Finding partners in tool and mould making: With an active sales department, toolmakers can effectively acquire customers with the right portfolio. For smaller companies in particular, however, the investment in a sales employee is often a not inconsiderable financial burden. In the future, it should also be possible without a sales department: The Toolplace platform helps its members gain more visibility and, conversely, ensures the right "supplier matches" for plastics processing companies.
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Christian Götze, founder and managing director of TOOLPLACE has over 10 years of experience in technology development and sales of injection moulds. |
The founder of Toolplace, Christian Götze, graduated in mechanical engineering and business administration and then gained 10 years of experience in development and sales at the Swiss high-tech toolmaking company GKTool. The 36-year-old wants to put this experience to good use: "There are often loose ends with both suppliers and buyers of injection moulds. Both industries are very close to my heart and I want to support them with what I do best. That's why I founded Toolplace."
Matching technology, matching partners
Toolplace is an online platform that connects plastics processors and toolmakers. Technological know-how, component size, experience with injection moulding materials or required certifications play a role. But regionality can also be a key criterion by which toolmakers are suggested to parts manufacturers looking for suppliers and vice versa. "The digitalization of the supplier search is a logical step in view of the current trend towards more and more virtual networking solutions," says Götze. "However, this by no means means that not the entire process has to be digital. Of course, the individual parties still have to discuss technical specifications with each other in person."
Competitive through more efficiency and visibility
"Toolplace can save companies a lot of work," explains Götze. "Not only are suitable partners already pre-sorted, but the specific enquiry process of an injection moulder, for example, can be completely structured and automated on the platform." This simplifies the creation or expansion of a supplier structure immensely. More efficiency – more competitiveness.
But saving time is not even the most decisive advantage, according to Götze: "Some companies have to turn down potential projects because they lack the right toolmakers. And to win them, the injection moulding company needs to find the fitting toolmaker fast." Toolplace is offering exactly this service. "Then it also becomes possible to setup a manufacturing company more broadly, to open up new industries and to get into OEM budgets," Götze is certain.
Secured know-how
Anyone who wants to register as a toolmaker with Toolplace must first fill out a checklist. Then the corresponding company is validated. "When Toolplace proposes a supplier, the plastics processor should also be able to rely on the fact that the potential partner can really do what he advertises. That's why there are audits in advance," Götze explains. During these audits, the engineer visits the company and interviews the responsible technical experts. For toolmaker side Toolplace is focused on toolmakers from Germany, Switzerland and Austria right now, but will expand in the coming years.
Online to the K-Fair
Toolplace can already be used by interested parties, and the platform will officially go online at the K trade fair in October. Götze will present his start-up in Düsseldorf with its own trade fair stand. "I've had the idea of founding Toolplace for a long time and I'm very happy that the time has finally come," says Götze. He already has plans to develop the platform further: for example, Toolplace is to open up to manufacturers of die-casting, stamping, bending and forming tools in the future.
