Supply Chain Frontiers issue #41
Achieving sustainable growth requires new approaches to supply chain management, particularly where complex, international distribution networks are involved. But the complexity of these networks makes it difficult to assimilate the information and experience needed to develop appropriate solutions. The Zaragoza Logistics Center (ZLC), Zaragoza, Spain, is participating in a European project to improve collaborative research on the integration of the transport sector while enhancing its environmental performance.
The project, called SoCool@EU, will be carried out by research-driven regional clusters. In addition to sharing knowledge, member groups will function as mentors for less developed regions. The ultimate goal is to develop more competitive, sustainable freight gateways and hubs across the EU that will contribute directly to improving competitiveness in Europe.
“The idea is to cut across boundaries and governments to collaborate on research in sustainable supply chains,” says ZLC Director Dr. David Gonsalvez. “We were working on such an organization in Aragón, but this project accelerated its creation.”
This multinational research effort offers the resources required to tackle the regional and global supply chain challenges with which the EU is grappling. The transportation industry accounts for approximately 7% of the EU’s GDP and 5% of total employment in the community, and there is increasing pressure from consumers to improve the environmental performance of this sector. These demands have led to conflicting regulations and policy initiatives across the EU that make transportation systems less efficient.
Reducing the volume of goods moved by reconfiguring supply chains is one possible solution. Other options include switching freight to more fuel-efficient maritime and rail modes, increasing load factors, and developing improved propulsion systems for vehicles. Such measures require technological and organizational innovations as well as new legislative approaches.
Government intervention is also necessary, according to the SoCool@EU proposal. Developing these solutions requires the cooperation of many different vested interests, and arriving at a consensus is difficult without a neutral party such as government. Another factor is that such a large-scale research effort requires education and training resources that are beyond individual academic or commercial organizations.
These requirements are reflected in the structure of the SoCool@EU network. The clusters will be based on so-called “triple-helix collaborations” explains Gonsalvez. These initiatives involve partnerships among governments, industry, and universities. A number of countries in the region have constructed their own versions of the triple-helix concept.
In Spain, ALIA – the Association of Innovative Logistics of Aragón – represents the triple-helix cluster of the region of Aragón. The partnership includes logistics and transportation organizations, R&D entities such as ZLC, the Regional Government of Aragón, and leading business entities that support logistics activities. ALIA was created to unite and coordinate regional efforts to improve the competitiveness of member companies through collaboration and logistics innovation. The Spanish Ministry of Industry officially declared the excellence of the ALIA 2011–2014 strategic plan; and in early 2011, the cluster was included in the list of excellence clusters in Spain.
There are five regional clusters in the SoCool@EU project: DINALOG from Rijn-Schelde Delta (Netherlands/Belgium), ALIA from Aragón (Spain), HOLM from Frankfurt/Rhein-Main (Germany), the University of Lund representing the Øresund Region (Sweden/Denmark), and the Chamber of Commerce of Mersin (Turkey). Although the regions have different geographic and economic profiles, they share similar supply chain issues.
SoCool@EU has five main objectives:
- Foster transnational cooperation between research-driven clusters as well as mutual learning among the participants.
- Improve links among regional authorities, legal entities conducting research, and local business communities.
- Develop and implement joint action plans at the European level to increase regional economic competitiveness.
- Support the international development of each cluster.
- Mentor regions with a less developed research profile.
Each cluster will play a role in achieving these objectives. ZLC will be actively involved in analyzing and integrating the research agendas of the clusters. The center will coordinate the creation of a joint action plan, and will facilitate the plan’s implementation in the Region of Aragón. In addition, ZLC will be the main project partner in the mentoring of the Region of Mersin (Turkey). Finally, the center will play a central role in disseminating the research results through events and other forms of communication. “We will provide the academic rigor and will support the SoCool@EU team in these sessions,” says Gonsalvez.
The SoCool@EU project is currently under negotiation with the European Commission, and this process is expected to be concluded at the end of June 2011. The project should begin in September 2011.
For more information on SoCool@EU, contact Dr. David Gonsalvez, email: dgonsalvez@zlc.edu.es, tel: +34 976 077 637.