This paper presents a column generation algorithm for solving combined vehicle and inventory problems. This problem is based on the idea of coordinating customer inventory levels through a minimum routing cost. This is a combinatory decision problem since vehicle routing and inventory problems, are combined. Using the column generation method, we can iteratively generate interesting routes to t...

The inventory slack routing problem is a specialized vehicle routing problem that focuses on delivering waves of inventory to sites in a timely and even manner. It is difficult to find an optimal solution to this problem, thus heuristic and search techniques are necessary. ...

Many real-world optimization problems today are multi-objective multi-constraint generalizations of NP-hard problems. A classic case we study in this paper is the Inventory Routing Problem with Time Windows (IRPTW). IRPTW considers inventory costs across multiple instances of Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW). The latter is in turn extended with time-windows constraints from the...

Sustainable supply chains depend on three critical decisions: production, inventory management, and distribution with reverse flows. To achieve an effective level of operational performance, policymakers must consider all these decisions, especially in Closed-Loop Supply Chains (CLSCs) remanufacturing option. In this research paper, we address the Integrated Production-Inventory-Routing Problem...

The Inventory Location-Routing Problem with deterministic demand can be seen as an approach to both optimize a supply chain design and minimize its operational costs. This problem considers that vehicles might deliver products to more than one retailer per route and that inventory management decisions are included for a multi-depot, multi-retailer systemwith storage capacity over a discrete tim...

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been transformed to liquid form for the purpose of transportation, which is mainly done by specially built LNG vessels travelling from the production site to the consumers. We describe a real-life ship routing and scheduling problem from the LNG business, with both inventory and berth capacity constraints at the liquefaction port. We propose a...

We present a general framework for modeling routing problems based on formulating them as a traditional location problem called the Capacitated Concentrator Location Problem. We apply this framework to two classical routing problems: the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem and Inventory-Routing Problem. In the former case, the heuristic is proven to be asymptotically optimal for any distributio...

In this paper, we propose a new mathematical model for Capacitated Inventory Routing Problem (CIRP), which considers freshly delivery of perishable products to the customers’ location; otherwise, a reduction in products’ demand may occur. Therefore, we attempt to plan delivering process of products at the right time to avoid extra inventory causing increase in age of products. This ...

The combined operation of distribution and inventory control achieved through a vendor-managed inventory strategy creates a synergetic interaction which benefits supplier and customers. Inventory-Routing Problems (IRPs) arise when inventory and routing decisions must be taken simultaneously, which yields a difficult combinatorial optimization problem. While most IRP research deals with a single...

Non-uniform distribution of customers in a region and variation of their maximum willingness to pay at distinct areas make regional pricing a practical method to maximize the profit of the distribution system. By subtracting the classic objective function, which minimizes operational costs from revenue function, profit maximization is aimed. A distribution network is designed by determining the...