The Center for Excellence in Logistics and Distribution (CELDi) in the University of Arkansas Department of Industrial Engineering welcomes ArcBest Technologies, an ArcBest company providing the organization's operating companies with in-house digital solutions to complex shipping needs. ArcBest CorporationSM is a multibillion-dollar freight and logistics company that solves customers' challenges through an array of emerging businesses that all focus on skillful solutions and innovative technology. As the transportation and logistics market continues to change rapidly, the company's constantly evolving solutions focus on innovative tools and software to better serve customers' total supply chain needs.

Chase Rainwater, the principal investigator for this CELDi project, is an assistant professor in the industrial engineering department. His research interests lie in the areas of large-scale optimization, integer programming and supply chain logistics. Shengfan Zhang, the co-principal investigator for this CELDi project, is an assistant professor in the industrial engineering department. Her research interests are mathematical modeling of stochastic systems with an emphasis on statistical and decision analysis as applied to health care, manufacturing and other service environments.

CELDi is a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center. At this center, engineering faculty from the University of Arkansas, Clemson University, Virginia Tech, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Missouri collaborate with members of industry to identify and carry out research projects in the area of logistics and distribution that are the most relevant to industry needs. CELDi's 15 member organizations come from commercial, military and government sectors of the economy.

For more information on the ArcBest TechnologiesSM project, contact Chase Rainwater, principal investigator and assistant professor, cer@uark.edu, 479-575-2687 or Shengfan Zhang, co-principal investigator and assistant professor, Shengfan@uark.edu, 479-575-3571.  For more information on CELDi, contact Manuel Rossetti, CELDi director, rossetti@uark.edu, 479-575-6756.