Côte d’Ivoire produces about 42 percent of the world’s total Cocoa but processes only 30 percent of the total production. A large part of the country depends on the commercial benefits of the Cocoa production and supply chain of it. In this paper, we develop a simulation model that assess the performance of the logistics of the Cocoa supply chain in Côte d’Ivoire. The simulation model shed light on the potential of improvements in the logistics of the Cocoa supply chain by identifying inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and blockers that hinder the productivity and performance of the Cocoa supply chain. Results from simulations show that reduction of checkpoints alongthe roads will increase productivity by 30 percent, while the value of beans in the Port will increase 3 percent and of butter 5 percent. Investing in improving secondary and tertiary roads will increase the productivity by 9 percent and value by 1 percent while investing in improving road infrastructure and checkpoints will raise the productivity by 27 percent and the value by 3 percent. The results suggest that a combination of reducing the checkpoints with the investment in secondary and tertiary roads will increase productivity while at the same time the pollution will be reduced importantly. The results also suggest that the switching from only producing beans to butter should be accompanied with the increase in productivity otherwise the value at the market would not be sensitive. Other important results are also presented in this paper, together with suggestions for improvement in order to optimize the logistics of Cocoa supply chain, and increase the profitability of the Cocoa sector, and hence the living conditions and wellbeing of the farmers in the country.
Côte d’Ivoire produces about 42 percent of the world’s total Cocoa but processes only a very few amount of the production. A big part of the country depends on the commercial benefits of the Cocoa production and supply chain of it. For that reason, the World Bank asked the simulation group of the Amsterdam U. of Applied Sciences in collaboration with the Port of Amsterdam to develop a simulation model that allows the politicians assess the performance of the supply chain of the Cocoa in that region of the world. The simulation model gave light to the potential of improvement in the supply chain by identifying inefficiencies, bottlenecks and blockers that hinder the efficient transport of Cocoa in the chain with the consequence of low productivity. The most important results are presented in the article together with suggestions for improvement in order to increase the wellbeing of the farmers in that region of Africa.
Food production has put enormous strain on the environment. Supply chain network design provides a means to frame this issue in terms of strategic decision making. It has matured from a field that addressed only operational and economic concerns to one that comprehensively considers the broader environmental and social issues that face industrial organizations of today. Adding the term “green” to supply chain activities seeks to incorporate environmentally conscious thinking in all processes in the supply chain. The methodology is based on the use of Life Cycle Assessment, Multi-objective Optimization via Genetic Algorithms and Multiple-criteria Decision Making tools (TOPSIS type). The approach is illustrated and validated through the development and analysis of an Orange Juice Supply Chain case study modelled as a three echelon GrSC composed of the supplier, manufacturing and market levels that in turn are decomposed into more detailed subcomponents. Methodologically, the work has shown the development of the modelling and optimization GrSCM framework is useful in the context of eco-labelled agro food supply chain and feasible in particular for the orange juice cluster. The proposed framework can help decision makers handle the complexity that characterizes agro food supply chain design decision and that is brought on by the multi-objective nature of the problem as well as by the multiple stakeholders, thus preventing to make the decision in a segmented empirical manner. Experimentally, under the assumptions used in the case study, the work highlights that by focusing only on the “organic” eco-label to improve the agricultural aspect, low to no improvement on overall supply chain environmental performance is reached in relative terms. In contrast, the environmental criteria resulting from a full lifecycle approach is a better option for future public and private policies to reach more sustainable agro food supply chains.
Within the framework of resource efficiency it is important to recycle and reusematerials, replace fossil fuel based products with bio-based alternatives and avoidthe use of toxic substances. New applications are being sought for locally grownbiomass. In the area of Groningen buildings need reinforcement to guarantee safetyfor its users, due to man-induced earthquakes. Plans are to combine the workneeded for reinforcement with the improvement of energy performance of thesebuildings. The idea is to use bio-based building materials, preferably grown andprocessed in the region.In this study it is investigated whether it is feasible to use Typha (a swap plant) as abasis for a bio-based insulation product. In order to start the activities necessary tofurther develop this idea into a commercial product and start a dedicated company,a number of important questions have to be answered in terms of feasibility. Thisstudy therefore aims at mapping economic, organisational and technical issues andassociated risks and possibilities. On the basis of these results a developmenttrajectory can be started to set up a dedicated supply chain with the appropriatepartners, research projects can be designed to develop the missing knowledge andthe required funding can be acquired.
Lichtgewicht voertuigen voor stadsdistributie bestaan voor een belangrijk deel uit vezelversterkte kunststoffen zoals carbon fiber reinforced polymers. De productie hiervan is tijdrovend en recycling is maar beperkt mogelijk. Het realiseren van zero-emissie stadsvervoer in 2025 wordt met de bestaande technologie duur en niet circulair. ModuBase beoogt een nieuw recyclebaar polymeer in combinatie met een Added Manufacturing platform (3D Printen) te ontwikkelen. Hiermee wordt het mogelijk om volledig recyclebare kunststoffen 3D te printen dichtbij de montage van de voertuigen. Supply chains worden zo korter, gebruikers en ontwerpers krijgen meer ontwerpvrijheid en de grondstof is (oneindig) recyclebaar. Dit consortium maakt gebruik van een nieuw ontwikkeld thermoplastisch polymeer en gaat dit voor het eerst toepassen in 3D printing. Hiervoor is een consortium voorzien met de materiaalexpertise (DSM), 3D Printexpertise (CEAD) en werktuigbouwkundige ontwikkelexpertise (Fontys). De materialen worden uitvoerig bestudeerd voor automotive toepassingen, ontwerpregels worden opgesteld en eerste werkstukken worden geprint. Materiaaleigenschappen en recyclebaarheid na het printen worden in testopstellingen ge-evalueerd. Resultaat is een proof of concept van een vezelversterkt 3D print platform. Het betrokken industriële (automotive) cluster van Brainport wordt geïnteresseerd om met de nieuw ontwikkelde 3D printkennis prototypes voor Light Electric Vehicles onderdelen te gaan ontwikkelen en onderzoeken.
In September 2018 a gaming dashboard is implemented and reviewed on effect at Jan de Rijk, Gebroeders Versteijnen and Merba. The dash board should give insight in the individual and team performance of employees in the their work processes through a gamesome modern visualisation‘In what way is it possible to design and apply ‘game design techniques’ and ‘game elements’ in performance dashboards, so that employees are constantly motivated to improve productivity, quality and safety of their individual proceedings and learning, so that the investment in gamification is profitable?’
