Economic-Mathematical Model to Design a Transportation Strategy in Sugar Cane Manufacturing Enterprises

Abstract

Guaranteeing an efficient transportation planning strategy is a must in sugar cane manufacturing enterprises. Up to the present, empirical planning systems have been applied; hence, all transport variants have not been properly considered. This has provoked not only an increase in costs, but also a waste of time concerning working hours. Consequently, sugar cane transportation to the industry is delayed by over twelve hours, so cane freshness is lost. The present paper deals with the elaboration of an economic-mathematical model and a software for its implemen- tation in order to efficiently plan sugar cane transportation to traditional cranes and collecting or cleaning centers. Application of the model and its software showed a decrease by 4 percent in daily average costs; besides, sugar cane transportation to manufacturing enterprises can be reduced to nine hours which improves the final product quality.