A simulation environment for the redesign of food supply chain networks: modeling quality controlled logistics

Nowadays, many industries are confronted with intensified global competition as well as advances in information and process technology. They create both the need and opportunity for a coordinated approach of industrial partners to establish effective and efficient supply chains. Simulation tools are often used for supporting decision-making on supply chain (re)design, building on their inherent modeling flexibility. However, food supply chains set some specific requirements to simulation models. To address these demands a new discrete event simulation environment called ALADIN has been developed. It is based on a generic modeling framework that offers the analyst guidance in modeling, and provides model transparency to problem owners. An essential feature of the new tool concerns the integration of reusable process building blocks and quality decay models enabling "quality controlled logistics". A case example concerning a supply chain for peppers is presented to illustrate the applicability and advantages of the tool.