industrial machinery network

There is enormous latent supply of equipment and machinery in China across a wide range of industries. The amount of arbitrage happening in the China-to-US machinery and equipment space seems almost too significant to not be disintermediated. Why has no one been able to tap into it, especially the marketplace giants, Amazon and Alibaba?

High-Touch or Low-Touch?

One reason is the unique high-touch service needs of equipment and machinery industries. High-touch means that customer service issues are often more complex, but the business involves high value customers. In contrast, most consumer goods follow a low-touch customer model.

From operating call centers trained in technical advice and troubleshooting, to providing adequate after-sales maintenance and repair, the need for high-touch customer service from end to end is unavoidable in the world of big-ticket machinery and equipment purchases. Few Chinese manufacturers can afford to operate a dedicated US-based team to fulfill this for US customers.

If traditional cross-border intermediaries such as trading companies and OEM buyers can fill this need and profit handsomely, why couldn’t a horizontal marketplace platform step in and steal their thunder (along with billions of dollars of profit)?

As Alibaba and Amazon's marketplace platforms have been built out around consumer goods, these incumbent players follow highly entrenched low-touch service models. This because the relatively low value of consumer purchases prevent a high-touch model from ever being profitable. However, conversely, a low-touch model greatly limits these platforms’ ability to accommodate Chinese direct-selling of industrial equipment and machinery the same way they have – to an extent – for Chinese consumer goods.

One Man's "Innovator's Dilemma" is Another's...

It would go against Alibaba or Amazon’s core business models if they were to establish a dedicated after-sales service team to answer customers’ various technical industry-specific questions, much less provide on-site maintenance services. But that is exactly what is needed by Chinese industrial sellers in order to sell to the US.

A platform that provides high-touch English-language service is the very key that will unlock an enormous volume of latent supply. It is a key that may not seem intuitive at first due to the consumer models proven out by the giants, Amazon and Alibaba. But it’s one whose numbers make complete sense if you take a look at the US market from a buyer perspective, in conjunction with understanding the challenges and incentives from a Chinese seller perspective.

Toolots is happy to announce the addition of  a new vendor, Sharp Industries, to our e-commerce marketplace and Global Commerce Services initiative! Based in Torrance, California, Sharp manufactures and sells precision machine tools. Sharp’s products are currently available on Toolots.com for sale to customers located domestically in the U.S. and internationally in China.  

Sharp's premium vertical knee mill has more precise lateral movement and can work demanding jobs for longer periods of time.

With over 40 years of experience in the industry, Sharp has supplied over 150, 000 machines worldwide to a variety of businesses in need of quality equipment and tools. Sharp's products include manual and CNC machine equipment such as lathes, mills, saws, surface grinders, vertical and horizontal CNC machine centers, CNC boring lathes, OD grinders, and more. To reduce costly downtime and repairs, Sharp keeps a majority of replacement parts in stock and will ship within 24 hours after an order is placed. 

Sharp's manual precision lathe is equipped with a geared headstock and a triple bearing support system.

In addition to its manufacturing and shipping capabilities, Sharp strives to offer its customers exceptional after-sales services. Currently the company has network of over 200 service dealers offering technical support, accessories, and genuine spare parts. Sharp also offers a one year warranty for its products including digital read out controls, and a two year warranty on parts and labor for FANUC controls. Furthermore, Sharp is committed to providing its customers with the necessary knowledge and expertise to use its products as safely and efficiently as possible. Due to this, Sharp offers operators training, tooling advisory, CNC programming, and more through both its in-house teams and partnered service providers. 

Toolots is proud to offer our domestic and international customers manual and CNC precision machine tools through the inclusion of Sharp Industries! For purchasing information, please visit Sharp’s marketplace on Toolots.com. 

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SHENGYANG, Liaoning-September 21, 2017 -Toolots CEO Jason Fu met with Bi Chunguang, the president of Liaoning Chunguang Pharmaceutical Equipment Co., Ltd., at Qibaoshan Hotel in Sheyang Province on Thursday, to discuss business opportunities.  

Liaoning Chunguang Pharmaceutical Equipment Co., Ltd. is an award-winning manufacturer of packaging machinery, pharmaceutical machinery, and other equipment in Liaoning Province. They are a trusted brand of equipment used widely among manufacturers in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and household chemical industries. The company has five main product lines: liquid blowing potting automatic molding filling machinery, blister packaging machinery, automatic cartoning machinery, and automatic production line equipment, totaling more than 20 models overall. In addition to being a leading packaging machinery company in China, the company also exports to more than 60 countries in Southeast Asia and Europe. Customers include many well-known pharmaceutical companies in China, including Yunnan Baiyao, Tongrentang, Harbin Pharmaceutical Group, and Tasly Pharmaceutical. 

Chunguang mentioned that the pharmaceutical packaging industry in the US lags behind that of several other top economies like Germany, but that means room for improvement and therefore great opportunity. 

Toolots CEO Jason Fu (right) with Bi Chunguang of Liaoning Chunguang Pharmaceutical Equipment Co., one of the industrial suppliers slated to expand into U.S. exports using Toolots.

"To me this represents a collaborative effort, not only in regards to sales, but also in terms of development strategy for mutual growth," said Chunguang during the meeting. He also embraced Toolots' product display center concept in California, where flagship products are shown to prospective U.S. customers hoping to familiarize themselves with various product lines. Chunguang will be the first vendor to sell pharmaceutical packaging machinery on the platform. The machines manufactured by Chunguang will be vital to U.S. SMEs seeking to seal and protect their products from contamination or exposure during processes such as distribution, storage, and sale prior to their use. However, Chunguang's packaging machines also allow businesses to reduce their labor, improve productivity, and protect their workers from handling materials that may be hazardous or adversely affect their health.  

Toolots will hold its Second Annual China-US Manufacturing Exchange Summit in China from November 12-14, 2017, to which Chunguang is invited, along with several other medical equipment manufacturing companies from China and the U.S. For additional information on the Summit, or to RSVP, visit our Eventbrite page here. 

To view a Chinese version of this article, please click here.

Toolots is pleased to announce the addition of a new vendor, Conquest Industries, to our E-Commerce marketplace and Global Commerce Services initiative! Conquest’s headquarters and manufacturing plant are located in a 43,000 square foot building in Santa Fe Springs, California. Conquest’s products are currently available on Toolots.com for sale to customers located domestically in the U.S. and internationally in China.

Conquest Industries' CutterMaster, versatile and easy to use.

For the last thirty eight years, Conquest has proudly manufactured quality equipment, tools, and supplies for the woodworking and metalworking industries. Products currently sold by the company include a variety of specialty metals, drill grinders, tool and end mill sharpeners, spindle line boring machines, Magnum vises, and more. In addition to their woodworking and metalworking product lines, Conquest also has an inventory of over 7,000 parts for repairs and provides excellent technical assistance to support each customer’s individual needs.

Toolots is happy to offer our domestic and international customers woodworking and metalworking machines, equipment, and tools through the inclusion of Conquest Industries. For purchasing information, visit Conquest Industries’ marketplace on Toolots.com.

Toolots works our vendors partners, like @ConquestInd to ensure our entire team has product knowledge on all items we sell. #woodworking pic.twitter.com/OQk66z1giz

— Toolots (@ToolotsUS) August 11, 2017

About Toolots

Toolots, headquartered in Cerritos, California, offers an online marketplace and international distribution channel for factory-direct industrial tools, machinery, and manufacturing technology. Our user-friendly platform provides fast, easy access to high-quality, affordable equipment for manufacturers. More than a simple distribution channel, Toolots provides comprehensive services for companies around the world who produce the  industrial machinery and equipment we sell, helping streamline the marketing, omni-channel sales, warehousing, fulfillment and after-sales service. On the customer end, Toolots simplifies the purchase, delivery, installation and warranty of industrial technology, machinery and components, and upholds product quality through a vetted network of vendors and service technicians. The company’s dedication to fostering international trade relations passes on cost savings to the consumer, contributes to reduced downtime, improves productivity and expands a manufacturer’s reach. Toolots has strategically located warehouses, showrooms, and offices across the United States, China and as of May 2017, has expanded into Taiwan. For more information visit us online at www.toolots.com.

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Toolots is happy to announce the addition of a new vendor, Helmel Engineering Products, Inc., to our E-Commerce marketplace and Global Commerce Services initiative. Based in Niagara Falls, New York with an office in Anaheim, Calif., Helmel Engineering designs, manufactures, sells, and services coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and software for use in the automotive, aerospace, and general manufacturing industries. Helmel’s products are currently available on Toolots.com for sale to customers located domestically in the U.S. and internationally in China.

Originally founded in 1973 as Helmel Engineering Co in Rochester, New York, the company assisted in the design of General Motors automatic assembly lines, and completed machine customization for large printing companies such as Xerox and Kodak (Helmel). Now Helmel’s CMMs are built using a proprietary mechanical bearing system which is extremely useful for design and production applications requiring a high level of reliability. Furthermore, Helmel specializes in surface grinding straightness which increases consistency and allows the company to build CMMs with higher levels of accuracy. To optimize the precision and proper use of their machines, Helmel uses lasers to calibrate machines before shipment, and sends in-house technicians and engineers to perform machine installation and product training.

Toolots is excited to offer our domestic and international customers quality CMMs and software through the inclusion of Helmel Engineering. For purchasing information, visit Helmel Engineering Product, Inc.’s marketplace on Toolots.com.

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CERRITOS, California - June 22, 2017 -  Toolots, Inc., a Southern California-based online marketplace for advanced manufacturing technology, is delighted to announce the addition of Tekscope lab equipment to their growing online marketplace. Offering a range of microscopes, imagers, and pedagogic kits, these products bring new technology and solutions for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries.

The Tekscope M2-1B-E200 monocular compound microscope has interchangeable WF10X and WF25X eyepieces, a 45-degree incline and a 360-degree rotation head for comfortable viewing. This microscope and many others are in stock and ready to ship from our California headquarters.

By partnering with Tekscope to provide reliable laboratory equipment at competitive prices, Toolots further expands into new categories of manufacturing products to supply domestic and international companies with cutting-edge technology.

A wide range of types of microscopes are in stock now and ready to ship on Toolots.com, with both compound and stereo magnification capabilities and built-in cameras. With a magnification of up to 100x, stereo microscopes are typically used to view specimens visible to the naked eye and many industries use these scientific tools to ensure the quality of their products. The textile industry utilizes microscopes to source the best materials for their products, for example, while the electronics and watchmaking industry use the tools for small parts assembly. Many others in the industry use these items for final inspection before shipment and delivery. From beginning to end, this equipment is used to guarantee a standard of excellence for each industry.

Offering powerful options, Tekscope supplies compound microscopes with magnification ranging from 4x to 100x, and Toolots is proud to offer these competitively priced systems. Capable of seeing cell structures, this type of equipment is most often utilized in the medical and education industries providing academic institutions with standard research and learning tools.

For added power, Toolots also has in stock a trinocular series with magnification capabilities from 40x to 1600x, complete a Kohler illumination system with a 3W LED. Complete with a 3MP digital camera with 40x magnification and a 0.37x reduction lens to provide a field of view similar to the microscope eyepiece, this product is capable of streaming live videos to a computer or projector. Used to research microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, and more, these products help to deliver new medical treatments and technologies that benefit millions of people.

Toolots is deeply committed to providing the medical industry with the products needed to propel research and increase biomedical innovation, all at affordable prices and with equipment in stock at its Cerritos, Calif. headquarters. This dedication is visible through a recurring initiative to bring together manufacturers from the U.S. and China, most recently via the 2nd Annual US-China Manufacturing Exchange Summit. Co-hosting the September 2017 event, taking place in Yuyao, China, is the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Medicines & Health Products (CCCMHPIE), the leading and most influential national trade association in China responsible for governing the import and export of all medicine and health-related products.

Focusing on improving international trade relations and streamlining industry innovation and cross-border growth, the summit will continue dialogues between U.S. and Chinese manufacturers interested in expanding their distribution or operations overseas. These dialogues are an incredible opportunity to learn about how to sell U.S. products into the Chinese medical device market, or simply learn what it takes to sell your products effectively on the Asian market. With personalized matchmaking of U.S. and Chinese manufacturers, as well as roundtable discussions with international trade experts, manufacturers, associations, and industry-related government officials, attendees will have the chance to develop strong relationships, learn about successful  and enter or expand their international commerce and economic growth.

The event will be held Sept. 24-26, 2017, at the prestigious Grand Pacific Hotel in Yuyao, China. If you have any questions or would like to discuss logistics for you, your company or industry colleagues interested in learning more, please contact Toolots Director of Public Affairs Chris Foy at cfoy@toolots.com or call (844) 844-5867. For the latest updates about the event, visit us online at http://www.toolots.com/summit2017.

About Toolots

Toolots, headquartered in Cerritos, California, offers an online marketplace and international distribution channel for factory-direct industrial tools, machinery, and manufacturing technology. Our user-friendly platform provides fast, easy access to high-quality, affordable equipment for manufacturers. More than a simple distribution channel, Toolots provides comprehensive services for companies around the world who produce the  industrial machinery and equipment we sell, helping streamline the marketing, omni-channel sales, warehousing, fulfillment and after-sales service. On the customer end, Toolots simplifies the purchase, delivery, installation and warranty of industrial technology, machinery and components, and upholds product quality through a vetted network of vendors and service technicians. The company’s dedication to fostering international trade relations passes on cost savings to the consumer, contributes to reduced downtime, improves productivity and expands a manufacturer’s reach. Toolots has strategically located warehouses, showrooms, and offices across the United States, China and as of May 2017, has expanded into Taiwan. For more information visit us online at www.toolots.com.

CERRITOS, Calif. – May 31, 2017 – YuuTool, a smartphone application developed by Toolots to revolutionize the way industrial machinery users service their equipment, has officially launched and is now available for free download in both the App Store and Google Play Store. The new platform allows users within the manufacturing community to connect with quick access to repair services, and discuss innovations within the industry, individual projects, machinery tips or best practices to complete the job at hand. By connecting users of industrial machinery with qualified service technicians in a similar manner to the way Uber connects those in need of a driver with a quick, affordable ride, YuuTool brings people together.

YuuTool uses geolocation data to identify locally available technicians for industrial machinery repair as well as open jobs for those same professionals.

The primary focus of YuuTool is to provide quality repair service for machinery owners and open new work opportunities for technicians, all based on a user’s relative GPS location through the Finder Feature. Machinery owners can post maintenance or repair work requests, which are visible to technicians who may then view and bid on each request. Technicians searching for local jobs to complete can view posts and submit quotes,

YuuTool users can also find technicians or jobs using the app's list function in addition to searching based on the user's current location. Open jobs or work requests are publicly available to decrease operational downtime and generate new revenue for machinery technicians in the United States.

decreasing operational downtime for machinery users. Through an interactive chat function, machinery users are able to record video and submit photos of a machinery or equipment problem to solicit more accurate estimates, as well as possible solutions that may be able to solve the problem remotely. Technicians can even save videos to sell as solutions for common machinery problems for users to implement on their own, or feature them on their profile to demonstrate their expertise.

In addition to simplifying repair services for machinery owners and technicians, YuuTool offers a variety of functions for daily use that connect the manufacturing industry. The Industry News Feature is updated regularly to showcase recent industry innovations, new product lines, press releases, and relevant industry events like upcoming trade shows and networking opportunities. Users looking for troubleshooting tips, general manufacturing discussions, or to share industry knowledge can use the interactive Forum Feature and join the discussion. The app’s Marketplace Feature operates similar to classified ads, allowing any app users wanting to buy or sell used machinery, components, or accessories to trade within their local community.

Users can also connect with other individuals or businesses through YuuTool, and may save contacts using the Friends Feature. Via the Messenger Feature, users have the ability to communicate with their new network and expand their contacts within the manufacturing community. YuuTool connects people for much more than simply industrial machinery repairs, but also for general discussion to guide the next job, a marketplace to sell used machines and components and networking to better support the United States’ growing manufacturing community. YuuTool is available for free downloaded today in the App Store and Google Play Store. Users can login using existing LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google + accounts, or create a non-linked account for sign-in purposes.

YuuTool includes a Marketplace for users to purchase or sell used machinery, equipment and components. Think of it like a classified ads section that is always current.

As a bonus to demonstrate our commitment to quality service, Toolots is offering an extra one-year parts warranty for free to users who register for YuuTool and purchase products through Toolots. That is in addition to the standard one-year parts warranty already offered by Toolots. Join the growing YuuTool community today, at no cost, via the App Store and Google Play Store.

For more information about YuuTool or to give us feedback, please email us at info@yuutool.com or call (562) 653-4165. To stay up to date with the latest news and updates regarding the app and its features, be sure to follow YuuTool on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About Toolots

Toolots, headquartered in Cerritos, California, offers an online marketplace and international distribution channel for factory-direct industrial tools, machinery, and technology. The user-friendly platform provides fast, easy access to high-quality, affordable equipment to manufacturers. Toolots provides comprehensive services for companies around the world who produce industrial machinery and equipment, helping streamline the marketing, omni-channel sales, warehousing, fulfillment and after-sales service. On the customer end, Toolots simplifies the purchase, delivery, installation and warranty of industrial technology, machinery and components, and upholds product quality through a vetted network of vendors and service technicians. The company’s dedication to fostering international trade relations passes on cost savings to the consumer, contributes to reduced downtime, improves productivity and expands a manufacturer’s reach. Toolots has strategically located warehouses, showrooms, and offices across the United States, China and as of May 2017, has expanded into Taiwan. For more information visit us online at www.toolots.com.

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To sign up for Toolots' free webinar for manufacturers on May 19, please RSVP via email to cfoy@toolots.com

Toolots engineers install a robotic device on a plastic injection molding machine to greatly speed up production.

CERRITOS, Calif. – May 15, 2017 – Toolots, Inc., a Southern California-based online marketplace for the latest industrial equipment, machinery and technology, invites interested biomedical and advanced manufacturing companies to join a no-cost educational webinar on the market conditions and outlook for original American products in mainland China. The webinar takes place Friday, May 19 at 1 p.m.

As the company’s US-China Medical Device Summit approaches, taking place June 28-30, in Ningbo, China, the Cerritos-based company invites any interested firms, executives and representatives to participate in the second webinar in the series. Attendees will discover on the ground conditions in China, and learn how the online marketplace and the comprehensive services offered to Toolots partners can give companies a leg up in the market for innovative medical products. During the seminar, you will learn about the growing demand for US-manufactured medical devices, how much more Chinese customers are willing to pay for foreign-made health products, devices and advanced technology, and hear how your company can gain by attending the US-China Medical Device Summit next month.

The US-China Medical Device Summit will be hosted by the leading national trade association in China for medical devices and biomedical products, and is co-hosted by Toolots. Toolots invites your participation Friday in our no-cost online seminar to learn more. To sign up for the webinar or for additional information, please contact Toolots Director of Public Affairs Chris Foy at cfoy@toolots.com. Private consultations are also available to explore how Toolots can help your company break into the lucrative Chinese market and elsewhere in the region, where Toolots has a growing international footprint.

Toolots is excited to announce the addition of a new vendor, Saw Trax Manufacturing, to our growing E-Commerce marketplace. Based in Kennesaw, Georgia, Saw Trax manufactures a complete line of panel saws capable of cutting glass, mat, aluminum and other commonly used materials. According to the company’s website, Saw Trax’s most popular product is their innovative series of vertical panel saws, but they also offer other specialized hand cutting and table top cutting tools, as well as saw kits, dolly carts and coro claws.

Saw Trax, based in Kennesaw, Georgia, manufactures an innovative line of panel saws.

Saw Trax was founded in 1988 by Michael Della Polla, who was unsatisfied with the existing design of cutting guides used in conjunction with circular saws. A few short years later, and Saw Trax was manufacturing panel saw kits based on an original design that has been continually improved upon since 1996, according to the company’s website. Each and every piece of Saw Trax equipment is manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Georgia.

The Saw Trax 1000 Series of panel saws includes many standard features plus an accessory package that offers operators ease of use and convenience.

Saw Trax proudly states their vertical panel saws are “truly the best in their class,”pointing to proprietary, innovative features including a steel bearing system, patented alignments using the Accu-Square Alignment System, and a range of inserts allowing users to cut nearly any kind of sheet goods, all with one saw.

Saw Trax products will be available for purchase by U.S. consumers on Toolots.com in the coming weeks. Toolots is pleased to offer our domestic customers new, quality saws and other cutting tools for the sheet metal industry with the addition of Saw Trax to our roster of vendors, and continue growing our list of “Made in USA” suppliers. For purchasing information, please check back at a later date to visit the Saw Trax marketplace on Toolots.

Los Angeles-based tech developer CybEye, Inc. helps to revamp and build out second iteration of YuuTool app

CERRITOS, Calif. - April 14, 2017-  Toolots announced it will be releasing the latest version of their smartphone companion app, YuuTool 2.0, May 2017 on iOS and Android platforms. New features of the app will include an optimized Finder component for locating nearby equipment services and repair, a simplified user-friendly platform, live video calls between customers and technicians for more accurate repairs, quotes, and a web based version to be released by Summer 2017.

YuuTool 2.0’s new sleek design and enhanced capabilities are made possible through a mutual partnership with CybEye, Inc., a Torrance-based computer software company founded in 2011 by Chief Executive Officer Bing Liu. CybEye produces inventive mobile video-messaging apps used in a variety of industries including, but not limited to, entertainment, business, and education. A physical representation of the Company’s ingenuity can be found in their three granted patents, with additional 11 currently pending approval.

"CybEye is extremely excited to collaborate with Toolots on building YuuTool 2.0 as a versatile mobile app platform that connects global Toolots customers with qualified service technicians based on their current location, set up jobs for on-site maintenance, perform remote repair through one-to-one video call and record repair sessions as training material,” Liu said. “YuuTool 2.0's primary objective is to streamline after-sale servicing process and establish a productive mobile community for Toolots customers and technicians alike.”

Jason Fu, chief executive officer of Toolots, added he is “thrilled to be partnering with CybEye to refine our YuuTool 2.0 app and enhance the overall user experience.” As a whole, Fu explained that Toolots’ goal as a company has always been on streamlining industrial e-commerce between the U.S. and China to build lasting relationships and promote mutual economic growth. Fu stated, “By connecting the manufacturing community through our new user friendly app we believe this will be possible, and will result in a strong manufacturing community supporting one another.”

The full list of YuuTool 2.0’s improved features, as well as the app’s release date for the App Store and Google Play respectively  will be released soon. To stay up to date, follow Toolots on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn or check out our Blog.

For information about YuuTool, contact Grant Montgomery via email at gmontgomery@toolots.com or (562) 653-4165 by phone.

About Toolots

Toolots, headquartered in Cerritos, California, offers an online marketplace and international distribution channel for factory-direct industrial tools, machinery, and technology. The user-friendly platform provides fast, easy access to high-quality, affordable equipment to manufacturers. Toolots’ comprehensive services streamline the purchase, delivery, installation and warranty of industrial technology, machinery and components, and uphold the quality of important goods through a vetted network of vendors and service technicians. The company’s dedication to fostering international trade relations passes on cost savings to the consumer, contributes to reduced downtime, improves productivity and expands a manufacturer’s reach. Toolots has strategically located warehouses, showrooms, and offices across the United States, as well as in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. For more information about Toolots, visit their website at www.toolots.com.

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