The AI-BIPTO research project, involving VU Amsterdam mathematicians Leon Lan, Joost Berkhout, and Rob van der Mei (also affiliated with CWI), has been shortlisted for the second TKI Dinalog Impact Award. The nomination highlights the project’s contribution to open-source software that helps organizations plan transport routes and production more efficiently.
In current practice, transport and production planning are often still handled separately, even though they strongly affect one another. This leads to unnecessary costs, inefficient use of vehicles and production capacity, and additional emissions. AI-BIPTO (Artificial Intelligence-Boosted Integrated Production and Transport Optimization) developed mathematical tools to overcome these inefficiencies and to better align production and transport planning.
AI-BIPTO contributed to the development of two powerful open-source software packages:
● PyVRP provides advanced optimization algorithms to plan more efficient routes. It supports applications ranging from day-to-day delivery planning to longer-term fleet analysis. Downloaded more than 40,000 times per month, it is used worldwide across sectors including e-commerce, food and beverage, and waste management.
● PyJobShop makes advanced production scheduling methods accessible for manufacturing and processing applications. It helps organizations coordinate tasks, machines, and other resources while accounting for production constraints and deadlines. In an industrial pilot, it reduced production lead times by up to 10% compared with manual planning.
By making these contributions openly available, AI-BIPTO enables companies, students and researchers to use and build on state-of-the-art optimization methods. The software is continually developed and has become a resource for practical applications, research and education.
The winner of the TKI Dinalog Impact Award will be announced during the Toekomst van Logistiek conference on 29 September 2026 in Flint, Amersfoort. The decision combines a public vote with the jury’s assessment. More information is available on the TKI Dinalog event page.