SLIFF (Sustainable Logistics in Fresh Food)

The central objective of SLIFF is to enhance the sustainability of fresh food logistics by improving logistics resource utilization while distribution lead times are reduced. The project addresses two prevalent challenges in this context: 1. Optimization of network logistics versus optimization at distribution centre (DC); 2. Inventory optimization versus transport optimization. Distribution network planning and local DC planning problems have been largely addressed separately in science and practice. However, inventory reduction policies have resulted in a just-in-time flow of products ? with little or no storage buffers throughout the distribution network. This requires a synchronization of network level and local DC logistics planning. SLIFF aims to propose (distributed) decision-structures and develop optimization models to facilitate such synchronization. Another novelty of SLIFF resides in acknowledging that vendors may share both transportation resources and storage space at the DC in the replenishment of the DC. Accordingly, SLIFF aims for joint optimization of transportation, inventory, and material handling resources. These resources are generally owned by many independent parties. Therefore, this requires research in the domain of: " Organization design; because the vendors, retailer and logistics service providers are autonomous companies " Optimization models; because decision support for multiple interdependent decisions is needed " ICT interoperability; because parties will be heavily interacting to synchronize decisions The partner retailer has recently contracted an LSP who, in the future, could act as a cross chain control centre ? coordinating transportation and inventory optimization for the many vendors involved. Insights from SLIFF are disseminated via academic channels, professional societies and branch organizations.