The consumer electronics (CE) industry has high turnovers and a growing demand, such as on the home entertainment segment. At the same time, it generates e-waste of the order of a dozen million tons, about one quarter of the world's total. With the purpose of improving the environmental performance of businesses, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive was put in place in Europe. Given the high competitive environment of this industry, WEEE could be a clue for competitive edge. To create an environmental and economic win-win situation, however, companies have to master reverse logistics (RL). This is particularly challenging in fast clockspeed environments, as it is the case for the CE industry. In this paper, we develop a theoretically and empirically grounded diagnostic tool for assessing a CE company's RL practices and identifying potential for RL improvement, from a business perspective. To theoretically ground the tool, we combine specific CE literature with general theory on reverse logistics management and performance improvement. To empirically ground the tool, we collect field data by combining quantitative (a multiactor survey) with qualitative (interviews and company visits) methods. We demonstrate how our tool can be used to create awareness at senior management about the reverse logistics maturity state.
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Summary Project objectives This study fits into a larger research project on logistics collaboration and outsourcing decisions. The final objective of this larger project is to analyze the logistics collaboration decision in more detail to identify thresholds in these decisions. To reach the overall objectives, the first step is to get a clearer picture on the chemical and logistics service providers industry, sectors of our study, and on logistics collaboration in these sectors. The results of this first phase are presented in this report. Project Approach The study consists of two parts: literature review and five case studies within the chemical industry. The literature covers three topics: logistics collaboration, logistics outsourcing and purchasing of logistics services. The five case studies are used to refine the theoretical findings of the literature review. Conclusions Main observations during the case studies can be summarized as follows: Most analyzed collaborative relationships between shippers and logistics service providers in the chemical industry are still focused on operational execution of logistics activities with a short term horizon. Supply management design and control are often retained by the shippers. Despite the time and cost intensive character of a logistics service buying process, shippers tendering on a very regular basis. The decision to start a new tender project should more often be based on an integral approach that includes all tender related costs. A lower frequency of tendering could create more stability in supply chains. Beside, it will give both, shippers and LSPs, the possibility to improve the quality of the remaining projects. Price is still a dominating decision criterion in selecting a LSP. This is not an issue as long as the comparison of costs is based on an integral approach, and when shippers balance the cost criterion within their total set of criteria for sourcing logistics services. At the shippers' side there is an increased awareness of the need of more solid collaboration with logistics service providers. Nevertheless, in many cases this increased awareness does not actually result in the required actions to establish more intensive collaboration. Over the last years the logistics service providers industry was characterized by low profit margins, strong fragmentation and price competition. Nowadays, the market for LSPs is changing, because of an increasing demand for logistics services. To benefit from this situation a more pro-active role of the service providers is required in building stronger relationships with their customers. They should pay more attention on mid and long term possibilities in a collaborative relation, in stead of only be focused on running the daily operation.
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Voor de overgang naar een circulaire economie zijn nieuwe business modellen nodig. Logistiek (levering en retour processen) speelt hierbij een belangrijke rol. Het doel van dit onderzoek is om de ontwikkeling en groei van circulaire business modellen in de logistiek te verkennen en te bepalen.Doel Dit project heeft tot doel inzicht te geven in en handvatten aan te reiken voor de transitie van organisaties naar circulaire business modellen. Vragen die hierbij worden beantwoord zijn o.a.: Welke kansen en bedreigingen biedt een dergelijke transitie? Hoe kunnen principes van de circulaire economie bijdragen aan duurzame waarde proposities? Hoe kunnen organisaties klanten ondersteunen bij product lifecycle management? Resultaten In dit project worden beslissing ondersteunende methode ontwikkeld welke organisaties kunnen gebruiken voor de overgang naar meer circulaire business modellen. Hierbij ligt de focus op de logistieke context en met name het optimaliseren van ketenprocessen (forward & reverse logistics) in relatie tot de interne logistieke processen. Begin april 2022 won het project van KennisDC Logistiek Centre of Expertise de inspiratieprijs voor logistiek parel 2022. Looptijd 01 mei 2020 - 31 maart 2022 Aanpak Het project bestaat uit 4 werkpakketten. Hierbij wordt gekeken naar: aspecten van circulaire business modellen en volwassenheidsniveaus logistieke ketenprocessen logistieke ketenprocessen de interne logistieke processen die nodig zijn voor de afhandeling van retourstromen en afval
