Building of reusable reverse logistics model and its optimization considering the decision of backorder or next arrival of goods

Abstract

For achievement of the resources recycling society and the low carbon society, the reverse logistics, which targets the flow from production recovery to reproduction of end of life products, receives attention in the logistics field. However, the reverse logistics is different from the traditional forward logistics where new material or part are produced and sold to customer. In the reverse logistics, it is not only hard to predict the appearing time or amount of arrivals by the used periods or condition of the recovered products, but also the recovery routes are complex as there are lot of recovery centers. Moreover, even though the recovery products are environment-friendly, its market is not large yet because of the stereotype of customers who regard the recovery product as used goods. And the reverse logistics costs more than the traditional forward logistics to construct and operate the system. © 2011 The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.