The deployment of city and area distribution centers in France and Italy: Comparison of six representative models
Résumé
In this article, we propose a critical overview of the deployment of urban distribution centers (UDCs) in France and Italy. We focus on two categories of UDCs: those deployed to deliver to the city and located in peripheral areas and those located close to a specific area to serve it. Starting from an initial typology of experiments, obtained from a systematic analysis of 36 experiences (18 in France and 18 in Italy), we orient the study towards the analysis of six models of cooperative strategies set up to reach an economic viability of these platforms. Those models are studied on a four-element grid: steering, organization, development, and financing. The defined typology and the analysis of the six types of cases enabled us to determine the main elements that influence the search for economic viability in urban consolidation and distribution platforms.