Home / Who we work with / Distribution
Who we work with
AI for Canadian distributors
Distributors live on margin and speed. Most of the manual work sits between the customer's order and the truck.
Projects
Where AI pays off first in distribution
Order entry
Today. Orders arrive by email, PDF and phone, and staff type each one into the system.
After. Orders are read, checked against price lists and entered. Staff handle only the exceptions.
Demand and inventory
Today. Buyers reorder from last year's numbers and instinct.
After. Forecasts by item and location come from your sales history, season and open orders.
Customer service
Today. Answering "where is my order" means checking three systems.
After. Order, stock and shipment status are in one place, and routine questions get answered automatically.
Pricing and quotes
Today. Quotes are built by hand, and margins vary by who wrote them.
After. Quotes follow your pricing rules and flag deals below your margin floor.
Example project. A food distributor receives 300 emailed orders a day. The first project reads and enters them, and sends the unclear ones to one person to check. This is an illustration, not a client.
Systems
Built on the systems you already run
We connect to your current tools. These are the ones we see most in distribution.
Funding
Funding that can fit these projects
We scope the project first, then check these programs. Only programs marked "Grant" are grants.
Scale AI
Canada's AI cluster focuses on supply chains. It is a grant for projects with at least one partner.
Amount: Up to 40% of eligible expenses.
Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative
Covers larger adoption projects, including outside implementation costs. You repay it.
Amount: Up to 50% of eligible costs.
BDC LIFT
A loan for AI projects and automation equipment.
Amount: Loans of $25,000 to $5M.
ESSOR, Volet 1
For Quebec distributors: a digital plan and its implementation.
Amount: 50% of eligible costs.
Questions
Common questions
Can this work with EDI and emailed orders at the same time?
Yes. EDI orders already arrive structured. The project focuses on the emailed and PDF orders that are typed in today.
How accurate are the forecasts?
It depends on your history and how stable your products are. We measure accuracy against your current method before you rely on it.
Tell us what you want to change
Answer a few questions about the project. We reply with a first scope and the funding that fits it. Funding is never guaranteed, and we tell you when a program is not a good fit.