果冻传媒

On April 8th,  of the researchgroup Operations, Planning, Accounting & Control (OPAC) received her PhD on her research on optimizing inventory and routing decisions in complex distribution networks. Her work focuses on the business and societal challenges of effectively coordinating operational decisions in global supply chains.

Constant navigating

In a world where companies must constantly navigate changing legislation and shifting consumer preferences, large logistics providers face the ongoing challenge of efficiently coordinating their distribution networks. For example, municipalities are increasingly imposing entry bans on large trucks and high-emission vehicles in parts of the city to improve air quality and the quality of life for residents. Changes like these pose significant challenges to traditional logistics practices, calling for more research to maintain efficiency while complying with evolving regulations

Charaf's research proposes new optimization algorithms to address two critical challenges in modern logistics. The first challenge focuses on decision coordination within a two-echelon distribution network, where goods are transported from production centers to intermediate locations before being delivered to customers. The second challenge tackles the often-overlooked time restriction in inventory routing problems, emphasizing the importance of time-sensitive decision-making to improve efficiency and meet evolving customer demands.

Business

Charaf's work shows that by applying her algorithms, suppliers are able to minimize total travel and inventory costs. This leads to significant cost savings and increased efficiency in distribution networks.

Society

Socially, her research contributes to more sustainable logistics practices by optimizing freight consolidation and reducing the carbon footprint of transportation operations.

Sara Charaf defended her thesis 8th April 2025. Title of PhD thesis: 鈥溾�� Supervisors: Tom van Woensel, Simme Douwe Flapper and  (Sabanc谋 University)