25.12.2013 Views

Download (4Mb) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern Queensland

Download (4Mb) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern Queensland

Download (4Mb) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern Queensland

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

A proper record <strong>of</strong> the actual harvestable resource will be an essential prerequisite for the<br />

development <strong>of</strong> a preliminary harvest plan with the usable sites scheduled for harvest according to<br />

age, tonnage and location. A modest amount <strong>of</strong> harvesting, perhaps 20-40,000 green tonnes per year<br />

could be sustained from the existing resource, but to determine a reasonable estimate <strong>of</strong> the cost <strong>of</strong><br />

harvesting and transporting this material should be based upon verified site data.<br />

A regional industry harvesting plan will also enable the modelling <strong>of</strong> resource flow over the first cycle<br />

<strong>of</strong> harvest, followed by the coppice regeneration for second and subsequent harvests. Overlaid upon<br />

this will be the wave <strong>of</strong> new planting that should be stimulated by the first cycle <strong>of</strong> harvesting and<br />

biomass payments. The West Australian mallee industry has a number <strong>of</strong> problems to resolve but new<br />

plantings are still being established every year, even though at a modest rate.<br />

6.4.2 Operational planning and modelling<br />

Operational or Logistic models are typically used to focus on the supply <strong>of</strong> product from the field to<br />

the processing facility. In the sugar industry this has focused on reducing harvest to crush delays,<br />

improving capacity utilization, improving scheduling to match delivery to mill crushing capacity.<br />

These models describe the path followed by a consignment <strong>of</strong> cane with the aim to pinpoint<br />

bottlenecks (Gaucher et al 2003).<br />

Changes in the supply chain can be evaluated with a detailed description <strong>of</strong> the tasks <strong>of</strong> handling and<br />

delivering the material. Information is based on cutting, loading, transport equipment (size, number,<br />

hourly capacity, work schedule, distance, speed, downtime, etc). The approach can be used to<br />

investigate<br />

• impact <strong>of</strong> restructuring the supply system, e.g. by closing or opening transloading centres to<br />

modify distance from fields,<br />

• introducing new harvesting, transport and milling equipment, or<br />

• changing delivery allocations to match the harvest capacities <strong>of</strong> growers.<br />

In the Mallee Industry a logistics modelling approach has been adopted by McCormack et al (2009)<br />

who have modelled the cost per green tonne delivered to the mill based on various harvesting and<br />

transport options. This work highlights the operational difficulties in the Mallee Woody crop supply<br />

chain and was discussed in Section 3.2.3 <strong>of</strong> this report. Operational issues include:<br />

• The Plant itself (Small stem size, poor presentation to harvester with multiple crooked stems<br />

and high wood density)<br />

• Field layout (Two to four row belts, 100-200m apart with low yield <strong>of</strong> 40-80gt/ha <strong>of</strong> belt or<br />

100-400 green tonnes per farm and long transport distances to roadside landing <strong>of</strong> 1-4km)<br />

• Harvest/Handling issues (difficulties in pouring, tipping and handling wood chips and<br />

associated leaf and twig and low bulk density).<br />

The logistics work undertaken by McCormack et al (2009) provides a start for conceptual logistics<br />

modelling. Chapter 7 <strong>of</strong> this report provides a comparative assessment <strong>of</strong> costs <strong>of</strong> harvest and<br />

transport <strong>of</strong> mallee based on current sugarcane harvest-haul models.<br />

6.5 Models for Supply Chain Planning and Management -<br />

Examples for Sugarcane<br />

In Australia sugarcane supply chain modelling, planning and management tools have looked at a range<br />

<strong>of</strong> aspects as detailed in Higgins and Archer (2005) including:<br />

149

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!