Algorithms for the Cross-dock Door Assignment Problem

In a cross-dock facility, goods are moved by forklift from incoming truck platforms (strip doors) to temporary holding areas and then to outgoing truck platforms (stack doors) or directly from strip doors to stack doors. Costs within the cross-dock may be minimized by appropriate assignment of strip doors to incoming trucks and stack doors to … Read more

Improved Load Plan Design Through Integer Programming Based Local Search

We present integer programming models of the service network design problem faced by less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation carriers, and a solution approach for the large-scale instances that result in practical applications. To accurately represent freight consolidation opportunities, the models use a fine discretization of time. Furthermore, the models simultaneously route freight and empty trailers, and … Read more

A Linear Storage-Retrieval Policy for Robust Warehouse Management

Assigning products to and retrieving them from proper storage locations in a unit-load warehouse are crucial in minimizing its operating cost. The problem becomes intractable when the warehouse faces uncertain demand in a dynamic setting. We assume a factor-based demand model in which demand for each product in each period is affinely dependent on some … Read more

An Inventory-Location Model: Formulation, Solution Algorithm and Computational Results

We introduce a new distribution center (DC) location model that incorporates working inventory and safety stock inventory costs at the distribution centers. In addition, the model incorporates transport costs from the suppliers to the DCs that explicitly reflect economies of scale through the use of a fixed cost term. The model is formulated as a … Read more