MaterialsNow

What MaterialsNow does

MaterialsNow operates a free, self-serve B2B web marketplace that connects buyers of metals and raw materials with a pre-vetted network of hundreds of suppliers. The platform's core product is a simplified Request-for-Quote (RFQ) submission flow: a buyer submits a single RFQ describing a material need (alloy, grade, dimensions, quantity) and receives multiple competing quotes from suppliers in the network, which the buyer can compare side-by-side. The company emphasizes that transactions occur directly between buyer and supplier with no middleman involvement, positioning the platform as an aggregation and discovery layer rather than a transacting intermediary.

The underlying technology is a standard web-based RFQ form and quote-management interface with no disclosed API, integrations, or automation beyond form-based submission. The primary proprietary asset is the curated supplier directory, which the company claims was built over 50+ years of collective sourcing experience and covers nearly every metal and material category. There are no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, patents, or technology partnerships.

The business model is not explicitly monetized. Buyers use the platform free of charge with no credit card or commitment required, and no subscription tiers, transaction fees, or premium features are disclosed. The company appears to operate as an independent private entity (founded 2021, based in Alexandria, VA, 1-10 employees) with no disclosed funding rounds, investors, management team information, or revenue. The primary customer segment is horizontal — SMB and mid-market manufacturing buyers seeking price and delivery comparison for metals, alloys, and industrial materials.

Name

MaterialsNow

Legal name

MaterialsNow

Website

https://new-get.materialsnow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MaterialsNow is a free, self-serve B2B web marketplace where manufacturing buyers submit a single RFQ and receive competing quotes from a curated network of hundreds of vetted metals and materials suppliers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Materials Sourcing Marketplace

NAICS

Plastics Materials and Basic Forms and Shapes Merchant Wholesalers (42461)

SIC

Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030)

akta.pro primary industry

Metals, Plastics & Fabrication Materials Marketplaces (CRAFAHAN)

Keywords

• Materials sourcing
• Supplier marketplace
• Metals procurement
• Industrial sourcing
• RFQ platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Free Platform Access: MaterialsNow provides free platform access to buyers submitting RFQs. The company appears to be free to use with no credit card or commitment required. Revenue model is not explicitly disclosed in the source material — the platform may monetize through supplier relationships, premium services, or alternative mechanisms not described.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MaterialsNow operates a free web-based marketplace platform that allows buyers to submit a single Request for Quote (RFQ) for metals and materials and receive multiple competing quotes from a curated network of hundreds of vetted suppliers. Customers can compare quotes on the platform and then work directly with their chosen suppliers, with no middleman involvement in the transaction.

Product overview

MaterialsNow offers a single unified platform for sourcing metals and materials. The core offering is the MaterialsNow RFQ Platform, which allows users to submit one RFQ and receive multiple quotes from hundreds of vetted suppliers. Users can compare quotes directly on the platform and contact sources directly without middlemen. The platform is free to use with no credit card or commitment required.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MaterialsNow RFQ Platform A free online marketplace platform where buyers submit a single Request for Quote (RFQ) for metals and materials and receive multiple competing quotes from a network of hundreds of vetted suppliers. Buyers compare quotes on the platform and then work directly with chosen suppliers, with no middleman involvement. It is intended for manufacturing and fabrication businesses sourcing raw metals and materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average of 10-51 source matches per RFQ, with 8-20 quotes delivered per request

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DirectIndustry: DirectIndustry is an international B2B marketplace for industrial equipment, components, and materials, providing product listings and RFQ functionality for buyers in manufacturing and industrial sectors. It is comparable to MaterialsNow as a self-serve buyer-supplier connection platform targeting industrial procurement professionals.
• Xometry: Xometry operates an AI-driven on-demand manufacturing marketplace that connects buyers with vetted suppliers for custom parts, fabrication, and materials. Its Instant Quoting Engine and supplier marketplace model closely parallel MaterialsNow's RFQ-and-quote workflow, though Xometry focuses more on finished parts and CNC/3D printing services than raw materials.
• ThomasNet: ThomasNet (Thomas Publishing) is the dominant North American B2B industrial sourcing platform, connecting buyers with vetted manufacturers and suppliers across metals, fabrication, and industrial categories. It is the closest direct competitor to MaterialsNow's RFQ aggregation model, with a much larger established supplier directory and buyer base built over decades.
• Kompass: Kompass is a global B2B sourcing directory and marketplace connecting buyers with suppliers across industrial categories, including metals, plastics, and raw materials. It targets the same procurement-buyer pain point MaterialsNow addresses — finding and vetting suppliers — and offers RFQ functionality alongside its supplier database.
• Hubs (Protolabs Network): Hubs, formerly 3D Hubs and now part of Protolabs, runs a global manufacturing marketplace aggregating vetted suppliers for CNC, injection molding, sheet metal, and 3D printing. It directly competes with MaterialsNow for the buyer's first-stop custom sourcing workflow, using an instant-quote model that is conceptually identical to MaterialsNow's RFQ aggregation approach.
• Global Sources: Global Sources operates a Hong Kong-headquartered B2B marketplace connecting international buyers with manufacturers and suppliers, including metals, materials, and industrial inputs. While its geographic and product breadth is much larger than MaterialsNow, it competes for the same manufacturer-buyer RFQ workflow and supplier-discovery use case.

Emerging players

• MetalMiner: MetalMiner is a specialized metals sourcing intelligence platform offering pricing data, market analysis, and supplier connections for industrial metals buyers. It overlaps with MaterialsNow's buyer persona (manufacturing procurement professionals sourcing metals) but focuses more on pricing analytics and news than on RFQ aggregation and supplier matchmaking.

Broad incumbents

• W.W. Grainger: Grainger is a Fortune 500 industrial supply distributor offering millions of MRO and OEM products including metals and raw materials through digital catalogs, branches, and procurement integrations. It serves the same industrial buyer persona as MaterialsNow but as a much larger incumbent with proprietary inventory, established contracts, and enterprise procurement system integrations.
• McMaster-Carr: McMaster-Carr is a decades-old industrial supply giant with an unmatched catalog of metals, fasteners, and raw materials sold direct to buyers. While it serves the same end-customer need for fast industrial sourcing, it is a retailer/distributor with proprietary inventory rather than a marketplace, so it competes with MaterialsNow as a default alternative for routine materials.
• Alibaba: Alibaba is the world's largest B2B marketplace, with extensive metals, alloys, and fabrication material supplier listings and built-in RFQ functionality targeting global buyers. While its scope dwarfs MaterialsNow, it competes for the same cross-border industrial sourcing workflow, particularly for buyers seeking multiple competitive quotes from a large supplier pool.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/materialsnow
• Facebookfacebook.com/MaterialsNowDotCom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/materialsnow

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MaterialsNow