An algebraic approach for supply network synthesis

•An algebraic method as an alternative supply network synthesis method is developed.•Optimal supply network is synthesised with the selection of industrial facilities.•Graphical analysis and visualisation of supply networks performance is accessible.

This paper presents a novel algebraic technique of supply network synthesis and analysis. A case study of biomass processing for supply network synthesis using three techniques (i) mathematical modelling (ii) supermatrix scoring concept and (iii) algebraic analysis with graphical visualisation is demonstrated. The results and performances of three techniques are compared. Comparable modelling results are obtained for all three approaches. The introduction of quantitative cum graphical analysis of supply network allows the performance overview of each possible choice of supply network in one picture. Besides, the algebraic method allows the concurrent set-up of material allocation and ranking of possible supply network choices. This outweighs the mathematical modelling technique that allows for optimal supply network synthesis but giving no insight to the performance of next network choices; and the supermatrix scoring technique that ranks the general supply network choices in a whole picture yet incapable to capture the optimal selection which involves only part of the players, especially in supply network problem.