Assessing the Impact of Remanufacturing Through Industrial Symbiosis on Supply Chain Performance

In the context of increasing resource scarcity, the Circular Economy has gained traction among researchers and managers as a potential solution to achieve a more sustainable system through efficient use of resources. Despite the importance of implementing circular practises in supply chains, the operational impact of circularity remains largely unexplored. Therefore, motivated by the existing interest in this topic, the aim of this work is to contribute to the current research gap and explore the impact of circularity on the dynamics of supply chains. Specifically, this study examines the performance of supply chains that incorporate remanufacturing through industrial symbiosis, i.e. which refers to the exchange of waste or by-products between different processes or firms, known as symbiotic supply chains. Using a modelling and simulation approach, this study evaluates the impact of operational factors on supply chain dynamics and identifies the most influential. Furthermore, this study offers practical guidance for managers seeking to integrate industrial symbiosis into their supply chains. Among our findings, we observe that, depending on the specific objectives of the supply chain, some circular strategies can have more impact on the dynamic performance of the supply chains than others.