSC). The new advance in IT and in traceability systems represent an opportunity for companies to implement effective cold chains, while addressing to the customer’s demand for transparency. However, although the recognized importance of information sharing for the supply chain coordination and integration, the openness toward always more global markets and the distrust of companies to share strategic information limit the collaboration among supply chain actors. Moreover, always more often companies decide to entrust the transportation and storage processes to 3PL providers, which deal with several clients and a high variety of products. Aim of this dissertation is proposing innovative methods, models and tools aided to improve the overall performance along the supply chains for perishables products. Beyond the efficiency of the supply chain operations, the definition of ‘performance’ assumes other three dimensions: quality, safety and sustainability. The research elaborates on two research questions that narrow down the set of potential approaches to the problem to the improvement of the overall performance of perishable products distribution network and of storage operations. The research activity is developed according to a research framework, where the research questions are addressed by research levers, that are explored according to research topics. Each topic requires a specific methodology, however the overarching methodological approach presented in this dissertation includes four fundamental aspects: the minimization of the level of approximation of data in input, the use of case-study deriving from real-world instances, the use of simulation to study complex systems through their model and the role of data visualization. Initially, this dissertation depicts the state-of-the-art of the current industrial practice in PPSC and identifies the main research trends over the last decade. The following two chapters illustrate the research activity. The first focus on the development of logistics solutions for the management of the flows of goods among the supply chain actors, and the second narrow down the research focus to the warehousing systems located within PPSC and particularly to the warehouse operations. The explored research topics lead to theoretical, methodological and practical contributions.Negli ultimi anni, insieme alla diffusione di leggi e standard a tutela della qualità e sicurezza dei prodotti deperibili, il mercato si è confrontato con il crescente interessamento dei consumatori verso quelle caratteristiche dei prodotti come qualità, sicurezza e sostenibilità ambientale. Di conseguenza, mentre i diversi attori della filiera richiedono sempre maggiore visibilità sul viaggio dei prodotti, i ricercatori sono chiamati a sviluppare soluzioni logistiche per supportare i manager durante le attività giornaliere. La qualità e la sicurezza dei prodotti deperibili sono impattate sia dalle attività logistiche che dalle condizioni ambientali subite durante lo stoccaggio e il trasporto. L’implementazione della cold chain è il maggiore driver per tutelare tali aspetti, tuttavia la sua realizzazione è altamente impattante sia dal punto di vista energetico che ambientale. Le nuove tecnologie a supporto della tracciabilità rappresentano un’opportunità per le aziende al fine di implementare cold chain efficienti e allo stesso tempo rispondere alla maggiore domanda di informazioni da parte dei consumatori. Tuttavia, anche se la condivisione di informazioni tra gli attori supporta il raggiungimento di una maggiore integrazione e coordinamento nella filiera, l’apertura verso mercati sempre più globali e la diffidenza delle aziende a condividere informazioni strategiche con potenziali competitors, ostacola il flusso informativo lungo la supply chain. Inoltre, sempre più spesso le aziende scelgono di focalizzarsi sul loro core business e di affidare il trasporto e lo stoccaggio di prodotti ad aziende 3PL, che si trovano quindi a dover gestire numerosi clienti e una grande varietà di prodotti. Obiettivo di questa tesi è proporre modelli, metodi e strumenti innovativi per migliorare le performance lungo le filiere di prodotti deperibili. In aggiunta ad una maggiore efficienza, in questa tesi la definizione di ‘performance’ assume altre tre dimensioni: qualità, sicurezza e sostenibilità ambientale. La ricerca presentata risponde a due principali research questions che focalizzano l’attenzione sul miglioramento delle performance agendo sul trasporto e sullo stoccaggio. Per rispondere a tali domande, la ricerca presentata approfondisce alcuni argomenti, esplorati rispetto ad alcune leve. Il quadro metodologico utilizzato in questa tesi include quattro principali aspetti: la riduzione del livello di approssimazione dei dati, l’utilizzo di casi di studio forniti da aziende, l’uso della simulazione per studiare sistemi complessi attraverso i loro modelli, ed infine, il ruolo chiave della visualizzazione dei dati e dei risultati. All’inizio, la tesi dipinge lo stato dell’arte della pratica industriale corrente nell’ambito delle filiere di prodotti deperibili e identifica i principali trend nella ricerca lungo l’ultimo decennio. I successivi due capitoli illustrano l’attività di ricerca svolta. Il primo si focalizza su soluzioni logistiche per la gestione dei flussi di merce tra gli attori della filiera e il secondo si concentra sullo stoccaggio e in particolare sulle operations all’interno dei magazzini. I risultati ottenuti portano contributi alla ricerca, alla metodologia e supportano le aziende a livello tattico e strategico

Progetto di riorganizzazione logistica dell'area inbound: Ottimizzazione dei trasporti da fornitori esterni

Progetto di ottimizzazione dei trasporti da fornitori esterni presso la Kverneland Group Ravenna con l'obiettivo di valutare, attraverso una simulazione, la possibilità di introdurre un maggior livello di strutturazione nella logistica inbound. Il lavoro contiene inoltre la valutazione della convenienza dell'azienda a terziarizzare la gestione dei trasporti a un'azienda esterna

Warehouse management system customization and information availability in 3pl companies: A decision-support tool

Purpose This paper illustrates an original decision-support tool that aids 3PL managers to decide on the proper Warehouse Management System (WMS) customization. Aim of this tool is to address to the three main issues affecting such decision: the cost of the information sharing, the scarce visibility of the client\u2019s data, and the uncertainty of quantifying the return from investing into a WMS feature. Methodology The tool behaves as a digital twin of a WMS. In addition, it incorporates a set of WMS\u2019s features based both on heuristics and optimization techniques and uses simulation to perform what-if multi-scenario analyses of alternative management scenarios. In order to validate the effectiveness of the tool, its application to a real-world 3PL warehouse operating in the sector of biomedical products is illustrated. Findings The results of a simulation campaign along an observation horizon of ten months demonstrate how the tool supports the comparison of alternative scenarios with the as-is, thereby suggesting the most suitable WMS customization to adopt. Practical implications The tool supports 3PL managers in enhancing the efficiency of the operations and the fulfilling of the required service level, which is increasingly challenging given the large inventory mix and the variable clients portfolio that 3PLs have to manage. Particularly, the choice of the WMS customization that better perform with each business can be problematic, given the scarce information visibility of the provider on the client\u2019s processes. Value To the author\u2019s knowledge, this paper is among the first to address a still uncovered gap of the warehousing literature by illustrating a decision-support tool that exploits optimization and simulation techniques to quantify the impacts of the information availability on the warehousing operations performance. As a second novel contribution, this tool enables to create a digital twin of a WMS and foresee the evolution of the warehouse\u2019s performance over time

Design and manage deep lane storage system layout. An iterative decision-support model

Block stacking storage guarantees high storage density for end-of-line warehouses in product flow manufacturing systems, which are mostly diffused in food processing and beverage industry. These storage systems, characterized by high volumes per item and limited inventory mix, are organized through storage deep lanes of homogeneous items. Setting the optimal lane depths for the incoming stock-keeping-units (SKUs) influences the overall space and time efficiency performances, as well as the layout of the storage zones, the selection of the proper storage modes and equipment. This paper illustrates an original decision-support model to (1) manage existing block storage warehouses, and (2) to aid the design of new block storage systems from green field. The management of a warehouse (1) deals with the assignment of the incoming product lots to the optimal lane depth, storage mode, and zone in a constrained and capacitated storage environment. The design of a warehouse from green field (2) is aided by identifying the optimal configuration of lane depths and storage modes that minimizes the infrastructural costs. The proposed model is formulated via integer linear programming (ILP) and minimizes mutually the costs generated by space and time inefficiencies. The illustrated results obtained by its application to a real case study from the beverage industry, candidate the model as a tool to aid operative and strategic layout issues in deep lane storage systems

Store Simulator 1.0

Il software Store Simulator 1.0 è sviluppato per la simulazione ed il controllo di un sistema industriale di stoccaggio manuale (Order Picking system). Il software si interfaccia con un database relazionale per l'importazione dell'istanza di un magazzino esistente (e.g., anagrafiche prodotti, ordini di domanda, flussi di prodotto ricevuti, caratteristiche layout e scaffalature, giacenza, modalità di handling, caratteristiche veicoli di movimentazione) e per la scrittura dei risultati. Il software consente di (1) simulare il comportamento di un magazzino industriale all'interno di un orizzonte temporale. I flussi di inbound ed outbound vengono gestiti simultaneamente al fine di valutare le prestazioni di handling ed i livelli di saturazione delle locazioni nel tempo. Il software inoltre consente di (2) valutare l'impatto simultaneo di politiche di storage assignment e picking sulla gestione giornaliera del magazzino individuando possibili scenari migliorativi. Il software permette la rapida integrazione del database con dati supplementari (e.g., temperature di conservazione dei prodotti, temperature esterna del magazzino, mappatura termica del magazzino, caratteristiche ergonomiche delle scaffalature e dei prodotti) al fine di simulare differenti politiche gestionali. Il software implementa un'interfaccia grafica user-friendly che permetta il dialogo dell'applicativo con un panel ristretto di utilizzatori: analisti/sviluppatori, operation/logistics managers, responsabili di magazzino, ricercatori, studenti di ingegneria gestionale e ingegneria informatica

On the design of cooperative vendors\u2019 networks in retail food supply chains: a logistics-driven approach

This paper explores the impact of the adoption of a cooperative approach on retail food supply chains, whose performances are strongly affected by the daily planning of deliveries from vendors. This approach requires a horizontal communication among vendors, and might result in minimising the overall transport costs. Nevertheless, the proper trade-off between costs and return is hard to be foreseen. Building on existing studies, this paper investigates the benefits and the opportunities deriving from the vendors' collaboration on the delivery process. We provide a decision support tool using an integer linear programming model to explore in a what-if multi-scenario analysis the trade-off between competitive and cooperative delivery regimes. The distribution of order release and fleet availability couple with the geography of the network, allowing for the identification of thresholds of mutual convenience in shifting from a competitive to a cooperative regime. Our methodology, applied to a case study from a regional retailer supply chain, highlights evident benefits, which are sometimes up to 40% of the overall costs, for the retailer, the carriers, and the vendors. Furthermore, accounting for those costs, the tool identifies, for a given supply chain, who actually gains from the collaboration and what those gains are