Achieving sustainable circular flows through efficient transport systems

Research Project, 2026 – 2027

This project focuses on how firms can utilize efficient transport systems for the benefit of circular flows. Circular economy (CE) is getting increased attention from industrial actors as a solution for addressing sustainability concerns, where firms transition from linear to circular flows, and thus reduce their environmental footprint. However, transitioning to circular flows is complex and challenging, oftentimes involving a variety of stakeholders including customers, suppliers, as well as multiple products and transport flows. The project addresses the following research questions: (1) How does the flow of goods impact the environmental sustainability of circular products and materials? (2) What information flows are needed to achieve transport efficiency in circular flows? and (3) How does the financial flows interact with the physical and informational flows when firms strive towards transport efficiency in their circularity endeavors? This project will be performed in collaboration with two industrial firms: Atlas Copco and Volvo Construction Equipment (VCE), both firms are implementing new circular business models with implications for transportation. The project will result in important insights into how firms implement circular business models and how these business models influence existing transport solutions and the physical, informational and financial flows. The results will increase our understanding of how firms implement circularity while minimizing their environmental impact and provide an economically viable circular flow.