Instituto de Innovación en Productividad y Logística CATENA-USFQ

College of Sciences and Engineering
About us

The CATENA-USFQ Institute for Productivity and Logistics Innovation was born out of the Department of Industrial Engineering's need to promote applied research in the areas of productivity, quality, logistics, and supply chain, and its related areas in: ergonomics, data science, manufacturing, innovation in education, project management, among others. The institute focuses on multidisciplinary collaboration both at the departmental level within the USFQ, also with external, national and international institutions.

Research Interests

Research focuses on the following topics:

  • Urban logistics.
  • Humanitarian Logistics.
  • Sustainability in the Supply Chain.
  • Human Factors and Ergonomics.
  • Lean and Production Systems.
  • Small business supply chain and retail operations.
  • Innovation in Education.
  • Logistics 4.0.
Academic staff
carlos-suarez
Director of the Institute for Innovation in Productivity and Logistics CATENA-USFQ
Master's in Industrial Engineering Program Director
Business School Professor
Professor
(+593 2) 297-1700
1230
Maxwell Building, M-102
Mission

The Institute's mission is to promote research in the areas of productivity, quality, logistics, and supply chain, as well as in its related areas, through the creation of tools, methodologies, models, and data collection necessary to help solve problems, and the continuous improvement of processes and systems in organizations, both nationally and internationally.

Vision

The Institute will be a benchmark in productivity and logistics research, both nationally and internationally, providing support and advice to both public institutions and private companies.

Faculty

Director

Carlos A. Suarez
Position: Director
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1230
Institutional email: csuarez@usfq.edu.ec

Sonia Avilés
Position: Academic Director
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1306
Institutional email:svaviless@usfq.edu.ec

Director

Carlos A. Suárez
Position: Director
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1230
Correo institucional: csuarez@usfq.edu.ec

Sonia Avilés
Position: Academic Director
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1306
Correo institucional: svaviless@usfq.edu.ec

Researchers

Cristina Camacho
Position: USFQ researcher
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1220
Institutional email: ccamacho@usfq.edu.ec

Pablo Davila
Position: USFQ researcher
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1498
Institutional email: pdavila@usfq.edu.ec

Gabriela García
Position: USFQ researcher
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1950
Institutional email: mggarcia@usfq.edu.ec

Pablo Burneo
Position: USFQ researcher
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1335
Institutional email: psburneo@usfq.edu.ec

Danny Navarrete
Position: USFQ researcher
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1243
Institutional email: dnavarrete@usfq.edu.ec

Carolina Chavez
Position: USFQ researcher
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 2175
Institutional email: cchavezc@usfq.edu.ec

Bernardo Puente
Position: USFQ researcher
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1387
Institutional email: bpuentem@usfq.edu.ec

Clara Orellana
Position: USFQ researcher
Telephone: (+593 2) 297-1700 ext. 1966
Institutional email: corellanar@usfq.edu.ec

Collaborators

Andrés Bronfman
Position: International Collaborator
Institutional email: abronfman@unab.cl

Julio Villalobos
Position: International Collaborator
Institutional email: jvillalobosc@unab.cl

Daniel Merchan
Position: International Collaborator
Institutional email: dmerchan@mit.edu

Cristopher Mejía
Position: International Collaborator
Institutional email: cmejia@mit.edu

Josué Velásquez
Position: International Collaborator
Institutional email: josuevm@mit.edu

Jesus Gonzalez Feliu
Position: International Collaborator
Institutional email: jesus.gonzales-feliu@emse.fr

Ximena Córdova
Position: National Collaborator
Institutional email: xcordova@usfq.edu.ec

Galo Mosquera
Position: National Collaborator
Institutional email: gmosquera@icesa.ec

Francisco Calero
Position: National Collaborator
Institutional email: francisco.calero@kinanalytics.com

Áreas de investigación

Logostica

Logística y Cadena de Suministro

Esta área se enfoca en el estudio de las actividades, estrategias, operaciones, medios de transporte, política pública y tendencias en la distribución de mercancías o servicios logísticos tanto en áreas urbanas para la distribución de última milla, como el estudio de los primeros eslabones de la cadena de suministro. Aquí se abarcan tópicos de interés como logística urbana, logística humanitaria y operaciones de asistencia a desastres, micro cadenas de suministro y opeaciones de minoristas, operaciones en las cadenas de suministro para alimentos y agroempresas. Estos temas de interés son estudiados mediante la aplicación de algoritmos, modelos matemáticos, analítica de datos y analítica de política pública para mejorar la eficiencia de las operaciones logísticas, además de mitigar las externalidades tales como la congestión y las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero.

Principales Investigadores: Sonia Avilés, Carlos Suarez, Bernardo Puente-Mejia.


calidad y productividad

Calidad y Productividad

Esta área se enfoca en la gestión de operaciones y procesos mediante el análisis, planificación, organización, supervisión e implementación de mejoras necesarias para una mayor rentabilidad empleando una filosofía de mejora continua. Búsqueda de optimización de procesos y operaciones y sostenibilidad industrial.

Igualmente, se enfoca en la gestión sostenible y sustentable de la cadena de valor y sistemas de producción considerando el impacto ambiental tanto en el diseño del producto, la selección de materiales, la optimización de los procesos de fabricación, la entrega del producto final, así como la gestión del producto después de su vida útil. Los campos de investigación se enfocan, pero no se limitan, al entendimiento del uso y aplicación de metodologías eficientes de proyectos Lean Six sigma, SCRUM, AGILE y otros relevantes en la Indusria 4.0

Principales Investigadores: Danny Navarrete, Sonita Avilés, Pablo Burneo, Cristina Camacho.


Factores Humanos

Factores Humanos y Ergonomía

El área relacionada a la Ergonomía y Factores Humanos abarca el estudio de las capacidades y condiciones humanas para diseñar sistemas, organizaciones, trabajos, máquinas, herramientas y productos de consumo considerando el bienestar humano y sus interacciones con otros elementos de un sistema. Esta área estudia posturas, fatiga muscular por trabajos repetitivos y la interacción entre el ser humano y las herramientas o el espacio de trabajo. Algunos tópicos de interés dentro de la Ergonomía y Factores Humanos incluyen ergonomía física, ergonomía cognitiva, seguridad industrial.

Principales Investigadores: Gabriela García, Ximena Córdova


Tecnologias emergentes

Analítica de datos y Machine Learning

Está área busca organizar y examinar conjuntos de datos (estructurados o no-estructurados) para la generación de información y conocimiento que facilite la toma de decisiones. Esto se lo hace mediante el desarrollo e implementación de algoritmos computacionales y estadísticos que automáticamente analizan e infieren a partir de patrones en los datos. Entre los tópicos de interés relevantes se encuentran el análisis de imágenes naturales y médicas, análisis de texto, análisis del comportamiento, reconocimiento de patrones, Deep Learning y desarrollo de modelos predictivos. 

Principales Investigadores: María Gabriela Baldeón, Carlos Suárez, Bernardo Puente-Mejia, Sonia Avilés


Innovación

Innovación en Educación para Ciencias e Ingeniería (STEM)

Esta área de investigación busca proponer y aplicar métodos alternativos de enseñanza y aprendizaje con el respaldo de la tecnología e innovación con el fin de crear profesionales con una mejor preparación para su transición a la industria. Con la aplicación de tecnología se busca integrar conocimientos, actitudes y habilidades múltiples que apoyen al desarrollo profesional de individuos tomando en cuenta las necesidades actuales del mercado. Algunos tópicos de interés en esta área son service learning, implementación tecnológica en la enseñanza, game based education, Learning Factories.

Principales Investigadores: Gabriela García, Pablo Burneo

Research

In process

  • Using simulation for facility layout problems: A case study of an Ecuadorian artisan chocolate company.
  • Circular Economy: development of a methodology and application case to measure circularity in a manufacturing company of plastics used in the food industry.

Concluded

  • Study project carried out with MIT and the World Bank, entitled “City Logistics Policy Toolkit” by C. Chavez, F. Calero and C. Suárez. Aug. 2017.

  • Project of the call Math-AmSud and STIC-AmSud, entitled "Design and Model of an Optimal System for Urban Freight Distribution for critical and heterogeneous Km2 in Guayaquil and Quito cities in Ecuador" by C. Suárez. Aug. 2017.

  • Study project carried out by S. López, J. Sosa and C. Suaréz, entitled: “Urban Logistics: Generating Solutions to Create a Better Environment for Commercial Logistic Activities: A Case Study of the Historic Center of Quito”, May. 2016.

  • Study project carried out by E. Aguirre, J. Muñoz and C. Suaréz, titled: “Urban Logistics Solutions in Latin America: A Study of a Modern Commercially Dense Neighborhood in the City of Quito-Ecuador”, May. 2016

 

Publications

Latest papers:

  • Puente-Mejia, B. Palacios-Arguello, L. Suárez-Núñez, C. Golzalez-Feliu, J. (2019). Freight Trip Generation Modeling and Data Collection Processes in Latin American Cities. Modeling Framework for Quito and Generalization Issues. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice.
  • Baquero, D. M., Mosquera-Recalde, G., & Avilés-Sacoto, S. V. (2019). A New Methodology to Forecast and Manage Inventory in Mobile Warehouses. In Techniques, Tools and Methodologies Applied to Global Supply Chain Ecosystems (pp. 157-190). Springer, Cham.
  • Avilés-Sacoto, S. V., Avilés-González, J. F., Garcia-Reyes, H., Bermeo-Samaniego, M. C., Cañizares-Jaramillo, A. K., & Izquierdo-Flores, (2019). A glance of i4. 0 at supply chain and inventory management. International Journal of Industrial Engineering: Theory, Applications and Practice, 26 (4).
  • Gonzalez-Feliu, J., Palacios-Argüello, L. V., & Suárez-Núñez, C. (2018). The relations between freight trip generation and gravity accessibility: An exploratory analysis. In 2018 4th International Conference on Logistics Operations Management (GOL) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.doi: 10.1109 / GOL.2018.8378094.

Papers in process:

  • Data-Driven Solutions for Evaluating and Planning Last Mile Operations in Latin America. A Methodological Approach Focused in Quito, Ecuador.
  • A DEA Analysis in Latin-American Ports: Measuring the performance of Guayaquil Contecon Port.
  • Lean Manufacturing Implementation in management of residues from automotive industry.
  • Application of a Mobile Facility Routing Problem in a delivery company.
  • A Two-stage DEA Problem with Shared Outputs: Modeling Efficiency in Regional Innovation Systems.
  • A new distribution strategy for Psychotropic and Cold chain products in a pharmaceutical company.
  • Links between freight trip generation rates, accessibility and socio-demographic variables in urban zones.
  • Improving last mile delivery operations and freight public policy: A case study in the city of Quito-Ecuador.
  • Urban Logistics: Generating Solutions to Create a Better Environment for Commercial Logistic Activities: A Case Study of Two Different Zones in Quito-Ecuador.

Services

Consulting through the CTT-USFQ with the executing units:

1. Integrated Logistics Group - GLI

The Integrated Logistics Group (GLI) offers consulting services and is made up of professionals specialized in Industrial Engineering with national and international experience in logistics and supply chain. The GLI offers three lines of services with first-rate solutions in:

  1. Design and improvement of logistics operations and supply chain (such as strategic storage planning, order processing and inventory management at the lowest possible cost. Analysis and modeling of transportation networks focused on customer service, etc.).
  2. Negotiation of contracts between clients and suppliers (including strategic direction, analysis, and modeling) and
  3. Supply chain sustainability (such as optimizing sustainability processes and measuring the carbon footprint and the water footprint).

2. Process Excellence Group - PEG

The Process Excellence Group (PEG) is made up of professionals specialized in Industrial Engineering with national and international experience in the areas of business process improvement, optimization, quality, business intelligence, and project management. The PEG offers five lines of services with first-rate solutions in:

  1. Continuous process improvement (including process design and improvement; process integration through business process management (BPM), among others);
  2. Operations optimization and productivity (eg optimization of capacity and productivity, cost reduction, predictive modeling and simulation of operations);
  3. Quality Assurance and Lean Services (application of six sigma lean and its tools, ISO systems, statistical quality control, etc.);
  4. Business Intelligence (including business analytics for decision making through the use of indicators and data analysis, data mining, data quality, and data management processes) 
  5. Project Management according to PMBOK methodology, evaluation and formulation of projects, programs, and portfolios.

Alliances

MIT SCALE LATAM

Country: United States.
Type of collaboration: Alianza, Ximena Córdova and Carlos Suárez are part of the research network.


LOGyCA / Research.
Country: Colombia.
Type of collaboration: Institutional Agreement.


ASOLOG (Logistics Association of Ecuador).
Country: Ecuador.
Type of collaboration: Institutional Agreement.
Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asolog-asociaci%C3%B3n-log%C3%ADstica-del-ecuador-20038915a/


Andrés Bello University - UNAB.
Country: Chile.
Type of collaboration: Institutional Agreement.
Link: http://ctl.unab.cl/

Workshops, seminars, events

Future

  • Participation in the XVII Latin American Congress of Industrial Engineering IISE 2020 - March 2020 in Quito, Ecuador.
  • Research projects exhibition at the MIT SCALE Latin America Conference 2020 - March 2020 in Boston, USA.

Past

  • Research projects exhibition at the 2016 MIT SCALE Latin America Conference - March 2016 in Boston, USA.
  • Academic Workshop of the MIT SCALE Latin America network, held in March 2017 in Bogotá, Colombia.
  • Workshop to initiate the “City Logistics Policy Toolkit” project carried out in March 2017 in Bogotá, Colombia.
  • Workshop of the project “City Logistics Policy Toolkit” carried out in August 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Workshop closing of the project "City Logistics Policy Toolkit" took place in January 2018 in Quito, Ecuador with representatives of companies and governments (municipality).
  • Participation in the SCALE Latin America Conference of MIT 2018 in April 2018 in Boston, USA.
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