DirectIndustry
DirectIndustry is a B2B online marketplace, part of VirtualExpo Group, connecting industrial equipment manufacturers with global buyers across 14+ verticals via a catalog of 550,000+ products and 2.7 million monthly visitors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersMarseille, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What DirectIndustry does
DirectIndustry is a B2B online marketplace that connects industrial equipment manufacturers with buyers worldwide, operating under the VirtualExpo Group umbrella from Marseille, France. Founded in 2000, the platform hosts a catalog of over 550,000 industrial products organized across 14 major category areas — including detection and measurement, robotics and automation, hydraulics and pneumatics, machine tools, food processing, packaging, and construction equipment — and attracts approximately 2.7 million monthly visitors. The platform supports nine languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian), providing global reach to industrial buyers and manufacturers.
The underlying technology is a conventional B2B e-commerce marketplace platform with product catalog browsing, category-based navigation, search functionality, manufacturer directories, RFQ (Request for Quote) submission, and complementary services including the mydirectindustry seller portal, PDF catalog hosting, a Projects showcase, Buying Guides, an E-Magazine, and a News & Trends editorial section. No AI/ML, API, or SDK capabilities are disclosed. The platform's distribution model is self-serve and marketplace-based: manufacturers subscribe to exhibit products directly, and buyers browse and initiate contact independently.
DirectIndustry's revenue model is built on recurring annual manufacturer exhibition and subscription fees, supplemented by premium placement and visibility services targeting manufacturers seeking higher exposure to the 2.7 million monthly buyer base. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The customer base is two-sided and horizontal: industrial equipment buyers (manufacturers, factories, industrial operations) source products on the platform, while industrial equipment manufacturers and suppliers pay to exhibit and generate leads. DirectIndustry employs a multi-channel marketing approach including its own e-magazine, newsletter subscriptions, and event sponsorships (e.g., the AIM 2025 forum in Marseille). The company has 101-250 employees and is privately held with no disclosed funding history.
DirectIndustry firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DirectIndustry
- Website
- https://directindustry.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- DirectIndustry is a B2B online marketplace, part of VirtualExpo Group, connecting industrial equipment manufacturers with global buyers across 14+ verticals via a catalog of 550,000+ products and 2.7 million monthly visitors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DirectIndustry industry classification
Industry- Product category
- B2B Industrial Equipment Marketplace
- NAICS
- Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4237)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)
- akta.pro primary industry
- B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms (BPAMAGAD)
Keywords
Where DirectIndustry is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marseille
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
DirectIndustry business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Manufacturer Exhibition Fees: Industrial equipment manufacturers pay subscription/exhibition fees to list their products on the DirectIndustry marketplace and reach buyers globally
- Marketplace Visibility Services: Premium placement and enhanced visibility services for manufacturers wanting increased exposure to the 2.7 million monthly visitors
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Manufacturer Exhibition Plans |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
DirectIndustry product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DirectIndustry operates a B2B online marketplace that connects industrial equipment manufacturers and distributors with buyers worldwide. The platform catalogs over 550,000 industrial products across 16 major categories including sensors, automation, robotics, laboratory equipment, motors, pumps, packaging, and machine tools, serving approximately 2.7 million monthly visitors. Manufacturers pay subscription/exhibition fees to list products and gain year-round visibility to global buyers.
Product overview
DirectIndustry is a B2B marketplace platform for industrial equipment operated by VirtualExpo Group. The platform connects industrial equipment manufacturers with buyers worldwide, offering a catalog of 550,000+ industrial products across 14 major category areas including Detection/Measurement, Metrology/Laboratory, Robotics/Automation/Industrial IT, Electricity/Electronics, Power Transmission, Hydraulics/Pneumatics, Materials/Tools, Machine-tools, Production Machines, Industrial Equipment, Food Industry, Packaging/Logistics/Handling, Health/Safety/Environment, and Building/Construction. The platform serves 2.7 million monthly visitors and offers multiple integrated services: the mydirectindustry seller portal for product exhibition, PDF catalogs for documentation hosting, RFQ (Request for Quote) functionality for procurement, News & Trends editorial content, an E-Magazine publication, New Products showcase, Projects section for industrial listings, and Buying Guides for buyer education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DirectIndustry Platform The B2B marketplace platform for industrial equipment connecting manufacturers with buyers, featuring 550,000 industrial products and 2.7 million monthly visitors across 16 product categories.
- mydirectindustry Seller portal allowing manufacturers to exhibit products and manage their presence on the marketplace year-round.
- PDF Catalogs Digital catalog hosting service at pdf.directindustry.com for manufacturers to publish and distribute product documentation.
- RFQ (Request for Quote) Request for Quote functionality enabling buyers to submit procurement inquiries directly to manufacturers.
Companies that use DirectIndustry
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
DirectIndustry technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
DirectIndustry partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- La TribunecoreLa Tribune co-organizes the AIM (Artificial Intelligence Marseille) forum with DirectIndustry e-magazine as media partner. The event takes place November 13-14, 2025, at Orange Vélodrome Stadium in Marseille, France, expecting over 3,000 attendees and 100+ speakers.
- BFM BusinesscoreBFM Business co-organizes the AIM 2025 forum alongside La Tribune with DirectIndustry as media partner. The event focuses on AI's economic, political, cultural, and societal impacts.
- Orange Vélodrome StadiumminorOrange Vélodrome Stadium in Marseille, France serves as the venue for the AIM 2025 forum, providing the event space for keynote speeches, panel debates, workshops, and hackathon activities.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DirectIndustry competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Global Sources: Global Sources operates B2B marketplaces (including specialized industrial platforms) connecting international buyers with Asian manufacturers. Comparable marketplace-based model with strong industrial equipment category overlap.
- Europages: Europages is a European B2B marketplace and directory focused on connecting buyers with manufacturers and suppliers across industrial sectors. Directly comparable in geography, business model, and category focus.
- ThomasNet: ThomasNet is a leading US-based B2B marketplace and supplier discovery platform for industrial products, with a very similar business model: manufacturers pay to list products, and industrial buyers browse and source suppliers. Direct competitor in the same category.
- Kompass: Kompass is a global B2B directory and marketplace connecting business buyers with suppliers across industrial and commercial categories. Closely comparable business model and target customer base as DirectIndustry.
- Made-in-China: Made-in-China.com is a major B2B marketplace focused on connecting global buyers with Chinese manufacturers, with significant industrial equipment and machinery categories. Directly comparable marketplace model.
Regional players
- TradeIndia: TradeIndia is one of India's largest B2B marketplaces covering industrial machinery, equipment, and supplies. Comparable marketplace model but primarily serves Indian manufacturers and buyers, making it a regional rather than direct global competitor.
Broad incumbents
- MSC Industrial: MSC Industrial is a large North American distributor of metalworking and industrial MRO products with a strong e-commerce platform. Competes for industrial buyer attention and procurement budgets, though primarily as a distributor rather than marketplace.
- Grainger: Grainger is a major industrial MRO distributor with an extensive online catalog serving businesses. While primarily a distributor rather than a marketplace, it competes for industrial buyer spend and increasingly offers marketplace-style third-party listings.
- Amazon Business: Amazon Business is the B2B procurement arm of Amazon serving enterprise and industrial buyers. While broader in scope, it competes directly for MRO, industrial supplies, and equipment purchases, leveraging Amazon's logistics and buyer relationships.
- Alibaba: Alibaba operates the world's largest B2B marketplace covering a much broader range of categories including industrial equipment and machinery. While vastly larger and more diversified, it directly competes for industrial product listings and buyer traffic.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DirectIndustry social profiles
Digital presenceDirectIndustry financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DirectIndustry leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
DirectIndustry funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DirectIndustry M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DirectIndustry
What does DirectIndustry do?
DirectIndustry operates a B2B online marketplace that connects industrial equipment manufacturers and distributors with buyers worldwide. The platform catalogs over 550,000 industrial products across 16 major categories including sensors, automation, robotics, laboratory equipment, motors, pumps, packaging, and machine tools, serving approximately 2.7 million monthly visitors. Manufacturers pay subscription/exhibition fees to list products and gain year-round visibility to global buyers.
Is DirectIndustry a public or private company?
DirectIndustry is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was DirectIndustry founded?
DirectIndustry was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DirectIndustry based?
DirectIndustry is headquartered in Marseille, France, in the Europe region.
How does DirectIndustry make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Manufacturer Exhibition Fees are the primary driver. The others are marketplace Visibility Services.
Who are DirectIndustry's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Global Sources, Europages, ThomasNet, Kompass and Made-in-China. TradeIndia is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are MSC Industrial, Grainger, Amazon Business and Alibaba.
Does DirectIndustry have an API?
No public API is recorded for DirectIndustry.
What industry is DirectIndustry in?
DirectIndustry's product category is B2B Industrial Equipment Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAGAD, B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms. Its NAICS code is 4237 and its SIC code is 5084.