Winsupply, a leading distributor of construction materials, needed to overhaul its fragmented legacy systems to support aggressive growth goals. By partnering with Fresche, they successfully executed a massive ERP data migration and IT modernization strategy that unified their data architecture and significantly improved system performance. This transformation enabled Winsupply to scale efficiently to over 800 locations without the need for a costly full-system rewrite.
Key Results:
- 38% Increase in Application Speed: System response times dropped from several seconds to under 700 milliseconds.
- Seamless 40TB Data Migration: Successfully consolidated 1,400 tables and thousands of applications into a unified system with zero business disruption.
- Foundation for Scalable Growth: Created a robust infrastructure capable of supporting expansion to over 800 locations and $10 billion in revenue.
- Multi-Million Dollar Savings: Avoided the high costs and risks associated with a complete legacy system rewrite.
Company Overview
Winsupply is a leader in residential and commercial construction materials distribution, supporting hundreds of independently owned locations across the U.S. To maintain its competitive edge and achieve operational efficiency, the company relies heavily on its IT infrastructure. With ambitious plans to double revenue to $10 billion by 2030, Winsupply recognized that its technology needed to evolve to support sustainable long-term growth.
The Challenge: Fragmented Systems and Legacy Barriers
Winsupply aimed to grow from 600 to more than 800 locations, but its homegrown RPG-based system created a significant bottleneck. The infrastructure was heavily fragmented, with each location operating on a separate database. This decentralization made data management inefficient and slowed down critical operations.
Compounding the technical issues was a looming workforce crisis. The company’s senior RPG developers were nearing retirement, and finding new talent with legacy skills was becoming increasingly difficult. Winsupply had previously attempted IT modernization through a full application rewrite, but two separate Proof of Concepts (POCs) failed, proving that a complete overhaul would be too slow, expensive, and risky.
The Solution: Strategic IBM i Modernization and Data Unification
Winsupply turned to Fresche for a smarter approach to modernization. The strategy focused on solving immediate performance issues while building scalable IT solutions for the future. The goal was clear: streamline systems, improve performance, and build a foundation strong enough to scale past 800 locations, all without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Unified Data Architecture
The core of the solution was a massive ERP data migration. Fresche’s team consolidated Winsupply’s fragmented landscape, moving 40TB of data, including 1,400 tables, into a single, streamlined architecture. This complex transition was executed without disrupting day-to-day business operations.
Optimized Workflows
With a unified data structure established, the team restructured data workflows and eliminated system bottlenecks. Fresche also introduced modern development best practices and cleaned up outdated data, providing Winsupply’s IT team with a clear roadmap to maintain the system without relying on niche RPG expertise.
The Results: A Future-Ready Enterprise
The partnership with Fresche transformed Winsupply’s IT landscape from a liability into a growth engine. By unifying their systems, Winsupply now benefits from seamless operations across hundreds of locations, with data silos eliminated and processes streamlined. The modernization is evident in every aspect of their business:
- Operational Excellence: The unified system now supports seamless operations across hundreds of locations, removing the data silos that previously hindered performance.
- Improved Performance: By optimizing workflows, Winsupply achieved a 38% boost in application speed, dramatically improving the user experience for employees.
- Cost Efficiency: By choosing a targeted modernization path over a costly full-system rewrite, Winsupply saved millions of dollars while achieving a state-of-the-art infrastructure.
With this modern, scalable framework in place, Winsupply is empowered to confidently pursue its $10 billion revenue goal, fully equipped for continued growth and no longer constrained by outdated technology.
Ready to modernize your own IT environment? Learn more about Fresche’s modernization solutions or contact our team today to discuss how we can help support your organization’s growth
