Effective Ways Leaders Solve Problems

The Future of Offsite Manufacturing and Leadership, Ben Hershey

Originally published in April 2019, this advice from Ben Hershey still holds true today. With as many problems as we all face in our work and life, it seems there is never enough time to solve each one without dealing with some adversity. Problems keep mounting so fast that we take shortcuts to alleviate the…

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Fight the Management Drift

By Ben HersheySolutions Provider & CEO4Ward Solutions Group  Many of us started 2020 with resolutions/goals both for ourselves and our businesses, but then our year was turned upside down with the Covid worldwide pandemic and other issues such as lumber prices topping highs we thought we would never see.  While many LBM/component businesses are working…

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Change Your Supply Chain Management with Analytics and Systems Integration

By Owen EldridgeSolution Provider, 4Ward Solutions Group This article also appears in The Component Manufacturing Advertiser. Relying on traditional supply chain execution systems is becoming increasingly more difficult, with a mix of global operating systems, pricing pressures, and ever-increasing customer expectations. There are also recent economic impacts such as COVID-19, supply shortages, the global recession,…

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The Battle Within Our Operations

By Ben Hershey, CEO, 4Ward Solutions Group Does this conversation sound familiar? “How fast can we reliably supply that component job to our customer?” asks the sales manager. “And don’t make us look like fools by telling me a date that will never be met or is too far out!”  “I will tell you how…

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PRESS RELEASE: Wood Tech Systems and 4Ward Consulting Group welcome Mike Ruede Jr.

Wood Tech Systems of Muncie, IN and 4Ward Consulting Group of Stanwood, WA are excited to welcome Mike Ruede, Jr. to our independent teams. Having hands-on experience with advanced solution-based equipment, Mike has a broad industry background, which includes robotics. This knowledge comes from his experience working with Finland-based Trussmatic as their North American Technical…

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The Importance of Change Management in Today’s Business Climate

By Ben Hershey, CEO, 4Ward Solutions Group The current global demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) has created a severe shortage of PPE across the world. And while regular distribution channels ramp up, we have seen several creative ways some individuals and companies are making changes to support our COVID-19 response, including obtaining and producing…

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Set the Course of Your Business

By Ben Hershey, CEO, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC Many of us just returned from this year’s BCMC show. How appropriate it was to be in Columbus, a city named after a visionary who discovered the new world, and the theme was “Set Your Course.” In your business, no matter the role you serve, you have…

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The Importance of Change Management in Today’s Business Climate

By Ben Hershey, CEO, 4Ward Solutions Group The current global demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) has created a severe shortage of PPE across the world. And while regular distribution channels ramp up, we have seen several creative ways some individuals and companies are making changes to support our COVID-19 response, including obtaining and producing…

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Are You Communicating the Same Old Message?

By Ben Hershey, CEO, The 4Ward Group of Companies Here we are at the start of 2020 — Happy New Year!  As we begin the year, we’ll likely have times when we look at the past and then look forward, as we plan our strategy and set the tone for our teams and work with…

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Strategy, Culture, and BCMC

By Ben Hershey, 4Ward Consulting Group, LLC Two manufacturers walk into the BCMC Show. One is a seasoned manufacturer who has been attending the show for many years and will learn something new, but really just goes to shake hands and be seen.  The other manufacturer is new and eager, ready to learn and network…

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