How First Supply Scales Distribution Logistics with Bluerock TMS
Discover how First Supply, a leading Upper Midwest distributor, chose Bluerock TMS to power a new 308,000 square-foot distribution center in West Salem, Wisconsin — unifying route-based planning, warehouse execution, and multi-channel delivery on one platform.
About First Supply
First Supply is a fifth-generation, family-owned distributor serving building contractors and industrial customers across the Upper Midwest.
Founded in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1897, the company operates 56 locations under its family of brands — including First Supply, First Waterworks, Gerhard's Kitchen, Bath & Lighting Stores, Kohler Stores by First Supply, and Able Distributors Powered by First Supply — supplying HVAC, plumbing, waterworks, and industrial PVF products, and employing more than 780 people.
Scaling a Route-Driven Delivery Model Beyond Standard TMS Capabilitiesfor
Driven by rapid growth in e-commerce volumes and international expansion, Bleckmann needed a Transportation Management System capable of handling extreme operational complexity at scale.
Each month, Bleckmann coordinates hundreds of carriers across a diverse customer portfolio, managing the delivery of millions of parcels to end consumers. At the same time, service expectations in fashion logistics continue to rise, with increasing demand for speed, accuracy, and transparency.
A fragmented IT landscape — with different applications across locations — made it difficult to standardize processes, maintain consistency, and achieve full end-to-end visibility across the supply chain.
Transportation ran on recurring delivery routes rather than individual shipments: a structure standard TMS platforms aren't built for.
Transportation planning ran independently from warehouse picking, with loads needing exact reverse-order sequencing for driver efficiency.
Internal branch replenishment and direct-to-customer deliveries each needed distinct planning and carrier logic.
THE WORLD LEADING POWER APP FOR YOUR BUSINESS
An Integrated, Route-Driven TMS Built Around First Supply's Operating Model
First Supply selected Bluerock TMS to run transportation operations at its new West Salem distribution center, working alongside SNS, which implemented Infor WMS at the facility.
A custom Tour ID planning model links carriers, schedules, and routes before shipments are assigned, letting planners build plans around predefined delivery routes.
Business rules automatically sequence stops and consolidate orders bound for the same customer — in the exact reverse order needed for efficient unloading — while a new "Send Load Plan" capability pushes completed plans straight into the warehouse system so picking can start immediately.
Separate automated workflows handle replenishment and direct-to-customer shipments, with dynamic carrier selection, hazmat data automation, and configurable billing rules running behind the scenes.
A Synchronized, Scalable
Foundation for Growth
With Bluerock TMS, First Supply has complete visibility from transportation planning through warehouse execution and final delivery at its West Salem distribution center. This synchronization improves planning accuracy, reduces exceptions, and gives the company a scalable foundation to extend across its wider network.
BUILT FOR NETWORK-WIDE SCALE
"We selected Bluerock TMS because it could support last mile, LTL, and full truckload operations within one scalable platform. That partnership has been instrumental in bringing our new distribution center to life."
Why Bluerock TMS for Wholesale Distribution & Multi-Channel Logistics
First Supply's experience shows how Bluerock TMS helps distributors:
-
Plan around real delivery routes, not just shipments
-
Keep warehouse and transportation execution in sync
-
Unify replenishment and customer delivery in one platform
- Launch new facilities on a platform that scales network-wide
Want the complete First Supply case study at your fingertips?
Download it as a simple PDF: deliverables, challenges, and results all in one place.
WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY
DON'T MISS OUT ON THE LATEST NEWS ON OUR JOURNEY
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no sea takimata.