Burlington, Ontario-based Wolseley Canada and the University of Windsor recently announced Wolseley has partnered with UWindsor’s mathematics department to create a digital model of Wolseley’s distribution network.

Once complete, the project will provide Wolseley with a detailed, interactive model of the company’s supply-chain operations and will provide UWindsor PhD, graduate and undergraduate students with valuable real-world experience in their field of study.

Representatives from Wolseley Canada’s supply-chain department have provided the team at UWindsor with information about the company’s various points of supply-chain contact, including locations of branches, distribution centers and vendor distribution centers. The team at UWindsor will use this information, in addition to data regarding locations of major highways, rail lines and other supply chain-specific content, to build an interactive software-based model for the company.

“We are extremely excited about the partnership with UWindsor and we’re looking forward to seeing the final result,” said Chris Swartz, vice president, supply chain, Wolseley. “The information the model provides us will help us make key decisions on how to optimize our supply-chain network for enhanced customer service, greater cost efficiency and environmental stewardship.”

For UWindsor, the partnership provides students with an opportunity to work with representatives from one of Canada’s largest companies to apply their skills and knowledge in a real-world setting.

“Partnerships such as the one we have with Wolseley are critical for helping our students understand the real-world applications of their education and how they can leverage their knowledge and skills to make an impact in the business world,” said Dr. Richard Caron, department head, mathematics and statistics, UWindsor. “Our students are excited to see the final result, and we’re looking forward to seeing how our work will help Wolseley achieve its business goals.”