Construction Supplier to Deliver Part by Drone

Winsupply hopes to revolutionize last-mile supply shipments.

Kroger Delivery X Drone Express
Kroger Co./PRNewswire

An Ohio construction supplier hopes to begin revolutionizing its industry with a groundbreaking delivery next month.

Winsupply will partner with fellow Dayton company Drone Express to make a first-of-its-kind shipment on Aug. 9, according to the Dayton Daily News. A Drone Express drone will pick up a small product made by flow control manufacturer NIBCO from the Winsupply distribution center in Miami Township, Ohio, and fly it to its destination — a Winsupply location in Centerville, Ohio — three miles away.

The event will mark the first time Winsupply makes a delivery by drone, although drone deliveries of consumer goods have become somewhat common in certain cities.

Winsupply President John McKenzie said in a statement that the company needs to constantly innovate to continue helping its customers.

"Just imagine, a contractor is missing a single item to complete a job,” McKenzie told the paper. “Instead of a delay of days or weeks, that product appears out of the sky in a matter of minutes.”

The companies said the delivery would be just the first of many Winsupply shipments of products weighing under five pounds from its distribution hub.

Drone Express, which has also partnered with grocery giant Kroger and pizza chain Papa Johns, said the use of its autonomous drones would be a “game-changer” for the construction industry.

“Pioneering this system with Winsupply is a perfect fit,” said Drone Express CEO Beth Flippo.

More in Logistics