Performance analysis of a multi-plant specialty chemical manufacturing enterprise using an agent-based model

Modern day manufacturing enterprises consist of networks of worldwide production sites, each of which has its own supply chain. There are complex interactions between the decisions at various levels of such enterprises that lead to intricate dynamics. To make holistic decisions, it is necessary to measure and analyze performance of the enterprise and its constituents under various conditions. Such performance analysis calls for appropriate modeling and simulation tools. Agent-based modeling has been demonstrated as a promising approach for modeling such complex networks of distributed actors. In this paper, we demonstrate how an agent-based model can be developed to explicitly capture the interactions among the various constituents including the plants, functional departments, and external entities. As an illustrative case, an agent-based model of a lube additive manufacturing supply chain is introduced and the performance of the system studied under a significant range of behaviors, business policies, and environmental events. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.