For 50 years, Tarheel Electric Membership Association (TEMA) has been a cornerstone of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives, providing the essential materials that help all 26 co-ops deliver reliable, affordable power to more than 2.8 million North Carolinians, while also supporting eight member co-ops in Virginia and one in Maryland.

Over the past half century, the non-profit service company has supported co-ops around the clock, whether through storms, shipping out vital supplies during hurricanes and winter weather, or providing the latest technology cooperatives need to maintain systems and prepare for growing energy needs.

TEMA, material supply division, was established in 1976 to give cooperatives collective buying power to purchase items in bulk and use on demand. The warehouse has grown into a 112,000 square foot operation that offers a diverse inventory of 1,500 product variations, shipped out to three different states.  

“There’s a lot of people that came before us to help lay the groundwork, and it’s a privilege to be part of that legacy and carry the mission forward,” said Matt Mulhollem, director of purchasing at TEMA, who has worked at the company for 26 years. “One of the things that has remained constant here for everyone is keeping the co-ops top of mind. Our motivation is service, not maximizing profits or sales, but focusing on the members and their needs.”

Serving 35 cooperatives across three states is a tall task for TEMA, and with that demand comes a constant flow of materials moving in and out of the facility.

“Over the last two months we’ve exceeded 2 million pounds of product out of the warehouse, which is the first time in history that we’ve shipped back-to-back months of that amount,” said Jason Caudle, COO of TEMA. “Year to date we’ve shipped more than 10 million pounds out of the warehouse.”

Mulhollem says much has changed since he started in early 2000 when TEMA was originally located on Tar Heel Drive. He recalled the rows of file cabinets that housed all their paper records and doing inventory at night with a flashlight after a busy workday. Today, he says they have leveraged technology to help maximize capacity, increase head count, and go paperless, along with expanding access to more manufacturers.

At a time when affordability is top of mind for both cooperatives and member-consumers, TEMA plays a vital role in helping co-ops keep costs down. As a subchapter T cooperative, TEMA returns patronage to its member cooperatives, meaning a percentage of what cooperatives spend is paid back. That commitment to affordability goes beyond patronage, extending to how TEMA works to keep the cost of essential materials and supplies low for its members.

“Availability is big for affordability,” said Caudle. “Having the material when you need it to keep the meter spinning is especially important. We have a diverse portfolio of manufacturers that we work with, along with buying in bulk to help keep prices lower.”

That commitment to cooperatives extends beyond day-to-day operations, carrying through when storms hit and reliable support matters most.

“Our goal is to always have stock to support multiple members throughout a weather event,” said Caudle. “We also assist with crew movement for cooperatives in need. When co-ops call us, we work to coordinate and bring in mutual aid crews from across the state and throughout the eastern United States.”

With 50 years of history now behind the organization, Caudle says he looks forward to what’s ahead and the next 50 years.

“The rural population is expected to continue growing in our area, and we’ll need to expand both our workforce and our efficiencies,” Caudle said. “It’s an exciting time to be in this industry with so much growth happening in rural North Carolina. Our job is to help cooperatives prepare for that growth and ensure members have access to reliable electricity as the state moves forward.”

ABOUT TEMA

Tarheel Electric Membership Association (TEMA) is a cooperative organization that provides materials and supplies needed to operate and maintain the electric system. It is owned by its members, electric cooperatives in North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.