Breakthrough Fuel establishes supply chain consulting service

Earlier this month, Green Bay, Wisconsin-based Breakthrough Fuel, an energy management company focused on helping shippers gain transparency and “remove distortion from their transportation supply chains,” announced it has rolled out a new transportation and logistics-focused consulting service, entitled Breakthrough Supply Chain.

The company said that Breakthrough Supply Chain was established with a focus on supporting shippers better manage their freight transportation spend through what it called data-based supply chain optimization.

In terms of the service offerings Breakthrough Supply Chain will provide shippers, the company cited things like providing shippers with a data and information-based approach to improving various supply chain transportation and logistics strategies, including network optimization, sourcing and procurement, strategic design, and ongoing advisory services. And Breakthrough added that Breakthrough Supply Chain provides a heightened level of transparency for shippers’ freight movement, while endeavoring to create a highly effective transportation network as possible.

A key component of Breakthrough Supply Chain comes with Breakthrough Fuel’s acquisition of the Supply Chain Consulting Practice led by Brooks Bentz.

The practice’s main focus is on improving end-to-end (e-2-e) supply chain performance through an experienced team with deep functional expertise in transportation and logistics.

In its role as Breakthrough Supply Chain, the practice, whose staffers are located throughout the U.S., will provide expert insight and advisory consulting services to clients and provide expert insight and advisory consulting services for shipper clients in what can be viewed as a challenging and disruptive market.

“We have had extensive positive exposure to BTF over the years and are delighted to be coupling our supply chain experience, capabilities and skills with the company that has an exceptional brand for transforming fuel management practices during a time it is so sorely needed,” said Bentz, president of Breakthrough Supply Chain, in a statement. “We expect to continually improve our service offerings to clients seeking new and better ways for dealing with the volatile market pressures of today’s environment.”

Bentz has more than four decades worth of experience, including: 21 years with Andersen Consulting/Accenture, where he was a managing director in supply chain management, responsible for supply chain transportation and as vice president of intermodal for Burlington Northern Railroad, where he developed BN America, the company’s domestic container operation, among other previous roles.

In an interview with LM, Bentz said the transition to Breakthrough is a natural fit.

“We fit right into their strategy, and they have always been part of ours so it makes sense,” he said. “Rather than Breakthrough organically growing its own practice, which is not easy, this was a natural fit for them, as well as for us.”

Bentz added that with the same staff and client base intact at the new Breakthrough Supply Chain, things are running business as usual, with the transaction being made official on April 1.

Breakthrough Fuel was founded in 2004 by transportation veteran Craig Dickman, the company’s chairman of the board of the directors and former CEO.  

“What Breakthrough does is offer a disruptive technology,” said Bentz. “Breakthrough developed ground-breaking technology that tracks the route a truck follows, along with the actual cost of fuel on that route and reimburses the carrier based on the cost of fuel on that route. It does away with the standard fuel surcharge formula. It is very accurate and very fair. Breakthrough has long been a component of the solution set we take to our client.  Effectively managing fuel in a volatile market is a critical element of improving supply chain performance and cost.

One of the key things that Bentz stressed is a key objective for the practice is to consistently take new and better solutions to its clients, especially in today’s “topsy-turvy” environment.