An integrated model for planning in global chemical supply chains

Abstract

Multinational chemical companies are moving from a narrow, company-specific perspective to a broader and global supply chain perspective. Such a move is necessary in today's highly competitive environment so that any cost saving opportunity in the entire supply chain is utilized fully. Supply chain efficiency and lean manufacturing are certainly important for the continued economic success of these companies. In this paper, we present a novel model for integrated production planning in global chemical supply chains. Our proposed multi-period linear programming model makes the sourcing, production, transfer, and distribution decisions in an integrated manner for globally distributed facilities of a multinational corporation to maximize its overall gross profit. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.