New branch location selection with AHP, ARAS and fuzzy TOPSIS: An example of a supplier company in the maritime industry

Selecting the new branch location of a company is a critical decision for the profitability and sustainability of the company. Site selection problems require the evaluation of alternatives under multiple and conflicting criteria. This study aims to determine the most suitable location for a new branch of a supplier company in the maritime industry and compare the results obtained from different Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods using AHP, ARAS, and fuzzy TOPSIS. In the study, eight alternatives were evaluated under the criteria of cost, transportation, natural factors, qualified workforce, supplier connections, presence of competitors and port potential. The findings revealed that the most important criterion is "cost" and the most suitable location for the new branch of the company is Izmit. Having compared the results obtained from the MCDM methods, it was seen that the best alternative was the same with all three methods. Still, different results were obtained in the rankings of the remaining alternatives. This once again showed that MCDM methods should be used for decision support purposes.