Consolidation of customer orders into truckloads at a large manufacturer

Abstract

We describe the development and operation of an interactive system based on a mathematical optimisation model which is used by a major US manufacturer to consolidate customer orders into truckloads. Dozens of users employ the system daily for planning delivery of orders from manufacturing plants to customers by truckload carriers, saving numerous hours of the users' time and reducing transportation costs.

Keywords:

• logistics
• practice of OR
• optimisation