Real. Reliable. Results.
Most organizations don’t have the internal bandwidth or expertise to take on operational improvement projects. We leverage an award-winning process, blue-chip executive experience, and a wealth of industry contacts to help you deliver an improved customer experience and improved financial results.
We can get you from where you are to where you want to be, faster than others. We’re ready to start today.
Logistics and Transportation Procurement
In the dynamic transportation industry regulations change, costs fluctuate, global trade rules change and carrier capacity is difficult to anticipate. John’s expertise, nationwide contacts and buying power can result in significant savings for clients in terms of time, stress and, most importantly, money.
John also provides expert guidance in strategic sourcing, supplier alignment and supplier negotiations. We offer annual and longer-term contracts for logistics management, ensuring optimal oversight and savings in ever-changing conditions.
- Straight Forward clients typically achieve a 15-20% savings in annual less-than-truckload (LTL) spend.
Logistics Optimization
Packaging and warehouse design have a significant — oftentimes hidden — impact on your transportation costs.
When it comes to packaging, we encourage clients to “think inside the box!” There are hundreds of permutations of design options related to case count, size, orientation and pallet patterns. Unlike other off-the-shelf commercial solutions, our custom solution optimizes for all variables simultaneously and delivers an average total logistics savings of 10%-15%.
And our warehouse optimization program helps reduce miles on material handling equipment, lost products and late deliveries. John will help you make better use of your existing footprint and head count, while improving efficiency, flexibility, accuracy and customer satisfaction.
Supply Chain Solutions
John and his associates work with your entire team to optimize process design and incorporate best practices into your processes to achieve the return on investment you expect. We specialize in:
Demand Planning
We help you implement a world-class forecasting process and develop custom forecasting models for clients who don’t want to use their existing systems.
Inventory Optimization
Our custom “Fix the Mix” methodology enables clients to enjoy an average inventory reduction of 15% of both raw materials and finished goods, all while increasing customer service levels.
Sales and Operations Planning
We help you implement an effective sales and operations planning process, so your organization can coordinate efforts to grow your top line and improve your bottom line.
Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP); Distribution Resource Planning (DRP)
We ensure your manufacturing and distribution system parameters are aligned to your supply chain strategy, and your master data is set up correctly to execute that same strategy.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
We redesign your processes using industry-leading best practices to deliver your supply chain goals. Many clients use our process design to blueprint ERP selection and implementation.
Turnaround Analysis and Private Equity (M&A) Investment Support
Straight Forward works with lending institutions requiring a turnaround for clients, and private equity firms needing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) support or assistance in extracting maximum value from a recent acquisition.
Operations Management and Planning
Because your inputs and outputs are unique, your manufacturing process is unique, but that is mostly the “what.” We focus on the “how.” Using cross-industry proven methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma, combined with some of the tools listed below, we help you make significant improvements.
We deliver significant cycle time reduction, increased throughput and lower costs — and these tools are 100% transferrable to service sector environments.
- Setup Reduction
- Kaizen
- Poka Yoke
- Pull Systems
- Gemba Walks
- 5S
- Value Stream Mapping
- Heijunka
- Jidoka
PRICING STRUCTURE
Our pricing model is unique and tailored to your business needs. We work on hourly, project, and mutual benefit pricing models. Our mutual benefit approach ensures that we get paid only if you realize savings. We have skin in the game with you.
Many of our engagements are structured to be self-funding; clients use savings from our transportation or “Fix the Mix” offers to fund long-term consulting engagements.
Depending upon the scope of the engagement, we are sometimes able to obtain grant funding to offset a significant portion of the cost of the engagement.
“I highly recommend John Hogg if your company is having issues with manufacturing or logistics. We had John come into our company when we were in the middle of a huge expansion of our businesses and his insights were tremendously helpful. He had a better plan for us in 2 weeks than I was able to develop in the 2 years I had been here.”
Fred Doxbeck
Vice President Operations, NutraBlend Foods Inc.