Blending : an efficient answer to the challenge of obtaining required fertilizer variety

Mass customization, a major trend in modern economy, relies on components assembly in discrete production, while in continuous production, it consists in a sequence of batches of different products. This limits achievable diversity and multiplies transportation issues. This situation is addressed by the fertilizer industry which, to enable sustainable agriculture, must deliver fertilizers tailored to soil and crops characteristics. We are now proposing a new approach to handle this situation, with a solution called reverse blending, which involves delayed differentiation performed near end-users. This consists in defining the components for a very limited number of inputs whose blend exactly matches the characteristic of the required fertilizers. In this solution, the problem is modelled by a quadratic program used to define input optimal composition, respect fertilizer components constraints and cater to any type of demand. Reverse blending may have a major impact on supply chain organization. A short case study of this new approach is provided.