Rebound Logistics

Today small- and medium-sized businesses are increasingly faced with the challenge of coping with specific customer demands, competitive market dynamics and legislative regulations in an adequate and timely manner. Manufacturing companies are therefore more often required to return products from customers. The management of the product returns poses a challenge insofar as the companies have to integrate the flows of returning products into existing logistic networks or to design and coordinate new networks. The research project Rebound Logistics aimed at supporting small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies to efficiently integrate returning product flows into existing structures by developing design options for an integrated Reverse Supply Chain. It also defined and modulated standard Reverse Supply Chain processes and design options for specific types of manufacturing companies thus identifying interfaces and parameters for a succesful integration.