Strategic Supply Network Development in Consumer Goods Industries

The scope of the research project is the development of a global supply network model which incorporates the specific requirements of an international consumer goods manufacturer. In order to design a demand-driven supply network to better fulfill the improving requirements of international customers the model aims at optimizing the international production footprint with its design principles. So far extensive models have been proposed in literature on the one hand and case studies in production network planning in consumer goods industries on the other hand, however none of them considers the specific requirements of a fast moving consumer goods supply network with quasi-continuous production in an integrated manner. Moreover the model is intended to support a rolling strategic planning process to develop a supply network over time rather than restructuring it in a process approach.

The research project is in cooperation with a German DAX-listed cosmetics brand manufacturer and also funded by the Erich-Kellerhals-Foundation.