Bulk Exchange, the industry’s source for bulk materials, announced it has appointed Bryan Stolle to its board of directors. Stolle is a former successful entrepreneur and company builder, as well as a founding partner of Wildcat Venture Partners where he invests in SaaS, fintech and other technology focuses fundamental to Bulk Exchange.
“I was immediately drawn to Bulk Exchange because I have personally experienced some of the problems they are solving and know how challenging and difficult it is to manage the bulk materials and waste side of construction,” said Stolle. It is a morass of local, state and federal regulations, limited standards, and lacks transparency and ready access to crucial customer and supplier information. The efficiency and cost savings gains that are possible are game-changing for construction economics.”
Stolle will help Bulk Exchange scale to meet the rapidly growing demand for its product offerings. Stolle has also invested in the company.
“As I got to know the team, I was impressed with their ambitious vision, their innovative application of online marketplace dynamics and AI technology to an otherwise vexing problem, and because the construction industry is overdue for a better way to work by leveraging recent technology advances,” continued Stolle. “I’ve seen how organizations can modernize and transform with data, transparency and crowd-sourced solutions, and Bulk Exchange is poised to do the same for construction. I’m looking forward to helping them execute their vision, bring on new customers, and continue to deliver a great product and experience.”
A serial entrepreneur, Stolle has created more than $1 billion in realized liquidity for his investors as a founder/CEO. As founder and CEO of Agile Software (formerly, NASDAQ: AGIL), Bryan led the creation of a new category now called product lifecycle management (PLM). He led the company through a public offering and secondary offering that raised over $500 million, later exiting the company to Oracle Corp. He has been involved with and invested in six companies that have IPO’d, and five unicorns.
“Bryan feels like more than a board member, given how much of an impact he has already made in terms of our growth, customer success and scale,” said Paul Foley, CEO and cofounder of Bulk Exchange. “We’re privileged and humbled to have someone of his caliber on the team and can’t wait to work more closely with him in this official role.”
Rock Products spoke to Foley about the company and its role in bringing tech solutions to the construction-materials industry.
RP: In a nutshell, what does Bulk Exchange do?
Foley: Bulk Exchange is an innovative platform designed to modernize the bulk materials and heavy civil construction industry. As an industry-specific search engine similar to Google, it allows contractors to locate, source, and dispose of bulk materials efficiently. For producers, it acts as a broadcasting tool like Yelp, enhancing their visibility to a broader customer base. Additionally, the platform enables direct communication between producers and contractors, akin to Slack, fostering seamless communication. Finally, it serves as a centralized marketplace comparable to Amazon, empowering users to compare list prices and material inventory availability with ease.
RP: How did 2024 go for the company?
Foley: In 2024, Bulk Exchange established itself as the first comprehensive national directory of producers and disposers in the bulk materials industry. With a remarkable 580% increase in platform users and partnerships with industry leaders like Republic Services, Granite Construction, and Teichert Materials, the company proved its value as an indispensable tool for advancing the sector. The platform achieved over 90% accuracy in its listings of more than 10,000 facilities across 15 states and is on track to complete a directory of 20,000+ facilities nationwide by March 2025.
Bulk Exchange’s impact extends beyond large-scale industry leaders—it has also empowered small to medium-sized and out-of-area contractors with unprecedented access and visibility to sourcing options. From 50 tons of material for a driveway project to the 180,000 tons of base rock sourced for the San Jose BART Extension, Bulk Exchange has streamlined material procurement for projects of all sizes. Notably, the platform is being used by leading estimators working on marquee projects like the Golden Gate Bridge upgrade and the infrastructure expansion for the LA Summer Olympics, expediting material sourcing and reshaping how the industry operates.
RP: What has been the secret to the company’s growing success?
Foley: Bulk Exchange’s success lies in its unparalleled ability to address the construction industry’s most pressing challenges while filling a critical gap that no other solution has effectively tackled. Built by the industry for the industry – a rarity in construction technology – Bulk Exchange has earned trust and credibility by understanding and solving real-world problems faced by their customers and partners.
The company’s unique value becomes even more evident in the context of major industry trends. With 70% of experienced professionals set to retire within the next 5–7 years and a labor shortage where only one new hire replaces every five departures, the sector faces a profound loss of institutional knowledge. Additionally, today’s top graduates prioritize technology availability – second only to salary – when choosing employers, underscoring the need for innovative solutions like Bulk Exchange.
By preserving and deploying invaluable industry expertise while bridging generational and technological divides, Bulk Exchange is positioning itself as an indispensable partner and solution in shaping the future of construction.
RP: Describe how the relationship with aggregate producers such as Granite and Teichert has evolved. What advantages do they see in working with Bulk Exchange?
Foley: Our evolving relationships with customers are built on mutual trust and support. With a dedicated team that brings deep industry experience, Bulk Exchange understands the unique needs of its customers and delivers solutions that truly matter. Maintaining neutrality while seamlessly connecting supply and demand is key to fostering trust and credibility across the industry.
Bulk Exchange is revolutionizing the outdated process of managing inventory and pricing—an area still dominated by emails, printed directories, and other inefficient methods. The platform enables aggregate producers like Granite Construction and Teichert Materials to update critical information in minutes, instantly making it accessible to their existing customers while also attracting new ones. By minimizing the administrative burden of answering routine inquiries, Bulk Exchange helps producers reduce costs, improve efficiency, and easily expand their reach.
Beyond these immediate benefits, Bulk Exchange’s ability to analyze data and provide predictive insights empowers customers to anticipate and respond to market demands more effectively, giving them a critical edge in an increasingly competitive industry. When our customers, like Granite and Teichert, win more work and operate more efficiently, their success directly contributes to our own, underscoring the strength of our partnership-driven approach.
“We see a platform like Bulk Exchange helping us connect with a side of our business which can often be left behind such as smaller and out of area contractors… when it comes to innovation and technology, we would prefer to be on the front end than be left behind.” – Dana Davis, President, Teichert Materials.
RP: Describe tech’s role in meeting aggregate producers’ needs and challenges.
Technology is at the heart of Bulk Exchange’s ability to address the challenges faced by aggregate producers. The platform centralizes data, simplifies the procurement process, and fosters collaboration between producers and contractors, enabling them to meet increasing demand while managing labor shortages and adapting to industry consolidation. By collecting and analyzing critical data – such as trends, buying signals, weather patterns, and supply shortages – Bulk Exchange provides predictive insights that empower producers to operate proactively rather than reactively. The platform also addresses inefficiencies that drain time and resources: the average contracting estimation team wastes over 35% of their time on administrative tasks that technology can solve, 20-25% on sourcing materials alone, costing average teams of five estimators $130,000 annually and the industry $1.9 billion per year, according to Dodge Leads and LetsBuild.com. By automating key tasks, streamlining connections, and providing actionable analytics, Bulk Exchange empowers producers to expand their customer base, improve efficiency, reduce costs, and stay competitive. The platform not only meets the expectations of a modern, tech-savvy workforce but also reinforces and strengthens the industry’s long-standing generational relationships.
For more information about BulkExchange, visit https://www.bulkexchange.com.