At the latest, since the classical work “Theory of the Location of Industries” of Weber from 1909, the determination of an optimal location with respect to existing customers is strongly connected with strategical logistics planning. Strategic decisions concerning the location of facilities as production plants, distribution centers or warehouses are of high importance for the rentability of Supply Chains. Thoroughly carried out, location planning tasks allow an efficient flow of materials and lead to lower costs and increased customer service.

Subject of the course is an introduction to the most important terms and definitions in location planning as well as the presentation of basic quantitative location planning models. Further, specialized location planning models for Supply Chain Management will be addressed as they are part in many commercial SCM-Tools for strategic planning tasks. Furthermore, districting will be regarded. 

The lecture covers basic quantitative methods in location planning in the context of strategic Supply Chain Planning. Besides the discussion of several criteria for the evaluation of the locations of facilities, the students are acquainted with classical location planning models (planar models, network models and discrete models) and advanced location planning models designed for Supply Chain Management (single-period and multi-period models).The exercises accompanying the lecture offer the possibility to apply the considered models to practical Problems. 

• Daskin: Network and Discrete Location: Models, Algorithms, and Applications, Wiley, 1995
• Domschke, Drexl: Logistik: Standorte, 4. Auflage, Oldenbourg, 1996
• Francis, McGinnis, White: Facility Layout and Location: An Analytical Approach, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, 1992
• Love, Morris, Wesolowsky: Facilities Location: Models and Methods, North Holland, 1988
• Thonemann: Operations Management - Konzepte, Methoden und Anwendungen, Pearson Studium, 2005