Prioritisation of flexibility enablers using AHP in steel making via electric arc furnace. (2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Singh, Rohit Kumar; Goyal, Arun; Bhagwat, Aditya; Sonwaney, Vandana
• Is Part Of: International journal of procurement management. Volume 10:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 524
• Page End: 538
• Publication Date: 2017
• Subjects: electric arc furnace -- EAF -- analytic hierarchy process -- AHP -- hot direct reduced iron -- DRI -- cold DRI -- scrap -- API grade; Industrial procurement -- Management -- Periodicals; Industrial procurement -- Electronic information resources -- Periodicals; Business logistics -- Periodicals; 658.7205
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1753-8432

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to determine various flexibility enablers in a steel making firm via electric arc furnace (EAF) route and prioritise them in order to sustain in the current scenario of competition, pricing, quality and efficiency. This study defines 20 different sub flexibility enablers in the process of producing steel via EAF route and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used to prioritise these factors to determine well-coordinated manufacturing. It is evident that steel manufacturing firms work in a highly uncertain environment, volatility in steel prices would continue because of the oversupply and unpredictable demand, the capability to produce the required quality and quantity as per the existing demand is in the hand of the steel producer. Thus, there comes a need to define and prioritise various flexibility enablers for better and cost effective decision for steel production. In this study, 20 different sub factors are placed under seven main strategic enablers such as location, raw material, sourcing, labour, internal logistics, volume and product. It is observed that the global weightage of raw material flexibility is highest among the enablers and consecutively the sub factors are hot DRI and API grade in product flexibility.