MILKY WAYS: Implementation of efficient and environmentally compatible transport chains within food supply chains of regional creameries - A cross section study at the interface of logistics, production and marketing

01.03.2004 - 31.12.2005
Assigned research project
The ¿MILKY WAYS¿ project views itself as a regionally based cross-sectional study at the interfaces of logistics, production and marketing, directed at the systematic linkage of product-related quality needs with higher-ranking transport and environmental concerns. It aims at achieving optimisation in supply chain of milk resp. dairy products based on a case study of the milk producing region Mühlviertel (Upper Austria) resp. several dairy industrial locations in Upper Austria and Upper Bavaria. Initially, demand profiles for environmentally compatible transport chains are developed from the scientific angles involved (agricultural/economic quality management, transport system planning, regional planning/regional development) and combined in an interdisciplinary view. An approach to actual practice is made by studying and tracking the transport chains originating from the source region, from the milk producing farms via the dairy industry and the food retailers to the consumption points. These transport chains have been evaluated by criteria of environmental compatibility and economic efficiency, in order to arrive at a realistic estimate of optimisation options available to ¿shippers¿, the source region and national policy. Outputs ¿ description of the Austrian Milk market with special focus on trade ¿ exact description of the transport ways of dairy products from the stable to the consumption points based on case studies of dairy industrial locations in Upper Austria and Upper Bavaria ¿ recommendations for integrating environmentally compatible transport chains Activities The scope of the project provided for a workshop at the start aimed at exploring the deficits and focusing on the need for action. In the region, the farms and transport companies affected were interrogated. Next, optimisation propositions based on the specific traffic flow and the delivery relations obtained from surveys were discussed with experts of the dairy sector and experts of food retailers to localise optimising-potentials. Economic relevance and potential This interdisciplinary research project is intended as a contribution to improving competitiveness of agricultural production regions by way of company-based quality management that integrates production and logistics and which thus confers importance to environmentally compatible transport chains. In addition, the project supplies a module to the national sustainability strategy.

People

Project leader

Institute

Contract/collaboration

  • ERP Fonds

Keywords

GermanEnglish
Supply Chain ManagementSupply Chain Management
Marketing Marketing
LogistikLogistics
MilchtransporteMilk transport
Regionalplanungregional planning
Milchwirtschaftmilk supply economy

External partner

  • Universität für Bodenkultur, Departement für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften
  • ARP Arbeitsgruppe Raumplanung, Ziviltechniker Aichhorn - Dörr - Kals

Publications