With the launch of the new decade, it seemed timely to provide an update on Norbridge. Herewith, some recent highlights of our work, a brief introduction to a new Partner, a note on new capabilities we've developed, and a selection of recent articles, speeches and conference presentations. We also are pleased to announce an exciting career move for Dean Wise. Best wishes to you and your business in 2010.

Biomass Benchmarking Survey.  Norbridge completed a study of trends and challenges in the market for solid biomass in power generation. Study participants included 16 major utilities and power generators as well as 17 state agencies. We specifically focused on the following areas:

• Current biomass initiatives
• Biomass plans
• Preparedness and challenges
• Supply chain issues

For further information, read our case study or contact Lee Clair.

Cost-to-Serve Based Pricing.  For a leading North American food manufacturer, Norbridge recently developed logistics cost-based pricing for nationwide product distribution.  This entailed detailed analysis of the cost to deliver orders of various sizes, to different regions and for a range of products.  We used a Routing Tool that Norbridge created in 2008 for the client.  The new pricing structure Norbridge helped develop better reflects true logistics costs and provides the right incentives for customers to place larger, more economical orders.

For further information contact David Bovet.

Car and Delivery Vehicle Sourcing.  Norbridge recently completed an engagement in Europe for a large US-based medical equipment supplier.  Cars for sales staff and management were sourced in 13 European countries.  Delivery vehicles of various sizes were sourced as well.  We carefully assessed possible improvement levers, conducted an RFP process with manufacturers and leasing companies, and analyzed the gains from a range of cost-saving measures.  Results were cost savings in the 15% to 20% range.

For further information contact David Bovet.

Strategic Plan for a Major East Coast Port.  During 2009, one of the most productive and financially self-sufficient port authorities in North America faced an increasing number of opportunities and challenges in its core marine terminal businesses.  Norbridge and the client developed and implemented a strategic plan to address key issues:

• Evolving shipper supply chain and distribution strategies
• Shifting sourcing and international container trade patterns
• Container shipping industry concentration and consolidation
• Port industry competition
• Intermodal rail developments
• State and local political challenges

For further information, read our case study or contact Jim Brennan.

New Partner.  This past summer, Mark Kadar joined Norbridge as a new Partner.

Mark Kadar: Mark joined Norbridge from Oliver Wyman, formerly Mercer Management Consulting. At Oliver Wyman he led the global maritime, logistics and postal practice. He has over 25 years of consulting and industry experience and will be focusing in transportation with a special emphasis on the maritime (including ports) and logistics industries, including in Europe and the Middle East.

Expanded Practice – Litigation Support.  Norbridge recently formalized its litigation support practice, having worked on multiple engagements with law firms on disputes related to transportation and logistics where the law firm clients included accounting firms, insurance companies, and shippers/receivers. The types of cases we have participated in have included bankruptcy, professional liability, fraud/white collar crime, insurance claims, oil pollution, and commercial disputes. Norbridge provides assistance through:

• Expert testimony
• Expert report
• Damages analysis
• Causation analysis
• Litigation strategy

For further information, see our litigation and regulatory support page or contact Lee Clair.

Norbridge Partner takes Senior position at Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.  Norbridge is pleased to announce that Dean Wise, a Partner here since 1995, has accepted an exciting position at the BNSF Railway Company. Dean will be vice president, Network Strategy, starting February 1, 2010, and will report directly to Matt Rose, BNSF's Chairman, President, and CEO. Dean will also serve as a member of the Executive Team. He will be responsible for BNSF Railway Company's Haulage Management, Interline Management, Network Strategy Development, Public-Private Partnerships and Short Line Business Development functions.

Norbridge maintains an active rail consulting practice, with a range of ongoing projects and a strong vision for the future of the industry. For a flavor of our current thinking, see our summary piece in January's American Shipper. Click here to download the full magazine to see the one-page summary (10 MB), or download the full 23-page report, "Back on Track — Better days ahead for rail, intermodal," (1 MB) from the Trade Forecast section of the American Shipper site.

• David Bovet
• Served as Track Chair for Global Sourcing and Procurement at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ (CSCMP) 2009 Annual Global Conference in Chicago, in September. David organized six sessions and recruited 13 senior, top-quality industry speakers to share leading-edge experiences in the global sourcing arena.
• Is a member of the Organizing Committee for the CSCMP’s 2010 Annual Global Conference. This will take place in San Diego, CA, from September 26 to 29, 2010.


• Jim Brennan
• Spoke at the Virginia Conference on World Trade in October 2009 on “Asia-Virginia: The All-Water Route”, which focused on trends in Asia and Atlantic Coast-Virginia container traffic and potential impact of Panama Canal expansion and increases in vessel size.
• Participated in two panels at TOC Americas Conference in November 2009. Jim moderated the panel “The State of the Market in Port and Terminal Finance” and participated in “Beyond 2015 – How Panama Canal Expansion Really Changes the Game.” [Editor's note: "TOC Americas is widely regarded as the leading forum in the Americas for terminal operators, port solution providers and shipping lines to discuss common issues and challenges facing modern container terminals today."]
• Participating in a panel discussion on "International Economic Outlook and Global Trade Patterns" at a conference in late January entitled "Shifting International Trade Routes – Examining the Impact of the Panama Canal Expansion." The conference is co-sponsored by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) and the U.S. Maritime Administration, and is to be hosted by the Tampa Port Authority.


• Lee Clair
• Spoke at the National Coal Transportation Association (NCTA) Fall Meeting in October 2009 on the complexities and challenges of sourcing biomass fuels. Read more about Lee's talk and download the slides at: Sourcing Biomass Fuels – More Complicated Than You Know.
• Spoke at International Industry Summit on Mining Performance in June 2009 on transportation capacity planning for a large Powder River Basin coal mine.
• Co-authored articles with Steve Fox and Pete Fordham for Railway Age, Power Engineering, Renewable Energy World North America, and Electric Light and Power magazines on Norbridge’s biomass benchmarking survey and the emergence and implications of biomass as a renewable fuel.


• Pete Fordham
• Co-founder of the International Industry Summit on Mining Performance, and Steering Committee member for the upcoming event. Since 2004, the summit has been held in four locations with 550 participants focused on real-world process improvement techniques at mining companies. The most recent summit was held in Toronto in June 2009, with the next scheduled for May 2011.


• Mark Kadar
• Spoke on Trends in Shipper Logistics at the TOC port conference in Bremen in June.
• Quoted several times in Deutsche Verkehrszeitung on developments in North American transportation.