Abstract Number: 007-0077 Optimal Blending Model for Paper Manufacturing With Competing Input Materials

The stringent environmental regulations, growing shortages of raw materials have brought the concept of reverse supply chain into limelight. This paper presents a linear programming model for minimizing the cost of paper manufacturing by optimal blending of two competing input materials viz. wood as well as by recycling wastepaper. The objective function includes forward and reverse supply chain costs encountered during paper manufacturing from the manufacture's viewpoint. The model also includes the economic implications of using the alternative input materials on the environment, paper quality along with the possible reuse of the non-relevant wastepaper collected during the segregation stage. The model can assist the manufacturer to determine the optimal amount of wood as well as wastepaper required to satisfy the market demand under a given situation. To gain further insight into the system behaviour, sensitivity analyses have been carried out which highlights various strategies under different conditions