Closed-loop supply chains in process industries: An empirical study of producer re-use issues

Closed-loop supply chain research has primarily focused on discrete industries, leaving important issues involving waste disposal and re-use in process industries unaddressed. This exploratory study investigates re-use issues and practices related to process industry firms—from the producer's perspective—with the objective of identifying important issues that need further research in the field. Site visits were conducted to identify and clarify re-use issues unique to process industry firms for the purpose of developing a mail survey instrument. The mail survey provided detailed information about the sources of returned product and materials and the subsequent re-use decisions made by 141 different manufacturing facilities in a wide variety of process industries including chemicals, food, rubber, and plastics. Results indicate that process industry firms are quite diverse, that some common beliefs about re-use in process industry firms do not apply to all process types in these industries, and that research efforts are needed in the areas of network design and product acquisition; inventory; production planning and control; and scheduling. The paper concludes by identifying specific research questions important to re-use in process industry environments.