The ''Thomas Register of American Manufacturers'', now ThomasNet,
is an online platform for supplier discovery and product sourcing in the US and Canada. It was once known as the "big green books" and "Thomas Registry", and was a multi-volume
directory of
industrial product information covering
distributors
A distributor is an enclosed rotating switch used in spark-ignition internal combustion engines that have mechanically timed ignition. The distributor's main function is to route high voltage current from the ignition coil to the spark plugs ...
,
manufacturers and service companies within thousands of industrial categories that is now published on ThomasNet.
History
The books were first published in 1898
by Harvey Mark Thomas as ''Hardware and Kindred Trades. ''In their heyday, ''Thomas Register of American Manufacturers '' was a 34-volume, 3 section buying guide offering sourcing information on industrial products and services, along with comprehensive specifications and detailed product information from thousands of manufacturers.
The Thomas Regional Directory Company began as a division of Thomas Publishing in 1976. Thomas Regional Regional Industrial Buying Guides
provided information in print and on CD-ROM, on local OEMs, distributors, MRO services and other custom manufacturing services in 19 regional editions covering much of the United States. Thomas Register and Thomas Regional were available online from the mid 1990s. The company stopped publishing its print products in 2006.
Thomas moved its database
online
In computer technology and telecommunications, online indicates a state of connectivity and offline indicates a disconnected state. In modern terminology, this usually refers to an Internet connection, but (especially when expressed "on line" o ...
as ThomasNet, published and maintained by Thomas Industrial Network, one of Thomas’ five business units. ThomasNet has expanded to provide not only product and company information, but also
online catalogs,
computer-aided design (
CAD) drawings,
news
News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different media: word of mouth, printing, postal systems, broadcasting, electronic communication, or through the testimony of observers and witnesses to events. N ...
,
press releases
A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release. Press releases are also considere ...
and
blogs.
In December 2021, Thomas was acquired by
Xometry.
Thomas Publishing Company, LLC
Thomas Publishing Company, LLC
of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
has been
privately held since its inception. It used independent representatives to sell advertising space around its listings in print products like the Thomas Register and the Thomas Industrial Regional Directories, and these representatives continue to sell Internet related products to manufacturers, distributors, and other companies.
ThomasNet
ThomasNet is an information and technology company based in New York City.
[ In April 2006 the New York Public Library named ''ThomasNet.com'' as one of it]
25 Best of Reference
sources for the reference librarian, and is currently listed in thei
Best of the Web
list for Industry Information.
Since November 2010, ThomasNet has been a founding partner of GlobalTrade.net, a marketplace for international trade service providers.
ThomasNet News
ThomasNet News is a product of Thomas Publishing Company, LLC. ThomasNet News was introduced with “the mission of delivering timely, new industrial product information covering the whole range of products …” It manually reviews press releases submitted through the website and publishes with a small description in one of 51 different categories.
In 2000, ThomasNet News released Industry Market Trends (IMT), its first Journal. In the ''IMT'', editors published editorials, interviews, and long form journalism on issues ranging from career skills, developments in the industry, and discussions with leading experts. Soon after, IMT Green & Clean was launched in response to the growing interest in green technology and its impact on the world. In 2011, the IMT Machining Journal was launched followed by the IMT Fluid & Gas Flow Journal, the IMT Career Journal, and the IMT Procurement Journal.
Research
Starting in 2010, ThomasNet began reaching out to its database of manufacturers to get a better understanding of where the community was, where their shortcomings were, and where they saw the landscape going in the future. This yearly survey is called the Industry Market Barometer.
References
External links
* {{Official website
Promotion and marketing communications
Marketing books
Directories