Abstract and Bio Keynote Speakers LNMB/NGB Seminar

Prof. Dr. Tim Grant (Nederlandse Defensie Academie)

Brief resume: Tim Grant is the professor of Operational ICT & Communications in the Faculty of Military Sciences at the Netherlands Defence Academy (NLDA). His career covers 20 years as a military officer in the (British) Royal Air Force, 17 years experience in Atos Origin (a global IT services supplier), and more than 7 years experience in academia (NLDA and visiting professorship at the University of Pretoria, South Africa). Tim specialises in Command & Control (C2), viewed as a socio-technical system, across the military, manned spaceflight, (humanitarian) crisis response and management, and motorway control domains. More details can be found at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tim-grant/7/605/3a3 .

Title: Modelling information flow in military and humanitarian supply chains

Abstract: The purpose of this presentation is to compare two approaches to modelling information flow in military and humanitarian supply chains: mathematical network theory and the SCOR model. Theorists prefer perfect information flow because that makes optimisation feasible. However, real life is not like that. We look at the Dutch armed forces' Task Force Uruzghan (TFU) logistics network, and identify a number of ways in which current theory must be extended. Finally, we outline a third possible approach using multi-agent systems, a rationally reconstructed Observe-Orient-Decide-Act (OODA-RR) decision cycle, and network-centric communications.

Dr. Robert van der Geest (Kema Sustainability)

Brief resume: Dr. Robert van der Geest (1969) is principal consultant gas transport at KEMA, a global, leading authority in energy consulting and testing & certification, active throughout the entire energy value chain. He advises clients on asset management and operational excellence of gas transport. Before joining KEMA, he worked as R&D manager with Gasunie Engineering & Technology, the research department of the Dutch gas transmission system operator Gasunie that was taken over by KEMA in July 2009. Within Gasunie, Robert worked with his team on efficiency of gas transport, most notably in the area of energy management, as well as innovation in gas transportation and utilization. Prior to Gasunie, Robert worked as a senior scientist with ABB in Norway, where he was responsible for the development of advanced applications for offshore production of oil and gas in close collaboration with upstream operators. Dr. van der Geest holds a master's degree in Computer Science and a master's degree in Economics, both from the University of Groningen, as well as a doctorate degree in Mathematics from the University of Twente in The Netherlands. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the Royal Dutch Gas Association (KVGN).

Title: A route planner for gas transport through the Netherlands

Abstract: Due to liberalization of the gas market and unbundling of the gas industry in the Netherlands, the problem of reliable and efficient gas transport has transformed from a long-term, central planning exercise into a dynamic marketplace driven by supply and demand nominations with ever shorter lead times. In this presentation we show a route planner for gas transport in the liberalized world that we have developed in close collaboration with the dispatchers in the central command post of Gastransport Services B.V., the operator of the gas transmission system of the Netherlands. The route planner has been running autonomously in the background of the gas dispatching process for more than a year, providing operators with cost-optimal transport plans in a similar way as a satellite navigation system helps a driver to find optimal itineraries.
We demonstrate how we have been able to map a highly complex and nonlinear optimization problem with an infinite number of variables into a linear program to find transport plans with the lowest fuel cost online. We use a big bag of tricks to do the job, including an econometric model for physical flow of gas, iteration of the solution and the model, the concept of gain scheduling applied to optimization, and, last but not least, some experience developed while playing Call of Duty. Finally we will share some of the excitement and some of the challenges of working on a big industrial optimization problem involving critical national infrastructure.

Prof. Dr. Kenneth Sörensen (Antwerp University)

Brief resume: Kenneth Sörensen is professor at the Faculty of Applied Economics of the University of Antwerp, where he also obtained his PhD. Kenneth Sörensen chairs the research group ANT/OR (University of Antwerp Operations Research Group), a group that focuses on applications of Operations Research in diverse domains, and on the development of optimization algorithms, especially metaheuristics. Kenneth Sörensen has published extensively on applied (heuristic) optimization and is a leading expert on the development of metaheuristics. He also founded the largest working group on metaheuristics: EU/ME - the metaheuristics community.

Title: Humanitarian Logistics: a Challenge for Operations Research

Abstract: Upon the occurrence of a natural or man-made disaster, the logistical challenges faced by the different aid organizations are truly daunting. The specific circumstances caused by such a disaster (e.g., the destruction of the infrasture) generally make the distribution of goods difficult. The main problem, however, is usually the difficulties encountered in the logistical organization of the distribution of aid. These difficulties can (at least partially) be avoided by a more adequate preparation and a more adequate planning and execution of the relief operations.
Humanitarian logistics is increasingly important due to an upward trend in the number of disasters and in their impact, and due to the fact that about 80% of the costs of humanitarian aid are logistical. Tomasini and Van Wassenhove (2009) define four phases in the cycle of disaster management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation. In the mitigation phase, measures are applied to prevent a disaster from occurring or to minimize its impact. Measures taken in the preparedness phase allow the community to respond effectively to a disaster when it occurs. The response phase groups all activities aimed at alleviating the consequences after the disaster, i.e., preserve life, the environment, and the social, economic, and political structure of the community. Activities in the recovery phase are aimed at restoring the damaged aspects of the affected region. In each of these phases, logistical planning problems arise, that can be dealt with by adequate OR/MS methods. These problems can be divided into problems involving strategic/tactical (long- or medium-term) decisions, operational (short-term) decisions, or a combination of both (integrated problems).
Humanitarian logistics differs considerably from logistics in a business context, and models and methods developed in business logistics are generally not transferable to a humanitarian environment. This talk identifies some key challenges for the field of OR/MS in humanitarian logistics.

Abstracts Invited and Contributed Speakers

Noud Gademan (ORTEC)

Brief resume: Dr. Ir. Noud Gademann is supply chain expert at ORTEC. He studied Applied Mathematics at the University of Twente, and specialized in Operations Research. He received his PhD from the same university in 1993. Until 2004 he has been working as assistant professor and researcher at the University of Twente in the field of Production and Operations Management and Warehouse Management. Since 1999 Noud Gademann is working at ORTEC, where he was responsible for the development of ORTEC PLANWISE, a software toolkit for constrained multi-resource planning and scheduling. Since 2007 he has changed his attention more to consulting, with a strong focus on Supply Chain Optimization. At ORTEC he has been involved in numerous projects for customers in several industries, including Tata Steel, Volker Rail, DHL Exel Supply Chain, NedTrain, Alliander, Nationale Nederlanden, TNT Express, Royal Dutch Navy, ForFarmers, Boliden and Thales.

Title: Sales & Operations Planning: Concepts and Practical Implications

Abstract: In his presentation Noud Gademann will talk about Sales & Operations Planning, a planning concept that is well known for a long time, but that has received much attention from industry lately. He will introduce the main concepts of S&OP and will explain how it fits into supply chain optimization. Based on some examples from practice he will elaborate on practical implications, pitfalls and lessons learned. One of them is that it is important to align supply chain planning processes like S&OP with the business strategy to make it successful. And that is not as easy as it may seem.

Freek Aersten (EyeOn)

Brief resume: Freek Aertsen studied Business Administration (specialization Supply Chain Management) at Tilburg University (cum Laude) where he also obtained his Ph.D. Following that he joined Royal Philips Electronics where he has been responsible for several large multi-site forecasting, planning & control improvement projects.
As co-founder and senior consultant at EyeOn he executes projects to improve forecasting and planning performance at companies like NokiaSiemens Networks, Alcatel-Lucent, Logitech, DSM, SuikerUnie, NXP, ASML, Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and Philips. Freek has a wide experience in the design and implementation of supply chain forecasting and planning models in various industries and countries. He initiated a knowledge platform for companies in the high-tech and electronics industry. In this network supply chain executives from companies like Motorola, Philips, Apple, Canon Europe, ASML, Dell, ST Microelectronics, Texas Instruments, Arrow and Flextronics, share experiences on trends and best practices in the field of forecasting and planning.
As a faculty member at TiasNimbas Business school he contributes to several executive education programs and published a variety of articles, white papers and books.

Title: Sales and Operations Planning: Trends and the OR impact

Abstract: Forecasting and planning are at the area of all businesses. Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) is the process in which key managers from sales and operations meet frequently to develop realistic plans and promise dates for new orders. S&OP is the set of vital communication and decision-making processes for developing a company game plan that balances market demand with resource capability. A working S&OP process provides a way to draw out functionally conflicting objectives and resolve them so as to develop a true manufacturing/marketing contract, integrate all functions of the business by developing a "single set of numbers" from which all other plans and schedules can be developed, and provide a forum for evaluating company performance.
The presentation provides an overview of the S&OP domain and discusses market and technology trends and the impact on required OR solutions. Including:
- Forecast differentiation
- How to handle BIG DATA from social media in forecasting and planning
- Control tower concepts
- Promotion planning
- New product forecasting
- Human behaviour in forecasting and planning

Harwin de Vries (North Star Alliance, ORTEC)

Brief resume: Harmen is an intern at ORTEC. He worked on the optimization of investments in medical centers along African highways. A project resulting from the cooperation between the NGO North Star Alliance and the ORTEC Consulting Group is the topic of his presentation.

Title: Building a strategic network of medical centers Why the African truck-driver is so glad that Operations Research exists

Abstract: The NGO 'North Star Alliance' places medical centers, also called 'Roadside Wellness Centers' (RWCs), at busy truck-stops along the largest highways in Africa. In order to serve the African truck drivers as good as possible, up to 130 new RWCs will be established in the next few years. These investments serve two objectives. First, by placing these RWCs at busy truck-stops, North Star intends to increase the number of truck drivers which have access to medical service. Next to that, the investments should create a network of RWCs, in which a truck driver who suddenly needs medical help does not need to drive a long time along his route before passing an RWC. In order to realize these goals, it is very important to choose the locations of new RWCs deliberately. Therefore, an MIP model is developed which North Star can use to identify the optimal locations for all future RWCs. By placing RWCs at these locations, the number of truck drivers which have access to medical help is maximized, and the expected time to the next RWC passed by a truck driver (from the moment he suddenly needs medical help) is minimized.

Tom Plat (ORTEC)

Brief resume: Tom Plat is consultant at ORTEC. He obtained an MSc in Econometrics with a specialization in Operations Research in Development countries in 2007. To this end he wrote a thesis to apply stochastic programming to food aid problems and spent a half year in Mali, West Africa at an NGO to write a second thesis on logistics in development countries. At ORTEC, he has been involved in several projects to support the World Food Program in various areas. In 2010, he spent four months in Malawi, Southern Africa, to support the logistics of a bio-energy company founded by TNT called BERL: Bio Energy Resources Ltd. BERL is a company founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of producing bio fuel on a commercial basis within a sustainable framework.

Title: Strategic supply chain solutions in 'green' development environments

Abstract: In my time spent in Malawi I've reviewed the BERL supply chain and constructed a simulation model for the next ten years. Based on several logistic and agricultural inputs management decisions are translated into supply chain outputs (cost, storage, trips, etc). With this logistic model an appropriate frame has been set for BERL's supply chain and its challenges for the years to come. Based on the model, BERL has started making these concepts real by redesigning their supply chain from the collection centers of Jatropha seeds to the central factory and back. BERL staff has been trained for this purpose. My presentation will show how an OR-model in a development context works and what it changed for the future of a bio-energy company as BERL.

Tezar Saputra (VU)

Title: Scenario analysis for emergency inventory prepositioning of medical supplies

Abstract: Emergency inventory prepositioning deals with the strategic positioning of inventory close to or in a potential disaster area in preparation for disasters to improve the response and efficiency of the relief aid. There is little research considering how to manage such inventory. Particularly given the following circumstances emergency inventory prepositioning requires special attention: items in emergency prepositioning inventory are often similar to those used in development programmes so how to manage items with such dual uses? Though air is the predominant way of distributing in the wake of a disaster there are opportunities to use other modalities as well - so there is a trade-off in transport modalities that needs to be accounted for in inventory policy. Organizations first need to obtain funding before being able to respond so there are funding constraints, and often funding is earmarked, meaning that it may be used for very specific purposes only (e.g., for stocking only specific items). Last, shelf life of relief items may be limited (which is particularly the case for medical items), requiring some form of rotation of emergency prepositioning stock to prevent obsolescence. We will discuss the results of a scenario analysis of inventory policies for the management of medical supplies in emergency prepositioning, taking into account some of the aforementioned aspects, and using the results of a case in Zimbabwe.