Service star: even after six years of explosive growth that established Bradco Supply as a nationwide leader in categories including roofing and siding, the company maintains the feel of a small family business and remains focused on building relationships with customers and staff

Prosales, June, 2004 by Pat Curry

That's one thing that won't change as the company grows. Bradco may continue to branch into new product lines, but their customers will still reel like they can call headquarters, ask for Barry or Brad, and be connected. "The big difference at this company is how we treat people," Barry Segal says. "They feel a part of something."

Vital Statistics * Company: Bradco Supply Corp. * Year founded: 1966 * Headquarters: Avenel, N.J. * Number of locations: 109 * Number of employees: 1,995 * 2003 gross sales: $995 million * Pro sales percentage: 97 percent

Road Warriors

With more than 100 locations spanning markets in 26 states, Bradco Supply relies on technology and consistent fleet maintenance to keep deliveries on the road.

As Bradco Supply continues to grow from a regional player into a national specialty distribution company, literally thousands of deliveries are departing each day via Bradco's fleet of about 750 power units (primarily trucks and cranes), around 250 trailers, about 450 warehouse forklifts, and approximately 250 truck-mounted forklifts, says fleet manager Kevin Tremmel. In the past three years, Bradco has invested in processes and technology to keep an increasing amount of vehicles--and their drivers--operating at maximum performance.

Each vehicle is on a preventive maintenance schedule, outsourced to garages that run second and third shifts to minimize downtime. To monitor the fleet's life cycle and maintenance needs, Tremmel is piloting a secure, Internet-based management system. Two years in development, the system catalogs each vehicle's specs and maintenance intervals, with alerts to schedule service. Tremmel is notified if a scheduled maintenance is missed. The system eliminates duplicate or incorrect maintenance, he says, and dramatically reduces paperwork.

Removing the administrative burden to scheduled maintenance has freed Bradco up to develop additional fleet-friendly services. For example, a monthly "air up" program ensures proper tire inflation, extending tire life. Tremmel also is rolling out a GPS system for the drivers. Dispatchers can see each driver's location, give them turn-by-turn directions if they're lost, or tell customers estimated delivery times. The system also measures speed and excessive downtimes.

"Things are going to break on trucks. It comes down to having newer equipment, having it well maintained, meeting the original manufacturer guidelines, and having a vendor network to support us," he says. "That gives us the ability to have trucks ready when they're needed."--P.C.