It's fitting a company dedicated to helping clients get the most from transportation-energy costs has its new offices in a former train station and chamber of commerce building.
Breakthrough Fuel recently moved into the renovated former Milwaukee Road building at 400 S. Washington St. that also was home to the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
The company helps clients get the most from the money they spend on shipping their products by analyzing everything associated with the process.
"Historically, companies look at transportation energy as an uncontrollable expense," said Craig Dickman, founder, CEO and chief innovation officer. "Transparency is very important and at the core of everything we do: 'Now that we understand this, how can we change it?'"
Breakthrough uses software it developed and patented, but also has a diverse workforce of 20 employees with backgrounds in areas such as mathematics, technology, economics and shipping.
"Our world is a heavy focus on data and analytics," said Doug Mueller, Breakthrough's president.
In addition to making shipping more efficient, Breakthrough works to reduce environmental impact, such as helping clients work toward a carbon-reduced transportation strategy.
"The way we look at it, sustainability is an important part of the strategy," Dickman said. "But it's economics and sustainability, not economics or sustainability."
In October, Breakthrough received an Excellence Award, given to business partners that provide Procter & Gamble with ideas, technology, creativity, diversity and innovation.
"That's really our objective, to become a trusted adviser, but it's much more than advisory. It's operational," Mueller said.
Ultimately, it is up to the clients to determine their transportation strategies, Dickman said.
"We will work with all the companies they work with. When you look within somebody's supply chain, there are things that can be done," he said.
Clients include Ace Hardware, Americold Logistics, Andersen Corp., Georgia-Pacific, John Deere, Polaris Industries, Procter & Gamble, Rockline Industries, SCA Tissue, Shopko and Whirlpool Corp.
Breakthrough has three data centers. The primary center is in Phoenix, which Dickman said is judged to be one spot in the country least likely to experience a natural disaster. The company has a backup center and a third in Green Bay.
The building, located on the Fox River in downtown Green Bay, was gutted and given a total interior makeover. Brick walls were exposed and reclaimed wood used to preserve the heritage of the 113-year-old building, but thoroughly modern aspects were added as well.
A spiral staircase with glass steps occupies the center of the building. Conference rooms and offices have glass walls, and every nook and cranny has been given a use. For example, a back stairway is home to computer servers, and doors on cabinets in a meeting area double as white boards.
The building is wired for every kind of computer interaction.
Dickman said people have been bringing them mementos from the train station days, including train tickets and a photograph of the Green Bay Packers returning home after winning the 1936 NFL championship.
Dickman began working on Breakthrough in 2004 and formally organized the company in 2006. Mueller joined him in 2007.
They met when they were working for Schneider National, and again when they were enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh MBA program.
Dickman also worked for Shade Information Systems and was president and CEO of Paper Transport; Mueller worked with North American Transport Group.
In all their jobs, they could see that transportation-energy costs were important.
"We saw that it was totally inefficient," Dickman said.
The company continues to innovate — it applied for two more patents — often in response to customer requests.
Breakthrough Fuel recently moved into the renovated former Milwaukee Road building at 400 S. Washington St. that also was home to the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
The company helps clients get the most from the money they spend on shipping their products by analyzing everything associated with the process.
"Historically, companies look at transportation energy as an uncontrollable expense," said Craig Dickman, founder, CEO and chief innovation officer. "Transparency is very important and at the core of everything we do: 'Now that we understand this, how can we change it?'"
Breakthrough uses software it developed and patented, but also has a diverse workforce of 20 employees with backgrounds in areas such as mathematics, technology, economics and shipping.
"Our world is a heavy focus on data and analytics," said Doug Mueller, Breakthrough's president.
In addition to making shipping more efficient, Breakthrough works to reduce environmental impact, such as helping clients work toward a carbon-reduced transportation strategy.
"The way we look at it, sustainability is an important part of the strategy," Dickman said. "But it's economics and sustainability, not economics or sustainability."
In October, Breakthrough received an Excellence Award, given to business partners that provide Procter & Gamble with ideas, technology, creativity, diversity and innovation.
"That's really our objective, to become a trusted adviser, but it's much more than advisory. It's operational," Mueller said.
Ultimately, it is up to the clients to determine their transportation strategies, Dickman said.
"We will work with all the companies they work with. When you look within somebody's supply chain, there are things that can be done," he said.
Clients include Ace Hardware, Americold Logistics, Andersen Corp., Georgia-Pacific, John Deere, Polaris Industries, Procter & Gamble, Rockline Industries, SCA Tissue, Shopko and Whirlpool Corp.
Breakthrough has three data centers. The primary center is in Phoenix, which Dickman said is judged to be one spot in the country least likely to experience a natural disaster. The company has a backup center and a third in Green Bay.
The building, located on the Fox River in downtown Green Bay, was gutted and given a total interior makeover. Brick walls were exposed and reclaimed wood used to preserve the heritage of the 113-year-old building, but thoroughly modern aspects were added as well.
A spiral staircase with glass steps occupies the center of the building. Conference rooms and offices have glass walls, and every nook and cranny has been given a use. For example, a back stairway is home to computer servers, and doors on cabinets in a meeting area double as white boards.
The building is wired for every kind of computer interaction.
Dickman said people have been bringing them mementos from the train station days, including train tickets and a photograph of the Green Bay Packers returning home after winning the 1936 NFL championship.
Dickman began working on Breakthrough in 2004 and formally organized the company in 2006. Mueller joined him in 2007.
They met when they were working for Schneider National, and again when they were enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh MBA program.
Dickman also worked for Shade Information Systems and was president and CEO of Paper Transport; Mueller worked with North American Transport Group.
In all their jobs, they could see that transportation-energy costs were important.
"We saw that it was totally inefficient," Dickman said.
The company continues to innovate — it applied for two more patents — often in response to customer requests.
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