The 2010 class in the Executive Master's in International Logistics & Supply Chain Strategy (EMIL-SCS) Program completed its fourth and much anticipated Latin American residence in early September, spending two weeks studying in Costa Rica, Panama and Brazil. With an in-depth look at distribution facilities, infrastructure, intermodal transportation, government and finance, the 2010 EMIL-SCS class experienced a first-hand exploration into the regional supply chains throughout Latin America and the role of that region in the global supply chain.

Beginning its residency in Costa Rica's capital city of San Jose, the class received a rich introduction to Latin America and a geopolitical and economic overview of the region from Patrice Franko, Grossman Professor of Economics and International Studies at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.

While in San Jose, the class made a site visit to Intel Corporation, where they learned about Intel's economic footprint in Costa Rica and its motivation for manufacturing there, site competitiveness, and logistics challenges faced over the ten years in Costa Rica and progress made during the same timeframe. Additionally the students toured the Intel Innovation Center, an opportunity very few outsiders have the privilege to experience.

John Bartholdi, Manhattan Associates Chair of Supply Chain Management at the Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, lectured on warehouse distribution facilities and presented a case study on Dos Pinos, a production, processing, and distribution company of dairy products headquartered in San Jose. The students were challenged with providing direct feedback and input to Dos Pinos for improving their processes of matching supply to demand. The class visited the Dos Pinos distribution center to observe the operational issues within the facility and joined the Dos Pinos logistics management team for a discussion on enterprise resource planning and SAP. The site visit ended with a sampling of Dos Pinos ice cream.

The class ended the Costa Rican segment of its residency meeting with Costa Rica Investment and Development (CINDE). A private, nonprofit apolitical organization, CINDE endeavors to advance the country's social and economic development by promoting foreign direct investment into the country.

From Costa Rica, the class proceeded to Panama City, Panama. The focus of the intense two-day trip to Panama was to visit and tour the Manzanillo International Terminal and Logistics Park in Colon, Panama; meet with the Colon Import & Export company, a third-party warehouse service provider located in the Colon Free Trade Zone; and visit and tour the Panama Canal Authority. While at the Panama Canal, the students learned the history of building the Panama Canal, future plans to expand the canal, and the supply chain challenges the canal faces on a daily basis due to increased manufacturing in Mexico, GDP growth in South America, and partnerships with steamship lines. Although the program has visited the Panama Canal many times, the 2010 class was the first to have the experience of crossing the canal on foot by walking across the Miraflores Locks.

Leaving Panama, the class moved on to Porto Alegre, Brazil. Beginning its visit with a Brazilian soccer game, the class resumed its curriculum with a corporate visit to Springer/Carrier, a United Technologies Company. The class met with the supply chain team and discussed the flow of raw materials into Brazil, specifically focusing on the distribution of finished goods in support of Brazil's domestic demand, distribution of goods exported to South and Central America, navigating through the Brazilian tax structure, and security issues in transporting Carrier products.

Following its visit to Springer/Carrier, the class toured the largest General Motors subsidiary in South America and the third largest in the world. Class discussions focused on the differences between United States and South American plants utilizing VMI and sub-assemblies in the manufacturing process over traditional automotive assembly. From General Motors, the class made its last stop in Porto Alegre at John Deere Montenegro. The discussion there centered on John Deere's supply chain network and South American strategy, highlighting its carbon footprint reduction within an ECO-friendly manufacturing plant.

Winding down its Latin American residence, the class made its last stop in Campinas, Brazil. An alumnus of the 2009 EMIL-SCS class hosted the program at Dell Hortolandia for a site visit and discussion of Dell's logistics issues and opportunities working with customs in Brazil, outbound shipping to other countries within Latin America and to non-Latin American regions, and ocean/air inbound and outbound shipments.

Following the Dell tour and presentation, the class met with Dr. Lars Sanchez, professor in Transportation Engineering at UNICAMP and INSPER in Brazil. Dr. Sanchez's presentation dove deep into the overall logistical challenges throughout Brazil. The day concluded with Baxter Healthcare, which reviewed lessons and case studies about tax strategies in Brazil.

The class concluded its 2010 Latin American residence with both a lecture and site visit. Maria Rey, founder and executive director of the Atlanta-based Center for Emerging Logistics and Supply Chains and adjunct faculty in the EMIL-SCS program, spoke to the class about logistics and supply chain management in Latin America, with a specific focus on infrastructure needs and understanding the Latin American consumer. Following Rey's lecture, the class toured Viracopos/Campinas Airport Infraero, a customs bonded import-export facility. As a major hub, Viracopos utilizes express lanes for courier traffic, which are exceptionally quick and less-bureaucratic for Brazilian standards.

The fifth and final residence for the 2010 EMIL-SCS class beings February 28, 2010, in Monterrey, Mexico, and runs through March 12, 2010, wrapping up in Atlanta. Applications for the 2011 class are being accepted through January 4, 2010.

For more information on EMIL-SCS, visit:
http://www.emil.gatech.edu/