Investigating the effects of lead-time uncertainties and safety stocks on logistical performance in a bordering-crossing JIT supply chain

Wenming Chung, Srinivas Talluri, Gyöngyi Kovacs

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

41 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We study a dual delivery risk problem that firms inside the free trade zones (FTZ) along the US-Mexico border (i.e., maquiladoras) often face in their daily operations. It is commonly observed that maquiladoras’ suppliers keep buffer inventories of components in a 3rd party logistics (3PL) warehouse on the US side of border. Maquiladoras will “call-off” the components when they are needed for production runs, often multiple times a day. Each call-off shipment is an international shipment that is involved with export/import procedures and is subject to customs inspection, which often causes delays. Such delivery uncertainty, combined with the 3PL replenishment uncertainty, makes just-in-time (JIT) operations a challenging task for maquiladoras. In this study, we examine how a firm’s logistical performance can be affected by multiple transportation risks and multi-locational buffer inventory strategies in a border-crossing JIT supply chain. Our results show that a firm’s service level is more affected by the border-crossing uncertainty, whereas a firm’s order lead-time performance is predominantly attributed to the 3PL replenishment risk.
Original languageEnglish
Peer-reviewed scientific journalComputers & Industrial Engineering
Volume118
Issue numberApril
Pages (from-to)440-450
Number of pages11
ISSN0360-8352
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11.03.2018
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article - refereed

Keywords

  • 512 Business and Management
  • JIT systems
  • Inventory management
  • 3PL
  • Delivery risk
  • Border-crossing

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