The Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistics Institute (SCL), a unit of the Stewart School of ISyE, has focused much research in the areas of warehousing and distribution over the past semester. Listed are some of the highlights of SCL's recent research activities and industry collaborations.

Visiting Scholars at SCL
Both the research activities and the social lives of SCL were enriched considerably by the extended stays of two visiting scholars. Johan Lundin, Fulbright Scholar from the University of Lund in Sweden, just completed a year's stay during which he extended his work on cash supply chains. Johan has already written a book on the topic and has served as a consultant to the government of Sweden. Filippo Bindi, a Ph.D. student from the University of Bologna, continued his work developing software to analyze sales histories with the goal of achieving efficiencies by careful product placements within the warehouse.

New Edition of Warehouse & Distribution Science
SCL has released the latest edition of the book Warehouse & Distribution Science, which is freely available online. The text is used in programs across the U.S. and throughout 32 countries worldwide. It is a rigorous development of mathematical and computer models of warehouse layout and processes.

IDI, SCL to Collaborate on Supply Chain White Papers
Industrial Developments International (IDI) , a firm that specializes in development, investment management, and leasing throughout North America, will collaborate with SCL faculty to produce a series of white papers on issues in supply chain management and logistics. These will be broad examinations of trends and their implications, especially as they might relate to investment decisions.

SCL Project With CAT Logistics
Under the guidance of Dr. John Bartholdi, Manhattan Associates Chair in Supply Chain Management, and Mr. Pete Viehweg, Executive-in-Residence at SCL, the fall class in Warehousing and Distribution will work with CAT Logistics to design a new layout that accounts for projected growth in its Atlanta area service parts distribution center. The graduate students will data-mine sales histories and product dimensions to compute a highly space-efficient storage strategy. Is your company interested in sponsoring a project? See here for more information.

SCL Completes Warehousing Project for Walgreens
The spring class in Warehousing and Distribution completed a project for a Walgreens distribution center in Anderson, SC, to help improve order-picking. The team of graduate students visited the facility, picked orders to learn the processes, and performed detailed computer simulations based on historical record of product flow. They then designed an order-picking protocol and provided adjustments to the product layout to support the protocol.

New Developments in Automation
John Bartholdi and Pete Viehweg led a group of Ph.D. students to visit Kiva Systems, developers of order-picking systems based on flocks of autonomous robots. Previously, Peter Blair, Director of Marketing and Communications at Kiva Systems, has lectured at Georgia Tech.