Building a Lasting Partnership

Building Stronger Networks in the Building Supply Industry

In the building supply industry, keeping up with best practices, staying one step ahead of trends, and building strong networks are vital to lasting business success. Luckily, joining a building supply organization is a seamless, effective way to reach these goals.

Because Epicor values these relationships, we are a proud member of the Associated Building Material Distributors of America (ABMDA) Buying Group.

The Evolution of the ABMDA Buying Group

ABMDA Vice President Garry Tabor tells the story of the group’s evolution.

“Fifty-one years ago, these 10 companies got together with one manufacturer that they were all purchasing from — in some cases they were actually competitors — and said, ‘If we grouped our purchases together under one umbrella, and committed to buying from you, would you treat us as an independent collective group, the same way you treat national distributors?’

And the manufacturer said, ‘If the 10 of you bundled your purchases together, you would then be our largest customer. Not only would we treat you like the national distributors, we’d treat you better than the national distributors.’”

That group became the original ABMDA.

As two-step distributors, the members:

• Purchase from manufacturers
• Stock inventory in large warehouses
• Sell to retail building material dealers

From the small group of 10, the organization has grown to a thriving group of 37 carefully selected members, now doing $9–9.5 billion in revenue.

The group values their relationships on both ends of each transaction.

 “We want to be the best supplier to our customers, and we want to be the best customer to our suppliers.” — Garry Tabor  

Epicor and ABMDA: A Longstanding Relationship

As part of our commitment to serving the industry, Epicor recently formed an official partnership with ABDMA to support our building supply category, sharing the benefits of our BisTrack ERP solution.

Our roots with this organization are strong.

The relationship began when Epicor Senior Territory Manager Jim Houser helped Tabor with Major Data, a warehouse management system that Epicor would later acquire.

Because Tabor valued the willingness of Epicor to invest in its customers’ success, ABDMA turned to Epicor again when it was time to look for a new ERP system.

One of the first things he noticed was how Epicor was comfortable with very specific industry terminology.

“You look at units of measure: things are priced by 1000 board feet, by a roofing square, by a box, by 100 weight,” Tabor points out.

“You already understood it. You understood it better than our other provider of ERP systems. So I made the decision that I needed to have another option for our members. You made a very difficult decision very easy for me to make.”

What Distributors Really Want From Software

“Well, it gets back to what do you want out of your software? What do you want out of AI as it's incorporated into your software? I can only tell you my perspective on that.

I want a smaller amount of inventory on the ground as a distributor. At $400 million, I was keeping anywhere from $30 to $40 million of inventory on the ground every day. That's a lot of money sitting there waiting to have a turnover.

I want a lower amount of inventory, because it's now the right inventory.”

Helping Distributors Modernize Their Operations

As part of the new partnership, Tabor wants to help members learn more about how BisTrack can make daily processes easier.

Often, distributors and retail lumber yards have been in business for decades and have inadvertently become too comfortable doing things the way they’ve always done them — such as walking around to manually check inventory.

What they may not realize is the potential for:

• Improved efficiency
• Data-informed decisions
• Better operational visibility

All of which can be available at their fingertips with BisTrack.

In the end, Tabor concludes:

“The cost of not making the change is too high.”

Supporting Businesses Through the Transition

At Epicor, we also understand that making the switch to BisTrack can be a big step.

This brings things full circle to the ABDMA/Epicor partnership and our relationship with buying groups.

Businesses considering the change will have:

• Full support and guidance
• A clear path to learning about AI tools like Epicor Prism
• Access to rebate programs
• Special pricing opportunities

All designed to help them move forward with confidence.

The Future of Distribution: Trusting the Software

As the industry grows and the global marketplace shifts, strategic automation opens up valuable time that can now be focused on serving customers with confidence and speed.

As Tabor explains:

“You have to trust the software,” Tabor says, “so when the purchase suggestion comes to you and it lands on your desk on Monday, you can act on it.”

From the Warehouse Bay to Delivery Day

From the warehouse bay to delivery day, we’re here for you.

Learn more about how BisTrack can make a difference for your business.