UNT 2018 Capstone Case Competition at NT Logistics

December 2018

The UNT Capstone students did not fail to impress NT Logistics with their innovative solutions this semester. In the past three years, NT Logistics has worked closely with Professor Brian Sauser and his UNT Capstone Logistics course in order to provide students with a realistic problem to stretch their problem-solving abilities and apply their acquired learnings to real-life supply chain scenarios. In the past, UNT students have been given similar projects with information provided by NT Logistics and are required to work in groups and come up with creative conclusions that provide the hypothetical company least landed cost while considering great delivery service to the end customer. There is not a simple correct answer, rather, the idea behind the project is for students to work together to consider various outcomes and discover the ultimate cost- effective resolution while considering the service requirements. Professor Brian Sauser states this about the Capstone course project “In order for our students to differentiate themselves in the employment market, they have to gain applied experiences in logistics.  With the dedicated support of Lynn Gravley and NT Logistics, our students gain not only applied experience, but sharpen key soft skills so they can stand tall in the market.” The projects are designed to provide students with real world situations in order to better prepare them for a career in logistics.

This semester, students were given a comparable situation to the previous Spring semester where groups are taking on a theoretical position as a Logistics specialist for a food manufacturer. Students were asked to examine current service requirements, warehouse locations, delivery metrics, days of inventory on hand, and code management concerning the data provided in order to devise a proposal to tackle the paramount concern of least landed cost. The problem revolves around a fabricated CPG manufacturing business that continued to outgrow and expand beyond the capacity of a singular manufacturing plant. Due to increased demand, this company resulted to storing product in disparate storage facilities throughout the United States. Students were asked to take into consideration the warehousing cost, transportation charges, and the case metrics, into the calculation of the overall total landed cost.  As the company’s Senior Logistics Manager, the students are asked to provide a set of recommendations for near-team (0-6 months), mid-term (6-18 months), and long-term (18+ months) reports.

Once the project was completed, the UNT Capstone students traveled to NT Logistics’ Frisco office to present their conclusions to the judges.  Each group was also asked to provide a written report and an oral presentation given to their professor, Brian Sauser, as well as NT Logistics CFO, Chris Todd, our CEO, Lynn Gravley, and our Logistics Analyst, Hong Yong. This past semester, a total of 48 students came together to comprise eleven teams and competed for first, second, and third place prizes. As each team exhibited knowledge of supply chain management and inventive solutions, NT Logistics was reminded of why we invest in this competition in the first place: to better the development of future logisticians, a task we enjoy.

All of us at NT Logistics believe providing students with real world examples benefits both the advancement of students following graduation as well as the evolution of supply-chain professionals of the future. We appreciate the opportunity to work closely with Professor Brian Sauser and look forward to following the successes of each and every one of these talented students as they inspire positive change our industry.  Below are a few pictures captured from their final debuts.

Group Picture

First Place

Team 9: (Left-Right) Brian Sauser, Eli Schwartz, Morgan Siano, Jamie Peet, Ross Lawson, Lynn Gravley

Second Place Team

Team 6 (Left- Right) Professor Brian Sauser, Hector Elizondo, Jonathan Ferguson, Tina Yang, Ebunoluwa Osagioduwa, Lynn Gravley

Third Place Team

Team One (Left- Right) Professor Brian Sauser, Jae Hun Shim, David Roberts, Alicia Galvan, Jordan Luna, Lynn Gravley
*not pictured* David Tovar.