Life-cycle reverse logistics support policy of GENCO - Research Paper Example

Life-cycle reverse logistics support policy of GENCO Affiliation: Q Reclaiming value from waste materials GENCO is the recognized leader in matters of product lifecycle and reverse logistics solution with design of maximizing value and reducing costs. Currently, in matter of reclaiming value from the waste materials, GENCO works closely with the Hershey’s Zero-Waste-to-Landfill (ZWL) Program at the Utah Distribution Center. The ZWL Program is intended for diverting all materials that would that may typically end up in landfills into the alternate channels, such as recycling, reuse, or incineration.

By the end of 2013, Hershey had managed to convert six of its manufacturing facilities to ZWL, which had surpassed the 2015 goal of having five ZWL facilities. GENCO thus collaborates with Hershey into achieving ZWL status at the Western distribution centre, where its runs its operations. As part of the initiative of reclaiming value from the waste materials, the process begins by removing trash comparator from the facility, followed emptying all the contents in the parking lot. Sorting process then begins where results are subject to classify as food/product waste, cardboard, trash, plastics, wood scraps, and broken pallets.

All of these products could be subject to divert from going into the landfills. The focus then shifts into identifying the new ways of collecting recyclables all through the facility followed by training teammates on the new procedures. Volunteers coming from each shift thus form the ZWL committee that helps in identifying the best practices for recycling. The placement of receptacles was subject to plan strategically in a manner that coincides with areas where the recycled materials were subject to generate commonly in order to maximize use.

GENCO currently works towards achieving ZWL status at the Midwest distribution centre, in Edwardsville, IL, all of which run operations for Hershey. Q 2: Reclaiming value from returned and recycled materialsGENCO has the policy of reclaiming value from all returned and recycled materials as part of its integrated reverse logistics solutions. Recycling offers the last chance of reoccupying value in any product before it ends up into the landfill. GENCO’s recycling services has the potential of maximizing recovery of value on every product, which includes part and materials in the end-of-life product stream.

Currently, the company has the potential of reclaiming and extracting value from 95% of all products that could previously end up in the landfill. GENCO accomplishes this task through de-manufacturing, which is a process entailing disassembly of the finished goods in order to yield resalable components, scrap commodities, metals, and plastics. Through GENCO recycling services, one can reduce his or her carbon footprint through the cradle-to-grave supply chain management. To accomplish this task of reclaiming value from returned and recycled materials, GENCO operates through four value drivers for the product recycling cycle.

The first driver is compliance, where there are partnerships with licensed and certified downstream partners to ensure regulatory-compliant recycling and disposal. The second driver is data security, where GENCO complies with all data security requirements. The third driver is highest recovery, where GENCO uses its knowledge on market valuations for the components and raw materials combined with the larger buyer knowledge into ensuring highest value recovery. Finally, there is transparency driver where GENCO works closely with the customer into understanding the recovery value by the product and commodity, followed by identifying environmental benefits of recycling.

References GENCO Company Website. http://www.genco.com/Media/2014/140422_Hersheys-Zero-Waste-to-Landfill-Program.phpGENCO Company Website. http://www.genco.com/Reverse-Logistics/product-recycling.php