Enabling reliable delivery of goods in collaborative logistics networks such as the PI

The Physical Internet (PI) and similar collaborative logistics networks offer a transformative potential for streamlining and enhancing the efficiency of current logistics operations. Research has already highlighted the conceptual strengths and potential benefits of the PI, yet translating these concepts into practical operations remains a challenging frontier. Researchers commonly acknowledge that crucial for the operational success of the PI and similar collaborative logistics networks is to ensure reliable delivery of goods, including effective quality oversight and coordination. This research, therefore, focuses on examining the fundamentals of an automated system aimed at ensuring reliable end-to-end transportation within these networks. Adopting Design Science Research (DSR) for this research endeavor emerges as a logical approach. The Design Science Research Methodology emphasizes the creation and evaluation of practical solutions to complex problems, offering a structured approach to bridge the gap between theory and practice. This research is structured around three core projects. The first project will initiate the DSR cycle to establish the detailed requirements for the artifact development, performance evaluation, and theory development. The second project deals with the development of the automated system and demonstrate it in a last mile collaborative structure similar to that envisioned by the PI. The third project tests the scalability and generalizability of the proposed solution aiming to establish design principles for its application in wider collaborative logistics networks. 

Malte Spanuth started as a PhD candidate and research assistant at KLU in November 2022 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. J. Rod Franklin, P.E. and Prof. Dr. André Ludwig. His research contributes to the “URBANE” project funded by the EU and focusses on Physical Internet (PI) inspired logistics operations fostering collaboration. Prior to joining the PhD program, Malte obtained a Master of Science in Global Logistics at KLU, including a semester abroad at Kedge Business School in Bordeaux. In 2019, he received his Bachelor in Business Administration with a major in logistics from the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University while being employed by the Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG. During this time he spent a semester at Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Kuopio. In addition to his studies, Malte worked at Würth as a full-time project manager, accompanying the realization of a bulky-goods warehouse and the detailed planning of an extension of a highly automated warehouse. Furthermore, he joined Johnson & Johnson as a working student in S&OP.