The optimal arrangement of eight identical chromatographic columns for the isolation of the intermediate adsorbing component of a ternary mixture is investigated theoretically. The arrangements considered are batch chromatography with columns connected in series and/or in parallel, cascades of two standard simulated moving bed (SMB) processes, and combinations of standard SMB units and batch columns. Based on standard column models, the productivity of each configuration was maximized by optimizing the relevant operating parameters using a modified simplex algorithm. The methodology applied allows us to evaluate all possible batch column arrangements on the basis of only eight different optimization runs. The results obtained reveal a significant dependency of the optimal process configuration on relevant aspects such as product purity, feed composition, and particle size of the adsorbent.