Kritika Karwasra, a current PhD student in IEOR, presented her research work, supervised by Prof. Narayan Rangaraj, at the 33rd European Conference on Operational Research 2024, held at DTU - the Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark, from 30th June to 3rd July. This study focused on optimizing the use of in-house and outsourced vehicles in supply chains, a critical aspect of the expanding supply chain networks.
The traditional dilemma of under-utilized in-house fleets versus outsourcing to third parties has led companies to rethink their strategies. Uncertainties in third-party services have prompted a reinvestment in in-house fleets, creating a need to effectively allocate the mixed fleet.
The paper she presented is a case study of a steel manufacturing company, offering insights into different allocation policies for the mixed fleet to minimize total transportation costs. This research sheds light on the tactical challenges faced by companies in optimizing transportation resources.