DSG Supply's Dan Klepack on Modernizing Industrial Distribution Through Technology

Meet Dan Klepack, Chief Supply Chain Officer at DSG Supply

Drawing from his diverse experience across defense, retail, and industrial distribution, Dan Klepack, Chief Supply Chain Officer at DSG Supply, brings a unique perspective to supply chain modernization. From building fighter jets to leading a supply chain, a process is a process and the disciplines transfer seamlessly. Dan explains, “There's a right way to do it and there's a standard operating procedure that needs to be written to do it.” His journey from manually tracking assembly line performance on paper to leveraging advanced ERP systems demonstrates how technology has fundamentally shifted the focus from data collection to problem-solving.

DSG faces the complex challenge of managing diverse product categories across electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and industrial automation sectors while meeting growing customer expectations for supply chain visibility. Unlike competitors who specialize in single categories, DSG's breadth creates unique operational challenges that require sophisticated technology solutions to balance the competing demands of operations teams seeking repeatability and sales teams needing flexibility.

Founded 125 years ago, DSG operates as an employee-owned company with 62 branches spanning from Montana to Michigan, and leverages Epicor distribution solutions across their business. This employee ownership model creates a distinctive culture where every team member has a financial stake in the company's success, fostering collaborative problem-solving and shared accountability in decision-making processes that impact modernization efforts.

In This Episode

Dan explores how industrial distribution is evolving to meet B2B customers' expectations for the same level of supply chain transparency they experience as consumers. He discusses the industry-wide "Where's My Stuff?" initiative, where competitors collaborate to solve visibility challenges, and shares practical advice on preparing organizations culturally for technology adoption while emphasizing that successful modernization requires understanding your business fundamentals before investing in solutions. 

Topics

• DSG Supply's employee ownership model and how it influences collaborative decision-making and technology investment strategies across operations.
• Evolution of supply chain technology from manual tracking systems to integrated ERP solutions that enable problem-solving focus.
• Balancing operational repeatability requirements with sales team flexibility needs through strategic technology implementation and data-driven decision making.
• Managing diverse product categories including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and industrial automation within a single distribution network.
• Growing customer expectations for supply chain visibility driven by consumer experience standards applied to B2B relationships.
• Industry-wide collaboration through initiatives like "Where's My Stuff?" bringing competitors together to solve shared visibility challenges.
• Change management strategies for technology adoption focusing on cultural readiness and team engagement rather than just technical capabilities.
• Integration approaches for modern distribution centers emphasizing the importance of understanding business fundamentals before technology investment.
• Future trends including artificial intelligence applications across supply chain functions from inventory management to predictive analytics implementation.