Integrating Forward and Reverse Supply Chains:: Application to a metal-mechanic company

This paper examines supply chain management as implemented in companies which deal simultaneously with forward and reverse logistics. Modeling constraints include the strategic and operational alignments, system interoperability, information share and coordination of activities. The proposed Integrated Model for Supply Chain Management (IMSCM) is aimed at re-defining Demand Management Procedures, Order Management Procedures, Manufacturing Management Procedures, Procurement Management Procedures, Distribution Management Procedures, Client Management Procedures, etc. The detailed analysis of the processes involved demonstrated that the integrated model IMSCM includes new processes taken from reverse logistics, but is essentially a new description of the general processes which are necessary to manage the supply chain. The work presented in this paper is based on a real case study, and as such, the integrated model proposed in this paper has been validated in a company from the metal-mechanic sector. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.