German University Wins Logistics Case

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Some of the top logistics students in the world traveled to Fayetteville to compete in the annual FedEx Freight International Graduate Logistics Case Competition Feb. 22-24. The event was managed by the Supply Chain Management Research Center in the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business.

Teams from Darmstadt University of Technology, Darmstadt, Germany; Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa; and University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minn., captured the top three places respectively. The competition was sponsored in alliance with FedEx Freight and a host of corporate sponsors. The top three finishers were awarded $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

“We are honored to bring together graduate logistics students from 12 major universities across the country and around the world,” said Jim Crowell, director of the Supply Chain Management Research Center. “The case gave them firsthand experience in thinking on their feet and solving a real logistics problem. They had a chance to compete for prizes and prestige as well as network with peers and industry professionals.”

Each team competed as a “supply chain business consultant” presenting to a major company’s executive team. The case involved the immediate aftermath of a 1988 scientific report with proof that chlorofluorocarbons contributed to the “Ozone hole” in the upper atmosphere, the company directors made the decision to withdraw all chlorofluorocarbon products faster than required by the Environmental Protection Agency and international treaty. The students were given 24 hours to review the case and prepare their recommendations to create a supply chain plan for the worldwide phase-out, recall and replacement of all refrigerants, solvents and propellants served by the existing product line in the 10-year time period mandated by the board of directors. The teams presented their solutions to a panel of industry judges, and the three finalists competed before a second group of judges in the championship round.

The winners were announced at an awards banquet on Feb. 24.

“The supply-chain solutions offered by this year’s teams were thought-provoking and showed that these graduate students have top-notch analytical skills,” said Pat Reed, executive vice president and chief operating officer of FedEx Freight. “FedEx Freight was pleased to sponsor this exchange of knowledge among the logistics professionals of tomorrow. It’s heartening to know that this caliber of student is in the pipeline for the transportation industry.”

• Technische Universitat Darmstadt -- Stephenie Heitel, Britta Merklinghaus, Ben Röder, Tobias Schuster, and Martin Voss

• Iowa State University -- D. Tharangi Ranasinghe, Jonathan Nicanor Greenlee, Brook Anthony Richardson, Monica Kak, Jason Beichley and Doug Stout

• University of Minnesota -- Emily J. McIlvaine, Russell Needham, Leo Sharkey, Somin Chowdhury, Urini Limthawornkit, Keejoo Park and Abhitab Jain

The Walton College MBA student team included Ravi Gunda, Katie Henderson-Grady, Robert Zeiler, Lei Zhao, Ryan Stearle and Matthew Schlib.

Participating universities also included Arizona State University, University of Arkansas, University of Maryland, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Michigan State University, The Ohio State University, The Pennsylvania State University, Texas Christian University, and Chalmers University of Technology of Gothenburg, Sweden.

The primary sponsor was FedEx Freight. Platinum sponsor was ABF Freight System Inc. Gold sponsors included E.&J. Gallo Winery, BNSF Logistics, General Mills, Unilever and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Silver sponsors included J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., Procter & Gamble, Transplace and Wyeth Consumer Healthcare. Bronze sponsors were Nestlé Purina, Campbell Soup Co. and the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Fayetteville.

The Supply Chain Management Research Center is a direct link between the private sector and the University of Arkansas supply chain resources. It sponsors activities that promote both the academic and general body of knowledge encompassing supply chain management. It also supports student-focused activities centered on recruitment, retention and graduation.