Integrated models and tools for planning logistic networks

The design and optimization of a logistic network deals with a lot of decisions, e.g. the determination of the best location and capacity of logistic facilities (production plants, distribution centers, wholesalers, etc.), the allocation of demand coming from a generic customer to a generic supplier in presence (absence) of fractionable quantities/flows of material, the determination of the best transportation mode (truck, rail, air, etc.), loading and routing of vehicles in presence (absence) of the groupage strategy. These decisions involve many stages of the network: customer-regional distribution centers (RDC), RDCs-central distribution centers (CDC), CDCs-production plants and sources, in presence of multiple products and variable time. The so called "dynamic model", i.e. multiple time decision problem, is very complex and traditionally not faced by an integrated approach. An integrated approach that joins the strategic planning, the tactical planning, and the operational planning is proposed and applied to a significant case study by the development of a supporting decisions platform called LD-LogOptimizer. Obtained results are illustrated in a what-if analysis conducted on multiple scenarios.