We’re all celebrating over here at DirectIndustry because we’ve reached 20 years of successful work with our loyal clients!
The idea of DirectIndustry was born out of a simple observation: companies and buyers lacked efficient tools to help them in their search for information, equipment, and industrial components. In 2000, our CEO, Corentin Thiercelin launched DirectIndustry, a sourcing tool specialized in the industry.
For 20 years, DirectIndustry has been successfully supporting the online B2B development strategy of its 38,000 exhibitors. Among the major brands that trust us are Bonfiglioli, Schmersal, Stäubli, and Kuka. We thank them and many others for their continued loyalty!
What are the major evolutions on DirectIndustry?
The DirectIndustry you know today has come a looong way from when it was first launched online in 2000.
- For example, your back-office interface has definitely had major evolutions.
Today, we have an interface that allows you to modify your own stand as you feel necessary. 20 years ago, our DirectIndustry team was the one who had to modify each and every stand. The client would send us an excel table with the products to upload or modify along with the definition and pictures they wanted with it. At that time, the connections weren’t as fast and there weren’t all the solutions we have today to transfer heavy files, so sometimes clients would send us burned CD ROMS and we even had clients so resistant to technology that they would send us images by fax— completely unusable at the time!
- A PDF catalog search was also implemented to DirectIndustry.
Clients were then able to ensure that they would have maximum visibility on their products thanks to buyers being able to use specific keywords and phrases to search and find specific products in an online catalog that was filled with many other products and information. We believe this improved the user experience on DirectIndustry for both potential buyers and DirectIndustry clients.
- The possibility to upload videos on client stands was also developed.
This made the experience of visiting a client’s stand so much more engaging and interactive. Videos allowed website visitors and potential customers to see the product in action.
- i-NOVO stickers were created to distinguish the newest and innovative products among our clients on DirectIndustry.
You can still find those on certain products today!
- The client online stand also developed in the sense that eventually multiple product lines could be displayed, adding more rich content to our website.
Finally, there’s also a lot more content developed on our site to explain and guide website visitors on how to use our website as well as content for potential clients who wish to exhibit their products on DirectIndustry.
These are just some highlights of past developments that have marked the history of DirectIndustry— but it has definitely not stopped there!
So, what’s in the future for DirectIndustry?
On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, DirectIndustry is writing a new page in its history. The leader in industrial online trade shows is evolving its historical basis towards B2B marketplaces. By next summer, the DirectIndustry platform will become a marketplace.
We’re looking forward to continuing to grow with you and giving you the best experience possible on DirectIndustry. Thank you for your continued loyalty!
