Digital solutions for production logistics remanufacturing
During his Erasmus internship, Raphael Kienzler has explored how digitalization can transform production logistics in remanufacturing. In his master’s thesis, he combines academic research with industry insights to develop solutions that contribute to more sustainable and circular production.
Raphael Kienzler is a Master student in Industrial Engineering and Management at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. He joined the Production Logistics research group at KTH through an Erasmus internship to conduct his master thesis with title “Leveraging digital technologies to address production logistics challenges in remanufacturing”.
Raphael’s thesis explores how production logistics can adapt to the challenges of remanufacturing, with a focus on sustainability and the circular economy. He examines how companies manage material and information flows, and how digital, real-time systems and automation can improve flexibility and decision-making. We took the opportunity to ask Raphael how he perceived his thesis journey at KTH.
“An important part of my research has been data acquisition interviews with experts from different backgrounds in logistics, remanufacturing, and the circular economy. In this context, I also conducted an interview with Inrego, an IT remanufacturing company, through which I gained valuable insights into their production logistics processes, the challenges they face, and their needs regarding digital technologies, thereby adding an industrial perspective to my research. These conversations provided valuable real-world perspectives and deepened my understanding of the field", says Raphael.
"This experience—shaped by my Erasmus internship and academic journey—has deepened my passion for production logistics and digitalization. I’m driven to translate this knowledge into real-world impact, advancing more efficient and sustainable manufacturing systems in both industry and research."
"Remanufacturing, however, brings unique challenges: uncertain product conditions, unpredictable return flows, and highly variable processes. My work tackles these complexities, exploring how digital technologies can improve planning accuracy, increase transparency, and enable more agile operations."
By bridging academic research with industry insights, Raphael strives to develop practical solutions that empower companies to “close the loop”—restoring and reusing products rather than discarding them.
“By leveraging digital innovation, I aim to tackle remanufacturing challenges and contribute to the shift away from linear thinking toward a truly circular economy.”
Looking ahead, Raphael aims to build on this foundation, contributing to innovative, data-driven approaches that shape the future of sustainable manufacturing.
Text and photo: Rita Nõu