Thomas Register

{{short description|USA and Canada supplier and product sourcing online platform}} {{use mdy dates|date=July 2019}}  {{Infobox company | name = Thomasnet | former_name = ''Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers'' | image = ThomasRegister.png | image_alt = | image_caption = 1905 ''Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers'' | type = Subsidiary | industry = | predecessor = ThomasRegister.com | founded = {{Start date and age|1898}} | founder = Harvey Mark Thomas | defunct =  | fate = | successor =  | hq_location_city = New York City, New York | hq_location_country = United States<ref name=NYC1898.Forb/> | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Randy Altschuler, CEO | products = Online marketplace | owner =  | num_employees = | num_employees_year =  | parent = Xometry (2021-present) Thomas Publishing (1898-2021) | website = {{URL|http://www.thomasnet.com}} }} '''Thomas''' and '''Thomasnet''', formerly '''''Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers''''',<ref name=DIRnet.NYT>{{cite news|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/technology/navigator.html?_r |title=The New York Times Newsroom Navigator |author=Rich Meislin |date=February 7, 2007 |accessdate=July 3, 2019}}</ref> is an online B2B procurement platform for supplier and product sourcing in the U.S. and Canada.<ref name=NYC1898.Forb/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Magers |first=Ron |title=Libguides: Marketing Research: Home |url=https://libguides.wju.edu/c.php?g=819114&p=5845761 |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=libguides.wju.edu |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2015-06-02 |title=ThomasNet.com: Sourcing Solution for the Marine Industry |url=https://www.marinelink.com/news/thomasnetcom-sourcing392323 |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=MarineLink |language=en}}</ref> Its Thomas Network hosts over 500,000<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Brohan |first=Mark |date=2026-01-19 |title=Thomas rolls out AI search and performance-based ads to speed industrial sourcing |url=https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2026/01/19/thomas-ai-search-performance-based-ads-industrial-sourcing/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=Digital Commerce 360 |language=en-US}}</ref> vetted industrial product suppliers, distributors, manufacturers and service companies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2025-03-13 |title=ThomasNet Review |url=https://www.ecommerceunboxed.com/thomasnet-review/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=eCommerceUnboxed |language=en-US}}</ref>

Initially published in 1898, as ''Hardware and Kindred Trades'',<ref name=":1">{{cite news|newspaper=The New York Times|quote=it's a registry of companies and manufacturers|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/30/arts/art-architecture-representing-america-in-a-language-of-her-own.html|title=ART/ARCHITECTURE; Representing America in a Language of Her Own|author=Judith H. Dobrzynski |date=May 30, 1999}}</ref> ''The Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers'' began publishing in 1914,<ref name=":2" /> and became known as the '''Thomas Register''', the Thomas Registry, and the "Big Green Books".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> The company moved its database solely online in 2006, continuing as Thomasnet.com. It was acquired by Xometry in 2021.

==History== The books were first published in 1898<ref name=NYC1898.Forb>{{cite magazine|magazine=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonysilber/2018/05/31/from-old-school-to-cutting-edge-the-transformation-of-a-b2b-directory-company |title=From Old School To Cutting Edge: The Transformation Of A B2B|date=May 31, 2018}}</ref> by Harvey Mark Thomas, as ''Hardware and Kindred Trades. ''In its heyday, ''Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers'' was a 34-volume buying guide of detailed sourcing information on industrial products and service from thousands of manufacturers.<ref name=Cork.NYT>{{cite news|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/21/style/style-makers-pati-hillis-corkscrew-maker.html|title=Style Makers; Pati Hillis, Corkscrew Maker|quote=an encyclopedia of manufacturers|author=Kathleen Teltsh|date=April 21, 1991|accessdate=July 3, 2019}}</ref>

The Thomas Regional Directory Company began as a division of Thomas Publishing Company in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|website=ReferenceForBusiness.com |title=Thomas Publishing Company - Company Profile, Information |quote=Thomas Regional Directory Company Established, 1976-77 |url=https://www.reference4business.com/history2/9/Thomas-Publishing-Company.html}}</ref> Thomas Regional Industrial Buying Guides<ref name=RegionSrch>{{cite web|url=https://libraries.uky.edu/record.php?lir_id=440|title=Thomasnet Industrial Search (Thomas Register)|quote=directory of North American manufacturers; access by company name, product, service, or brand name.}}</ref> provided information, in print and on CD-ROM, on local OEMs, distributors, MRO services and other custom manufacturers in 19 regional editions, covering much of the U.S. It began offering Dialog access in 1984, and online access in 1995,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Womack |first=Ryan |title=WORLD WIDE WEB REVIEWS Thomas Register |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/action/cookieAbsent |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=www.tandfonline.com |doi=10.1300/J109v04n02_06}}</ref> as ThomasRegister.com.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=TOP STORY - Holst-Knudsen: ThomasNet Today |url=https://www.infotoday.com/it/jul14/Griffin--Holst-Knudsen--ThomasNet-Today.shtml |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=www.infotoday.com}}</ref>

Its 100th and final print edition was published in 2006, with its proprietary database moved fully online as Thomasnet.com,<ref name=":0" /> published and operated by Thomas Publishing subsidiary Thomas Industrial Network.<ref name=":3" /> The Thomasnet network expanded, adding online catalogs, CAD drawings,<ref name=":0" /> research, and news and analytics, becoming the largest industrial sourcing platform.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-20 |title=ThomasNet for Suppliers – A Close Review |url=https://homebusinessmag.com/businesses/business-spotlights/thomasnet-suppliers-close-review/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=Home Business Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":7" />

In April 2006, the New York Public Library (NYPL) named ''Thomasnet.com'' as one of its 25 Best of Reference sources for the reference librarian.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Best of Reference 2006: Flavors of Reference {{!}} The New York Public Library |url=http://www.nypl.org/branch/books/index2.cfm?ListID=300 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061104224421/http://www.nypl.org/branch/books/index2.cfm?ListID=300 |archive-date=2006-11-04 |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=www.nypl.org |language=en}}</ref> It remains listed among the NYPL's "Best of the Web" companies for industry information.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Best of the Web |url=https://www.nypl.org/weblinks/1382 |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=www.nypl.org}}</ref>

Since 2010, the company has been a strategic partner of GlobalTrade.net, a marketplace for international trade service providers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Delaney |first=Laurel |title=The Global Small Business Blog |url=https://www.globalsmallbusinessblog.com/2010/12/ |access-date=2026-05-09}}</ref> In 2017, it partnered with Dun & Bradstreet, developing Supplier Evaluation & Risk Reports to improve supplier risk assessments in procurement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bartolini |first=Andrew |date=2017-04-04 |title=Technology Round-Up - April 4, 2017 |url=https://cporising.com/2017/04/04/technology-round-up-april-4-2017/ |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=CPO RISING}}</ref>

In May 2021, the Thomasnet platform had over 500,000 suppliers and 1.3 million active registered users.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Ep. 122 – Using Thomasnet.com to Find Customers and Suppliers with Tony Uphoff – Today’s Machining World |url=https://todaysmachiningworld.com/thomasnet-suppliers-tony-uphoff/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=todaysmachiningworld.com}}</ref> That December, Thomas was acquired by Xometry,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=Xometry Acquires Thomas for $300M in Cash and Stock|url=https://www.industryweek.com/supply-chain/article/21183282/xometry-acquires-thomas-for-300m-in-cash-and-stock|access-date=2021-12-09|website=www.industryweek.com}}</ref> which operates the Thomasnet online Thomas Network; Thomas Marketing; and a news and analysis division, Thomas Insights.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-02 |title=Thomas Releases Statement about Proposed Changes to Buy American Act |url=https://retrofitmagazine.com/thomas-releases-statement-about-proposed-changes-to-buy-american-act/ |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=retrofit |language=en-US}}</ref>

A number of Xometry Marketplace features were integrated into the Thomasnet.com platform in 2022, including its instant quoting engine and Workcenter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wakefield |first=Edward |date=2022-06-29 |title=New digital products launched by Xometry |url=https://www.voxelmatters.com/new-digital-products-launched-by-xometry/ |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=VoxelMatters - The heart of additive manufacturing |language=en-US}}</ref> By 2024, the company was digitizing and introducing AI-powered searching.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=William |date=2024-02-29 |title=Xometry Appoints James Miln as Chief Financial Officer |url=https://www.citybiz.co/article/526359/xometry-appoints-james-miln-as-chief-financial-officer/ |access-date=2026-05-15 |website=citybiz |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Thomasnet International Organization for Standardization (ISO) American manufacturers database is included in the "Made in America Manufacturing Initiative" searchable portal launched by the Small Business Administration in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cronin |first=Kate |date=2025-07-03 |title=New SBA portal to connect business owners with local suppliers |url=https://www.wgcu.org/section/business/2025-07-03/new-sba-portal-to-connect-business-owners-with-local-suppliers |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=WGCU News {{!}} PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida |language=en}}</ref> In 2026, it launched AI-driven "smart search" and advertising tools to acelerate the industrial buying process.<ref name=":6" />

== Research == Thomasnet publishes industry research, white papers, a ''Thomas Insights'' daily newsletter, the Thomas Industry Update, and a weekly ''Thomas Index Report''.<ref name=":5" /> In 2000, Thomasnet News released ''Industry Market Trends'' (''IMT''), its first journal.<ref>{{cite book|title=Robots Are People Too: How Siri, Google Car|url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1440829462 |isbn=978-1440829468|author=John Frank Weaver|year=2013}}</ref> The ''IMT'' published editorials, interviews, and long-form journalism on issues ranging from career skills, developments in the industry, and discussions with leading experts. ''IMT Green & Clean'' was launched in response to the growing interest in green technology. In 2011, the ''IMT Machining Journal'' was launched followed by the ''IMT Fluid & Gas Flow Journal'', the ''IMT Career Journal'', and the ''IMT Procurement Journa''l. From 2010, it issued an annual ''Industry Market Barometer'' (''IMB'') survey.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Advertising Age|title=Thomasnet: Industrial sector confident of growth |url=https://adage.com/article/btob/thomasnet-industrial-sector-confident-growth/285221|date=July 15, 2011}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Authority control}} Category:American companies established in 1898 Category:Internet properties established in 2006 Category:Promotion and marketing communications Category:Online marketplaces of the United States Category:Directories Category:Marketing books Category:Manufacturing in the United States Category:Supply chain management Category:Industrial supply companies Category:Domain-specific search engines