Seekmake is one of the largest manufacturing directories.
The German company has been around since 2016, and provides a rather large database of manufacturing services. These include not only additive manufacturing, but also CNC milling and laser cutting operations.
The workflow involves a customer thatâs seeking part production looking through the directory to identify an appropriate manufacturing partner. From there Seekmake provides the ability to request quotes from the selected partners, and even a chat service.
This approach is somewhat different from other manufacturing networks that tend to hide their partners behind a single storefront. At Seekmake, however, manufacturing partners are front and center on the service. This encourages buyers to browse through alternatives and select the service they feel is most appropriate.
Seekmake doesnât exactly list how many partners are in Seekmakeâs network, but it appears there around 7,000 partners. The company believes it is the largest, saying:
âAs of 2023, SeekMake is the world’s largest manufacturing services network, specializing in 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC machining. We provide cutting-edge automation, powerful tools, and a user-friendly experience, setting new standards in the industry.â
Partners also carry a âstarâ rating as provided by customers, making the selection process a bit more reliable. Most entries encountered during my browsing session seem to have around four stars.
The rating system might make it more difficult for new partners. In my browsing I saw some partners with a few dozen ârequest proposalsâ, but far more with only one. It seems that it might be hard to be seen on Seekmake, but more about that in a moment.
Seekmakeâs monetization strategy is a bit different from their competitors as well. They have four tiers of partners.
Thereâs a free tier where manufacturers can sign up and be listed on their directory. However, there is a 7.5% surcharge on each sale.
There are three paid tiers, each of which eliminate the surcharge. The difference between the tiers seems to be around the services associated with transactions. One tier offers âenhanced exposureâ during buyer searches. Another offers âAI matching of client requestsâ, for example.
There are also âverifiedâ badges that appear at higher levels, but itâs not clear what this means and whether there is any actual validation process. The âUltimateâ level offers a âDistinct Verified Badgeâ.
The highest tier provides the best search results, along with access to a number of unnamed plugins that presumably make life easier for the manufacturing partner.
If youâre a smaller manufacturer thatâs looking for some additional business traffic, you might consider looking at Seekmake.
Via Seekmake