The Guardian - Posted September 12, 2021
Algebra: The Maths Working to Solve the UK’s Supply Chain Crisis
Logistics hasn’t stood still with linear algebra, however. It has been developed into algorithms for “linear programming” and “mixed integer programming” and various other odd-sounding mathematical routines, such as “combinatorial optimisation”, “greedy heuristics” and “simulated annealing”.
“You can think of this as computational algebra,” says Keith Moore of US logistics software company Autoscheduler.AI. And it’s all done with just one purpose: to deliver to every customer, on time and in full – OTIF as it’s known in the trade. And, as anyone working in post-Brexit supermarkets knows, that’s never actually possible. “In every distribution centre I’ve been around, the constraints keep the operation from perfectly maximising OTIF,” Moore says.
It’s Moore’s job to maximise what is possible for a wide range of clients, including Unilever and Procter & Gamble. He doesn’t use paper and pen or a calculator. “Even at a single distribution centre, they are collecting gigabytes of data every minute and that data changes constantly. It’s not just impractical to have analysts and people sitting in a room doing math to make decisions, it’s completely unfeasible.”
Mirror UK - Posted September 16, 2021
How Challenges to the UK's Supply Chain Are Being Solved With Algebra
As reported by The Guardian, Keith Moore of US logistics company Autoscheduler.AI, said: “You can think of this as computational algebra.”
It’s in place with one sole purpose, to deliver successfully to every customer, on time and in full (OTIF), but as supermarkets in post-Brexit Britain know all too well, this is never actually possible.
Moore continued: “Even at a single distribution centre, they are collecting gigabytes of data every minute and that data changes constantly. It’s not just impractical to have analysts and people sitting in a room doing math to make decisions, it’s completely unfeasible.”
