Gemplers
Gemplers is a family-owned, private e-commerce retailer founded in 1939 that sells professional-grade tools, supplies, safety equipment, workwear, and facility solutions to outdoor professionals in landscaping, nursery, golf, municipal, university, and agricultural end markets across the continental US.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1939
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Gemplers does
Gempler's Inc. (operating as Gemplers) is a family-owned, privately held e-commerce retailer founded in 1939 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, with its distribution and customization operations based in a single warehouse in Janesville, Wisconsin. The company sells professional-grade tools, supplies, safety equipment, workwear, outdoor equipment, and facility solutions to outdoor professionals across landscaping, groundskeeping, nursery and greenhouse, golf course, municipal, higher education, and agricultural end markets. Its catalog spans 23,000+ SKUs across six core categories (Tools, Supplies, Safety, Workwear, Equipment, Facility Solutions) and is built on a Shopify storefront with same-day shipping on orders placed by 3pm CT and free shipping thresholds at $149 (and $50 for clothing/footwear).
The business operates four revenue streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce through gemplers.com, a wholesale distributor program offering B2B customers (landscape supply stores, nurseries, greenhouses, material suppliers) average 53% margins with 30-day terms on orders above $1,000, in-house custom workwear personalization (embroidery at $8 per location, heat press, and laser etching) with a 6-piece minimum, and a $99-per-year Shipping Saver subscription providing unlimited ground shipping on the catalog. Distribution is domestic-only (continental US, excluding Alaska and Hawaii), and order fulfillment is supported by a direct sales/account management team plus telephone and email customer service. The company maintains two private-label sub-brands (Sugar River rainwear and Spintiller tools) to capture margin on commodity categories. Strategic brand partners include Carhartt, 3M, DuPont, FELCO, Dramm, Underhill, Tingley, DeWalt, and Dickies, with Carhartt, 3M, and DuPont designated as core relationships.
Gemplers is owned by Carl and Tracy Atwell and has operated continuously for over 85 years without disclosed private equity, venture capital, or institutional investor involvement; no mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring events were identified in the source material. The company holds no disclosed patents, certifications, or regulatory actions. Marketing is driven by content (Learning Hub, digital catalogs), organic social (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), email capture with a 10% first-order incentive, and promotional events including tiered spend discounts and free-gift offers. The platform has no public API, no SDK, no mobile app, and no AI/ML capabilities disclosed.
Gemplers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gemplers
- Legal name
- Gempler's Inc.
- Website
- https://gemplers.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1939
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Gemplers is a family-owned, private e-commerce retailer founded in 1939 that sells professional-grade tools, supplies, safety equipment, workwear, and facility solutions to outdoor professionals in landscaping, nursery, golf, municipal, university, and agricultural end markets across the continental US.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Gemplers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gemplers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail E-commerce Sales: Direct product sales through gemplers.com to outdoor professionals including landscapers, grounds crews, and maintenance professionals. Products include tools, supplies, safety gear, workwear, and equipment with pricing ranging from budget items to premium professional-grade equipment.
- Wholesale/Distributor Program: Wholesale sales to landscape supply stores, nurseries, greenhouses, and material suppliers. Initial orders start at $1,000 with free freight; replenishment orders have no minimum. Distributors receive approximately 53% average margin on products.
- Custom Workwear Personalization: Embroidery, heat press, and laser etching services for adding logos to workwear. Setup fees of $25 for heat press/embroidery and $10 for laser etching. Logo files are kept on file for repeat orders with no setup fee on subsequent orders.
- Shipping Saver Subscription: Annual subscription program offering 12 months of free shipping on over 23,000 products for $99. Provides unlimited ground shipping for one year.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing with free shipping threshold |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Wholesale pricing for distributors |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom workwear personalization |
| Subscription | Annual | Shipping Saver annual subscription |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Volume discount promotions |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Gemplers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gemplers is an e-commerce retailer and wholesale distributor that sells professional-grade tools, supplies, safety equipment, workwear, equipment, and facility solutions to outdoor professionals in landscaping, nursery/growing, golf course, municipal, university, and agricultural sectors. The company complements its product catalog with in-house custom workwear personalization (embroidery, heat press, laser etching), a B2B wholesale/distributor program, and a Shipping Saver annual shipping subscription, fulfilling orders from a single warehouse in Janesville, WI with same-day shipping on orders placed by 3pm CT.
Product overview
Gemplers is a B2B e-commerce platform offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional-grade tools, supplies, safety equipment, workwear, and equipment for outdoor professionals including landscapers, groundskeepers, growers, nurseries, golf courses, municipalities, and agricultural businesses. The offering consists of six core product categories (Tools, Supplies, Safety, Workwear, Equipment, Facility Solutions) that serve the outfitting, equipping, and protecting needs of outdoor work crews. The company differentiates through custom workwear personalization services, a wholesale/distributor program with volume pricing, and a Shipping Saver subscription. The platform operates as a Shopify-based e-commerce site without documented API access for third-party integrations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sugar River by Gemplers: Private label rainwear and workwear brand under the Gemplers umbrella, including PVC rain jackets, pants, and suits.
- Spintiller by Gemplers
Products and services
- Tools Professional-grade tools for outdoor work, including landscape tools (shovels, rakes, hoes, forks), pruning tools (hand pruners, loppers, pruning saws), cleaning tools (trash pickup, leaf pickup, brooms, scrapers, mops), garden tools (cultivating, harvesting, weeding), fencing tools (post hole diggers, post pounders), hardware tools (hand tools, power tools, tire tools), and tool storage racks and hooks. Sold to outdoor professionals and crew operators.
- Supplies Comprehensive supplies for outdoor professionals including watering and irrigation (water hoses, nozzles, wands, hose reels), greenhouse supplies (propagation, seed starting, pots, trays, shade cloth), tree and plant care (tree wraps, guards, fertilizers), landscape supplies (weed control, erosion control, edging, tarps), marking supplies (marking flags, plant markers, plant tags, sign holders, marking tape), testing and measurement (soil testing, measuring containers, test instruments, crop testing), pest management (traps, repellents, pest monitoring, baits), shop and facility supplies (storage, cleaning, lighting, material handling), and automotive and tractor supplies (tire, wheel, rust control, fuel, lubrication, cargo control).
- Safety Professional safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) including hand protection (chemical resistant gloves, disposable gloves, work gloves), respiratory protection (reusable respirators, disposable respirators, powered air purifying respirators), eye/face/head protection (safety glasses, goggles, face shields, hard hats), protective clothing and supports (coveralls, shirts, pants, aprons, vests, chaps, rainwear, hi-vis clothing, sun protection), protective footwear and accessories (rubber boots, safety toe boots, boot covers, traction devices), hearing protection (earplugs, earmuffs), and safety supplies (chemical storage, first aid, heat relief, signs, traffic control).
- Workwear Work clothing and footwear for outdoor professionals including clothing (hi-vis, shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, vests, bibs, coveralls, pants, shorts), work gloves (leather, coated, cold weather, cut resistant, mechanic, knit), footwear (chore boots, rubber boots, work boots, winter boots, overboots, waders), and customization services for adding logos to workwear items.
- Equipment Professional equipment including sprayers (equipment mounted, backpack, handheld, trailer, cart sprayers with parts and accessories), cleaning equipment (wet/dry vacs, sweepers, pressure washers), landscaping equipment (wheelbarrows, carts, wagons, spreaders, lawn rollers, aerators, lawn sweepers, mower accessories), and outdoor power equipment (chainsaws, tillers, cultivators, trimmers, edgers, pressure washers, controlled burn equipment).
- Facility Solutions Janitorial and facility maintenance supplies including trash cans and can liners, paper towels and tissues (wipes, wet wipes, facial tissue, bathroom tissue), spill cleanup and sorbents (spill kits, sorbent pads, socks, pillows, loose sorbents), cleaning chemicals (cleaners, detergents, disinfectants, odor control), skin care and personal hygiene (hand cleaners, soap, lotions, creams, sunblock), janitorial equipment (pressure washers), and breakroom supplies.
- Custom Workwear Personalization Services Logo customization service that adds company logos to workwear including shirts, jackets, rainwear, safety gear, and other items. Services include embroidery ($8 per location), heat press applications, laser etching ($5 per location), and custom marking flags. All customization is performed in-house at the Gemplers warehouse in Janesville, WI, with logo files stored for repeat orders and a 6-piece minimum per personalization order.
- Wholesale/Distributor Program B2B wholesale program for landscape supply stores, material suppliers, wholesale nurseries, plant growers, industrial garden centers, and greenhouses. Includes commercial-grade tools, high-margin wholesale pricing, bulk ordering with a $1,000 initial order minimum for free freight, 30-day payment terms on orders above $1,000, and no minimums on replenishment orders. Distributors receive an average 53% margin on Gemplers tools and supplies.
- Shipping Saver Subscription Annual subscription providing 12 months of free ground shipping on over 23,000 products for $99. Available to both retail and wholesale customers, with some product exclusions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Average 53% margin for distributors on Gemplers tools and supplies
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Gemplers
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Gemplers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Gemplers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CarharttcoreCarhartt is a key brand partner for Gemplers' custom workwear personalization program. Carhartt products including work shirts, rainwear, jackets, and bibs are available with custom logo embroidery and heat press applications. Carhartt products are featured prominently in the custom workwear section and are part of promotional discount exclusions in some sales events.
- 3Mcore3M is a major brand partner providing respiratory protection products including half-mask and full-face respirator kits, organic vapor/P100 filter cartridges, and N95 particulate respirators. 3M products are consistently featured in safety essentials promotions and top-selling product listings.
- DuPontcoreDuPont provides Tyvek protective coveralls sold through Gemplers' safety and workwear categories. Both hooded and unhooded Tyvek coverall options are available with various cuff and ankle configurations for different workplace requirements.
- FELCOcoreFELCO is a premium brand partner for professional pruning tools. FELCO pruners are featured in the pruning tools category and include products like the FELCO 2 Pruner with Sharpener & FELCO 910+ Holster Combo Kit. FELCO products are excluded from some promotional discount programs.
- DrammcoreDramm is a key brand partner for watering and irrigation equipment including ColorStorm premium soaker hoses, brass shut-off valves, water breaker nozzles, and rain wands. Dramm products are made in the USA and feature prominently in the watering supplies category with multiple product options and multi-pack offerings.
- UnderhillcoreUnderhill is a brand partner for commercial irrigation products including ProLine FLEX commercial fabric hoses, quick connect hose fittings, and watering wands. Underhill products are featured in new arrivals and regular product rotations.
- Helly HansenminorHelly Hansen provides professional-grade rainwear including the Voss Waterproof Rain Jacket and Gale Waterproof Rain Jacket. Products are available for custom logo personalization and feature ANSI class ratings for safety visibility.
- TingleycoreTingley provides protective rainwear, hi-vis safety clothing, and work hats. Products include Vision ANSI Class 3 Hi-Vis Rain Jacket, Comfort-Tuff 2-Piece Rain Suit, and Icon ANSI Class 3 Hi-Vis Jacket. Many Tingley products are available for custom logo personalization.
- DeWaltcoreDeWalt provides power tools, safety equipment (earmuffs, safety glasses), and tool accessories. DeWalt products appear in promotional free gift tiers and are excluded from some promotional discount programs. Products include Bluetooth earmuffs, USB chargers, and drill bit sets.
- DickiesminorDickies provides work shirts including short and long-sleeve button-down work shirts. Products are featured in the custom workwear section with logo personalization options.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Gemplers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Grainger: Grainger is the largest U.S. industrial/MRO distributor (W.W. Grainger), offering maintenance, safety, and outdoor supplies via catalog and e-commerce. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same institutional and professional maintenance buyers Gemplers serves, but with vastly larger scale, broader catalog, and enterprise procurement integrations.
- ULINE: ULINE is a large direct distributor of shipping, industrial, and packaging supplies with a strong catalog and same-day shipping model. Comparable as a broad incumbent using rapid fulfillment (same-day shipping) and dedicated account management — both core Gemplers differentiators — but serving a broader facility/operations buyer base.
- SiteOne Landscape Supply: SiteOne is the largest U.S. distributor of landscape supplies (irrigation, lighting, nursery, hardscape, tools) to professional landscapers. Comparable as a broad incumbent in landscape supply distribution with overlapping product categories (irrigation, tools, landscape supplies) and overlapping customer base (professional landscapers).
Direct peers
- Zoro Tools: Zoro is an e-commerce-focused industrial supplies retailer owned by Grainger, serving SMB and professional buyers across tools, safety, and facility categories. Directly comparable to Gemplers in go-to-market (pure-play e-commerce for professionals), with overlapping product categories and similar price points.
- A.M. Leonard: A.M. Leonard is a long-standing horticultural and nursery tools/supplies retailer serving professional growers, landscapers, and groundskeepers. Directly comparable to Gemplers' core segments (landscapers, nurseries, growers) with overlapping product categories in tools, pruning, irrigation, and propagation supplies.
- Ben Meadows: Ben Meadows (now a division of Forestry Suppliers) supplies professional-grade tools and equipment to forestry, landscaping, grounds, and environmental professionals. Directly comparable to Gemplers in customer base (outdoor professionals) and product mix (tools, safety, measuring, workwear).
- Forestry Suppliers: Forestry Suppliers is a long-established catalog and e-commerce distributor of professional forestry, environmental, surveying, and outdoor field equipment. Comparable to Gemplers in B2B distribution of professional outdoor tools and supplies to similar institutional buyers (universities, agencies, contractors).
- Greenhouse Megastore: Greenhouse Megastore is an e-commerce retailer specializing in greenhouse structures, benches, irrigation, and nursery supplies for commercial growers and hobbyists. Directly comparable to Gemplers' Greenhouses & Nurseries customer segment with overlapping irrigation, propagation, and shade cloth categories.
- Hummert International: Hummert International is a wholesale distributor of greenhouse, nursery, and horticulture supplies serving professional growers. Comparable to Gemplers in product categories (greenhouse supplies, irrigation, tools) and B2B/wholesale go-to-market for growers and nurseries.
Emerging players
- Arborwear: Arborwear is a niche workwear brand specializing in chainsaw protection, climbing gear, and outdoor work apparel for arborists and forestry professionals. Comparable as an adjacent specialty brand serving the same outdoor professional demographic Gemplers targets with its Workwear category.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gemplers social profiles
Digital presenceGemplers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gemplers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Gemplers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gemplers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gemplers
What does Gemplers do?
Gemplers is an e-commerce retailer and wholesale distributor that sells professional-grade tools, supplies, safety equipment, workwear, equipment, and facility solutions to outdoor professionals in landscaping, nursery/growing, golf course, municipal, university, and agricultural sectors. The company complements its product catalog with in-house custom workwear personalization (embroidery, heat press, laser etching), a B2B wholesale/distributor program, and a Shipping Saver annual shipping subscription, fulfilling orders from a single warehouse in Janesville, WI with same-day shipping on orders placed by 3pm CT.
Is Gemplers a public or private company?
Gemplers is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Gemplers founded?
Gemplers was founded in 1939. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Gemplers based?
Gemplers is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gemplers make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retail E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale/Distributor Program, custom Workwear Personalization and shipping Saver Subscription.
Who are Gemplers's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Grainger, ULINE and SiteOne Landscape Supply. Direct peers are Zoro Tools, A.M. Leonard, Ben Meadows, Forestry Suppliers, Greenhouse Megastore and Hummert International. Arborwear is listed as an emerging player.
Does Gemplers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gemplers.