###### Abstract  
Modern day industries strive to obtain long-term supplier integrations (SI) with potentially stronger supplier groups, to achieve fast and reliable production. This paper studies the process of selecting vendors, while simultaneously considering the aspects of random factors, multiple criteria, and efficiently reaching optimal solutions to improve the SI. A framework was developed that consists of three layers of expert opinions, supplier requirements, and multi-objective bee colony optimization. The model factors affecting the SI decision were explored from the comprehensive relevant literature, and these factors were shortlisted and prioritized. Routines for the modeled framework were coded by using the proposed algorithms which were implemented for a real-world problem from a manufacturing small and medium enterprise (SME) in Pakistan. Optimization of SI was carried out on an archived artificial bee colony (AABC). Its effectiveness was also evaluated by comparison with simple artificial bee colony (ABC) and particle swarm algorithms. The methodologically calculated results, obtained from simulation of a mathematically reinforced optimization framework, are highly beneficial for the industry, as well as local and international suppliers. A detailed and in-depth evaluation of suppliers was provided by the sensitivity analysis, which presented a more rigorous authentication and elaboration of the results. The presented framework is the first of its kind for the SMEs of Pakistan and can be applied with little modification to other industries. Keywords:multi-objective optimization; artificial bee colony algorithm; supplier integration +
Footnote †: journal: Applied Soft  
competitive business climate, companies cannot afford undue delays in supply orders. From small industries to mega projects, the supply chain plays an important role in achieving production goals [2]. A sound number of these challenges can be successfully handled if enterprises can develop long-term win-win relationships with well-matched international and national prospective suppliers. Therefore, the concept of supplier integration (SI) has been recently proposed by different researchers to enable enterprises to conveniently cope with these dynamic supply chain business issues [3; 4; 5; 6]. SI is the concept for improving the part of the supply chain between manufacturers and their respective suppliers of ingredients, raw materials, packaging, etc. By sharing information between parties, the suppliers and buyers are able to exercise judgment on costs, quantities, timing of deliveries, production streamline product flow, and to create a collaborative relationship [7]. However, this strategy is coupled with a number of problems. The demographic location of countries, their economic status, product categories, and the capabilities of suppliers are some of the main factors affecting the decision regarding selection of suppliers and long-term integration with the manufacturer [8]. The literature shows that different factors were used in previous research by different authors in the field of SI. Some of these factors are market pressure, government interference, firm size, technology [9], production costs, long-term relationships, information sharing, reliability, quality, flexibility [10; 11; 12; 13], lead time, financial status, technical capability, and after-sale support [14; 15; 16]. Studies have been reported by various authors on: SI in sales and operations in the Asia-Pacific region [17], SI in strategic sourcing and supplier evaluation accommodating critical success factors in the UK and Germany region [18], and a study of multiple-criteria supplier selection in fuzzy environment based in agri-food industry in Australia [19]. A case of grey-fuzzy multi-objective model for a supplier selection in Pakistan, discussed by [20] is based on the planning of production and distribution to ensure product's safety.