Reconfigurable logistics systems in production and disassembly networks

Abstract

The importance of the recycling of resources is continuously increasing in Europe and around the world. The major driver is the scarcity of both natural resources and disposal capacities. In this context, the efficient design of logistics processes is of high importance as high costs for collection, return, treatment and redistribution are combined with a low value added. There are already some (logistics) recycling concepts for quantitatively significant material flows like packaging materials, high-quality products like end-of-life vehicles or very hazardous products like batteries. However, the problem remains unsolved for those end-of-life products that have ‘a bit of everything but not enough of anything’: household appliances. For these end-of-life products, logistics plant concepts have been developed that accommodate the high number of options and the low value added.