Industry giants partner with startup Maketime to bring tech, hardware and services to U.S. manufacturers

Kentucky-based startup MakeTime announced the launch, and participating industry partners, of the MakeTime Shop Advantage Program. The first-of-its-kind program is designed to make technology, sophisticated hardware and business services more accessible to the U.S. manufacturing base, which contributes over $2 trillion to the U.S. economy annually.

Initial partners include: global 3D design software developer, Autodesk; supplier of cutting tools and tooling solutions, Sandvik Coromant; multinational computer technology company, Dell; supply chain cost reduction company, Transportation Impact; and manufacturing financing partner, Manufacturers Capital, a division of Commercial Credit Group Inc.

MakeTime describes itself as a company that "streamlines the production of CNC machined parts. Powered by data and the nation’s largest network of qualified and connected suppliers, MakeTime radically compresses the manufacturing timeline, creating a reliable path to CNC machining production that is fast, intuitive and cost-competitive."

According to Jeff Rizzie, Director of Digital Machining for Sales Area Americas at Sandvik Coromant, “Partnering with MakeTime on their newly-launched Shop Advantage Program makes a lot of sense. We are both focused on driving out the waste that exists in today’s manufacturing supply chains. Providing easy access to Sandvik Coromant’s industry leading metal cutting solutions and know-how through the MakeTime platform enables their suppliers to provide world class machining services.”

“We are delighted to be partnering with MakeTime,” said Robert Yancey, Director of manufacturing industry strategy and business development at Autodesk. “The Shop Advantage Program provides Autodesk with a great opportunity to expose the industry to the latest manufacturing software and technology to help MakeTime’s supplier network solve their current business challenges and further their capabilities in manufacturing.”

Todd Pritts, Chief Product Officer at MakeTime, says that manufacturers have historically experienced barriers to adopting new technologies and processes. MakeTime’s program will help machine shops bridge the technology gap faster and facilitate a more productive American manufacturing workforce.

“MakeTime’s mission has always been to refuel U.S. manufacturing. We started by building technology that makes it easier for manufacturers to get parts made with American suppliers,” said Pritts, “now we can go one step further and provide American suppliers access to the tools they need to get ahead, and stay ahead, of the technology curve in the global manufacturing climate.”

Through the Program, machine shops will be given access to special offerings for cutting tools, CAD/CAM software, computer hardware, CNC machine tool and manufacturing equipment financing and more.

The Shop Advantage Program is exclusive to qualified members of MakeTime’s network of over 1,000 U.S.-based machine shops. All machine shops based in the U.S. are eligible for qualification when they create a free account on MakeTime.

Information provided by MakeTime Inc.