Supply chain decisions as combinatorial problems
Supply chain planning involves discrete, interdependent decisions made under uncertainty: which suppliers to qualify, how much safety stock to hold at each node, which distribution centers to operate, and how to allocate constrained supply across competing demand signals. Each of these is a combinatorial optimization problem — and they interact across a network of hundreds or thousands of nodes.
Inventory placement optimization
Determine which nodes in a multi-echelon supply network should hold inventory to minimize total holding cost while meeting service level targets. Guaranteed service model as a QUBO.
Supplier selection & qualification
Select a portfolio of suppliers under cost, quality, geographic diversity, and capacity constraints. Multi-criteria supplier selection with binary allocation variables.
Demand allocation under supply constraints
Allocate constrained supply across markets, channels, and customers to maximize revenue or service level. Handles tiered priority, minimum order quantities, and regional restrictions.
Network resilience design
Design supply networks that remain feasible under disruption scenarios — single-source dependencies, geopolitical exposure, and natural disaster risk. Robust optimization with scenario-based QUBO.
Procurement auctions
Winner determination in combinatorial procurement auctions where suppliers bid on bundles of items. NP-hard winner determination solved as a QUBO.