Braiform was proud to participate as the subject matter in the annual Sam M. Walton College of Business Logistics Case Competition hosted by the Supply Chain Management Research Center at the University of Arkansas. The event, held from 22 October to 24 October 2009, and provided development and networking opportunities for students studying logistics and supply chain management across the globe.
Braiform offered a unique insight into its state-of-the-art global garment hanger re-use facilities to competitors from major universities across the United States and Europe who came to Bentonville, Arkansas to compete in teams at the annual case study competition.
Each team, acting as a supply chain business consultancy hired by Braiform, were given a logistics case study and allowed just 24 hours to prepare a solution to be presented before a panel of industry judges. The students were asked to create a global supply chain management system designed to influence additional US retailers to engage Braiform’s sustainable garment hanger re-use programs. Economic and environmental savings were critical components of each team’s presentations.
Re-use programs promote environmental sustainability when garment hangers are collected from stores after use, sorted, washed, inspected and shipped back to apparel manufacturers to be used again. In their presentations students demonstrated how Braiform’s in-store training programs and collaborative capabilities link together supply chain partners on four continents to manage the flow of more than 1.2 billion re-use hangers each year for US retailers.
Currently, Braiform is the global leader in garment hanger reverse logistics and re-use programs and has, to date, returned over 10 billion garment hangers representing massive environmental and economic savings over the lifespan of its business operations.
In addition to the case competition, students participated in corporate interview sessions, tours of local logistics facilities and were given the opportunity to network with leaders in the industry.
The judges for this competition were logistics, financial and management executives from several of the event sponsors. Tommy Conner, Global Head of Re-use Operations for Braiform announced this year’s winners at the closing night banquet and the top three winners were awarded US$3,000, US$2,000 and US$1,000, respectively.
Tommy said, “Participating in the case study competition allowed Braiform to showcase the environmental and cost savings US retailers are experiencing as a result of introducing garment hanger closed loop re-use programs into their retail networks. We were very impressed with the results and honoured to be invited to participate in an event."
International teams dominated the competition with Darmstadt University of Technology from Darmstadt, Germany taking first prize. The University of Wisconsin-Madison finished second and Chalmers University of Technology from Gottenburg, Sweden finished third.