What Powers The TSC Supply Chain

By Matt Pillar, chief editor

$6.78 billion Tractor Supply Co. demands uptime from the mobile devices driving innovation in its warehouses and DCs.

Brentwood, TN-based Tractor Supply Co. is the favorite retail destination of the hobby gardener, backyard chicken farmer, and anyone who likes to spend time turning up dirt, tinkering with tools and power equipment, or raising animals, from kittens to horses. The 79-year-old company’s widespread appeal — borne of a carefully curated merchandise selection that attracts rural folks and urbanites alike — has fueled its growth from a mailorder catalog to a $6.78 billion multichannel retailer operating 1,600 stores and employing 24,000 associates in 49 states.

A Snapshot Of The TSC Supply Chain
The mix of merchandise carried by Tractor Supply poses some unique challenges to its warehouse and DC operations. While more than 40 percent of its sales comes from its livestock and pet supply category, approximately 20 percent comes from seasonal, gift, and toy items. Other items the store carries vary from small products such as linchpins and brake lights, to medium items such as leather footwear and clothing, pet food, and supplies, and large items such as truck toolboxes, riding lawn mowers, and utility vehicles.