Abstract
The paper addresses the design of a circular supply chain for electronic livestock ear tags, based on an in-depth case study of a European start-up company (RTID). The study is motivated by the growing challenge of electronic waste, the dominance of linear electronics supply chains, and new EU animal health regulations that increase demand for electronic animal identification and tracking technologies.
The purpose of the research is to contribute empirical knowledge on how circular supply chains can be designed in real-world settings, and how simulation modelling can be used to support analysis and decision-making in such complex systems. The research is conducted as a single case study, drawing on interviews, field visits, and data collected from key actors in the supply chain, including the manufacturer, slaughterhouses, and farmers. A simulation model is developed to analyse material flows, return rates, failure rates, and alternative circular supply chain design scenarios.
The findings indicate that the ear tag supply chain is particularly well suited for circular strategies due to its closed-loop characteristics, where large volumes of tags can be efficiently collected at slaughterhouses and returned to the manufacturer for disassembly and remanufacturing. Significant potential is identified for reuse of electronic components, especially printed circuit boards (PCBs), leading to cost reductions and lower environmental impact. Additional opportunities include recycling of plastics and reuse of complete tags for alternative applications. At the same time, the study highlights important challenges related to product design, design for disassembly, unique identification marking, handling and sorting of used tags, and quality assurance.
The paper demonstrates how different circular supply chain concepts—ranging from global to regional configurations—can be evaluated using simulation-based analysis. By providing empirical insights from a real-life start-up case, the study contributes to the limited body of research on circular supply chain design and offers practical guidance for companies seeking to integrate circular strategies alongside the development of new, initially linear supply chains.