An analysis of alternative locations and service areas of American Red Cross blood facilities

We investigated a facility relocation problem for the mid-Atlantic region of the American Red Cross (ARC) in Norfolk, Virginia. The ARC was concerned with the feasibility and effect of a proposed facility relocation on its blood collection and distribution. We developed optimization models to provide insights into its current scheduling of blood collections and distributions as well as the changes imposed by this proposed relocation. As a result of our analysis and recommendations, ARC decided to postpone its facility relocation and to optimize the operations of its existing facilities.