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MiMfg Magazine
September 2019
Locate Your Next Partnership with
the Manufacturers Marketplace
By Jennifer Littlepage • National Association of Manufacturers
Imagine this: with the simple click of a button,
your business is suddenly connected to thousands
of other manufacturers across the United States,
each one a potential new partner. Manufacturers
looking to expand and diversify their supply chains;
manufacturers looking to source locally; manufacturers
looking for a partner just like you. Welcome to the
world of the Manufacturers Marketplace.
Born in response to requests made by hundreds
of small to mid-sized manufacturers, having
membership in the National Association of
Manufacturers (NAM) and many state associations,
the Manufacturers Marketplace was soft launched
in Fall 2017. The collective appeal from the group
being that engagement would be greatly enhanced if
members could connect to the larger manufacturing
industry. The Marketplace is a place to “be found”
— a place to expand visibility and improve your
bottom-line — a community of your peers.
At its core, the Manufacturers Marketplace
operates like most digital buyer-to-buyer platforms
and is available to manufacturers — not consultants
or third-party vendors — with primary headquarter
operations in the United States, including Puerto
Rico, with no limits on company size or industry
sector. The Manufacturers Marketplace freely
welcomes all and embraces the diversity of its
subscription holders. Most of all, the Manufacturers
Marketplace values those with a commitment to NAM
and its state affiliates: members of these associations save
nearly 80 percent off the non-member subscription rate.
All initial users of the Marketplace are given a
complimentary 30-day period to try before they buy,
and experience all of its benefits before being
charged. During this period, they are encouraged to
fill out their company profile completely, including
social media links and graphics.
The Manufacturers Marketplace may be
searched by the following areas:
Once logged-in, a dashboard feature allows
subscribers to keep track of profile views. Because
the Manufacturers Marketplace was not only built
for manufacturers, but by manufacturers using regular
feedback and guidance, the platform is fluid and
flexible. Many enhancements are based directly on
manufacturers’ demand.
The road map for the future includes an
augmented focus on establishing community.
Through planned enhancements like a chat feature
and search notification alerts, the Manufacturers
Marketplace is poised to take its users along a
journey that serves to connect the entire industry,
bridging geographical gaps to improve fiscal
bottom-lines and share best practices.
Whether a business is in year one or year 100;
whether owned by a veteran or family-run; whether
steel drums or ball bearings are produced — the
Manufacturers Marketplace looks to continue to
drive the growth of manufacturing, not as individual
companies but as an industry of partners.
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Jennifer Littlepage is manager for the Manufacturers
Marketplace with the National Association of
Manufacturers. She may be reached at 202-637-3059
or [email protected].
• Geography;
• Product offerings;
• Processes;
• Equipment;
• Certifications;
• Various code components
Get More!
The Manufacturers Marketplace connects
MMA members to a comprehensive national
database of possible supply chain partners.
Find out more at mimfg.org or contact MMA’s
Elizabeth Maciejewski, at 517-487-8542 or
[email protected], to get started.