Closed-loop supply chains in process industries: An empirical study of producer re-use issues

Closed-loop supply chain research has primarily focused on discrete industries, leaving important issues involving waste disposal and re-use in process industries unaddressed. This exploratory study investigates re-use issues and practices related to process industry firms-from the producer's perspective-with the objective of identifying important issues that need further research in the field. Site visits were conducted to identify and clarify re-use issues unique to process industry firms for the purpose of developing a mail survey instrument. The mail survey provided detailed information about the sources of returned product and materials and the subsequent re-use decisions made by 141 different manufacturing facilities in a wide variety of process industries including chemicals, food, rubber, and plastics. Results indicate that process industry firms are quite diverse, that some common beliefs about re-use in process industry firms do not apply to all process types in these industries, and that research efforts are needed in the areas of network design and product acquisition; inventory; production planning and control; and scheduling. The paper concludes by identifying specific research questions important to re-use in process industry environments. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.