Aggregate producers have steadily increased their use of digital technologies over the last several years.
Whether to proactively monitor and maintain equipment or ensure sites receive up-to-the-minute performance data, emerging tech has impacted the industry positively.
One newer technology offering aims to simplify buying, selling and moving materials. Bulk Exchange, a bulk materials marketplace for suppliers, dumpsites, contractors and estimators, provides an industry-specific search engine with comprehensive solutions for finding and listing materials, accessing list prices and submitting or responding to RFPs.
Launched in 2024, Bulk Exchange has experienced rapid growth over the last two years, with more than 21,000 facilities now using it. One producer Bulk Exchange partnered with since its launch is Peckham Industries.
“We are honored and delighted to have partnered with Peckham,” says Paul Foley, founder and CEO of Bulk Exchange. “Their reputation is stellar in the Northeast U.S., and [Peckham CEO] Damian [Murphy] has such a reputation in the industry as a whole.”
Peckham currently has 39 of its facilities between Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island listed on Bulk Exchange. Contractors can now view real-time pricing, availability and location-specific offerings from Peckham directly on Bulk Exchange and connect for quotes and other needs.
Going digital
One of the key tenets behind Bulk Exchange’s service – one that stuck out to Peckham – is serving the younger generation seeking a more digital experience.
“That’s not an easy business for us to step into,” Murphy says. “Our expertise is in the production, the quality and what we do every day. We were looking for people who were very familiar with that and who brought different experiences and values to help us position ourselves in front of that core of people we’re not touching – who are looking for that digital experience. Through the conversations with Paul and the rest of Bulk Exchange, we thought this was a good place to start.”
Bulk Exchange hangs its hat on the idea that it allows its partners to control their own messaging. Through Bulk Exchange, companies can choose which services, products, prices and other information are shown to estimators and contractors at each location on a site.
“I’ve been hearing more unease from some industry leaders saying: ‘I don’t like the way AI is spitting out misinformation and inaccuracies,’” Foley says. “I tell them: ‘Well, we as an industry traditionally have not put our information online. Therefore, AI will continue to spit out inaccuracies and misinformation unless we control the messaging.’
“That’s a major goal of ours at Bulk Exchange because we’re not a brokerage or middleman – we’re just a hub in the middle,” he adds. “We’re building a source of truth to allow producers and suppliers to control the messaging because, if we don’t, it’s going to get controlled on us.”
Adopting advancements
Peckham has long positioned itself at the forefront of innovative technology in the aggregate industry. Its partnership with Bulk Exchange is just the latest example.
“Since the ‘80s, [Peckham] has been very interested in using technology, automation and anything we could do from a tech standpoint to help improve the business,” Murphy says. “Historically, all that effort has been focused on our operations and trying to drive cost out of the business. We’re looking at the revenue side of the business and figuring out how to apply the technology there. In reality, there have never been solutions out there to help us figure that out.”
Foley says working with a producer like Peckham – one willing to try new things – has made Bulk Exchange stronger.
“It excites us all to lean into this,” Foley says. “Whether it’s Peckham with that forward-thinking mindset or some of the biggest names in the industry.”
While the partnership is still relatively new, Murphy is hopeful that, in the long run, Bulk Exchange can help Peckham reach digitally driven customers.
“What we’re looking for in Bulk Exchange is to give the new generation of customers the information they need,” Murphy says. “Do we take broken concrete? What products do we offer? Can we take freight or do we offer freight? [It’s] all those quick checkmarks they’re looking for to help them make decisions. It’s not replacing the relationship we want to have with them. We’re just trying to be more efficient for them.”
