First Supply has received two honors recognizing the technology, teamwork and long-term thinking behind the Joe Poehling Distribution Innovation Center in West Salem, Wisconsin. The company was named a 2026 Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment for Environmental Innovation and, in partnership with Exotec, was shortlisted for the 2026 Supply Chain Excellence Awards USA in The Supply Chain Innovation Award category.

The Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment Award was presented by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), with support from award sponsor Waste Management (WM). An independent panel selected nine Wisconsin companies for their leadership in sustainability, environmental stewardship and environmental innovation. First Supply was one of three companies recognized for Environmental Innovation.

The WMC recognition centered on the 308,000-square-foot Joe Poehling Distribution Innovation Center, which became operational in May 2025. Sustainability was built into the facility from the beginning through renewable energy, intelligent building systems, high-density storage and automated warehouse technology.

The facility's 1,150-panel rooftop solar array, the largest in La Crosse County, can generate approximately 50 to 70 percent of daily energy demand depending on seasonal conditions. Other features include energy-efficient building systems developed with Focus on Energy, electric vehicle charging stations and infrastructure designed to support future geothermal cooling integration.

"This recognition belongs to the many people who helped plan, build and now operate this facility every day," said Katie Poehling Seymour, president and CEO of First Supply. "Our goal was to make thoughtful investments that would help us serve customers more efficiently while being responsible stewards of our resources. We are grateful to WMC and WM for recognizing that work."

National Recognition for Supply Chain Innovation

First Supply and Exotec were also named one of eight shortlisted projects for The Supply Chain Innovation Award at the 2026 Supply Chain Excellence Awards USA. The shortlist included projects from Ford, Wesco and other national and global supply chain leaders. Chief Logistics Officer Steve Baer represented First Supply at the Sept. 15 awards ceremony in Dallas.

The shortlisted project featured Exotec’s Skypod automated storage and retrieval system at the Joe Poehling Distribution Innovation Center. The system uses 31 autonomous robots and 53,000 high-density storage bins to support faster, more accurate fulfillment for branch replenishment and e-commerce orders.

“We are proud of the team and the partnership with Exotec that brought this system to life,” Baer said. “Being shortlisted alongside respected companies from across the industry speaks to the work behind this transformation. More importantly, the technology is helping our team improve how we serve customers and prepare for future growth.”

Together, the two recognitions highlight different but connected aspects of the distribution center: reducing environmental impact while building a safer, more efficient and scalable supply chain. The facility was designed to grow with First Supply and support its customers and communities for years to come.