Top logistics students from the United States and Europe traveled to the Sam’s Club home offices in Bentonville, Ark., to compete in the annual Sam M. Walton College of Business International Graduate Logistics Case Competition on Nov. 4-6. The event was managed by the Supply Chain Management Research Center at the University of Arkansas.

Teams from Darmstadt University of Technology, Darmstadt, Germany (first place); the University of Minnesota (second place); and Chalmers University of Technology, Gottenburg, Sweden (third place), captured the top three places and were awarded $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

The competition host sponsors, Sam’s Club and Unilever, were joined in support of the event by an alliance of companies that are members of the advisory board for the Supply Chain Management Research Center at the University of Arkansas. Center Director Jim Crowell announced this year’s winners at the Bentonville Clarion on Saturday night, Nov. 6.

The student teams competed against each other by presenting solutions to a logistics case before a panel of industry judges. This year’s case, titled “Heartland Food Grinders,” was written by Walton College logistics professor John Ozment and edited by Christopher Vincent and Crowell. The case featured a Cincinnati, Ohio-based manufacturer of consumer and industrial garbage disposals that was challenged to reduce inventory and other logistics costs, while significantly raising customer service levels. The company operated nine U.S. distribution centers, each plagued with significant customer failures (out of stocks) in the consumer retail and business to business wholesale markets. Student teams presented a number of solutions, ranging from keeping the existing nine distribution centers to consolidating to one location, while others suggested a complete outsourcing. Key elements of the three winning teams’ solutions included an integrated logistics approach emphasizing a customer focus as well as enhancing operating processes with perceived cost efficiencies and reduced distribution center locations.

In addition to the case competition, students participated in corporate interview sessions and tours of the Walmart Innovation Center in Bentonville and the RFID Center at the University of Arkansas. A team faculty adviser luncheon was also hosted at Sam’s Club and featured Elizabeth Fretheim, director of Sam’s Club Logistics and Business Strategy and Sustainability, speaking to the professors.

Students from the winning teams include:

·               Darmstadt University of Technology: Jan von Appen, Mareike Bender, Nicolas Brune, Johannes Thiemann, Stefan Kollmeier, and Kogo Wolf. Faculty representatives for the team are David Thomas and Hans-Christian Pfohl.

·               University of Minnesota M.B.A. team: Lydia Gokey, Vijay Kumar Potharla, Paul Arnevik, Bharat Umarji, Kevin Bergh, and Oliver Maher. The M.B.A. team was accompanied by faculty representative David Zepeda.

·               Chalmers University of Technology: Ola Hultkrantz, Sofia Karlsson, Stina Sandin, Helena Nilsson, Erik Orrskog, Linda Skogman and Per Bohlin. The faculty representative was Ola Hultkrantz.

The University of Arkansas also participated in the event and performed well. The Walton College team included M.B.A. students: Nhiem H. Cao, Honey D. Brinkley, Issam Moussaoui, John G. Hafer, John R. Carter, and Senad Zlatovic along with faculty representative Matthew A. Waller.

Additional participating universities included Brigham Young University, University of Maryland, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Tennessee, Pennsylvania State University, Iowa State University, Ohio State University and Texas Christian University.

In addition to Sam’s Club and Unilever, the platinum sponsor was ABF Freight System Inc. Gold sponsors included the Center for Retailing Excellence, FedEx Freight, General Mills, Nestle and Walmart. Silver sponsors included J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., Procter & Gamble, Transplace, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare and Braiform. The bronze sponsors were CHAINalytics, E. & J. Gallo Winery and Caterpillar Logistics Services Inc. The Patron sponsor was Tyson Foods Inc.

The Supply Chain Management Research Center serves as 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.