Comparing Reverse Logistics Network Configurations Using Simulation

摘要

The desire of companies to engage in sustainable business practices, the opportunity to capture value from products through remanufacturing or recycling, and the need to comply with legislation, are motivating companies to establish product take-back systems. Reverse logistics plays a significant role in managing the recovery of used products and directing them to appropriate locations for value recapturing. However, due to the uncertainty in the quantity, quality and timing of the product returns, designing a reverse logistics network imposes additional challenges to those of traditional supply chains. In this work, a simulation-based methodology is proposed that evaluates reverse logistics network configurations considering the sources of uncertainty and variability related to product returns, transportation, and activities such as sorting and processing. An experimental design framework is developed to compare alternative network configurations based on sustainability and productivity performance metrics.