Lead generation
Ken is our productLead Generation for Manufacturers
Ken's database lists 285,290 companies that fit the buyer profile for manufacturers, as of Oct 17, 2026. With a typical deal of $20,000-$200,000 (estimate) and that many buyers, volume outbound in Campaigns fits best.
Buyer counts come from Ken's company database. Ken is our product.
Search These Buyers in Ken
In short 285,290 companies in Ken's database match this buyer filter, as of Oct 17, 2026.
Ken Search
Query
US companies with 11-5,000 employees that buy from manufacturers: wholesalers and distributors, retailers, other manufacturers (OEMs) and construction firms.
- Companies in Ken's database
- 285,290
- 11-50 employees
- 221,178
- 51-200 employees
- 48,666
- 201-500 employees
- 9,586
Snapshot of Oct 17, 2026, refreshed weekly. Counts only, no company records.
Who Buys From Manufacturers?
In short OEMs that need machined, fabricated, molded or electronic parts buy from contract and component manufacturers, where engineering approves the supplier and procurement places the purchase order.
| Buyer trait | Typical buyer |
|---|---|
| Industries | Industrial machinery manufacturing, Medical equipment manufacturing, Aviation and aerospace component manufacturing, Motor vehicle manufacturing, Electrical equipment manufacturing, Defense and space manufacturing |
| Company size | 51-200, 201-500, 501-1,000, 1,001-5,000 employees |
| Titles to contact | Strategic Sourcing Manager, Commodity Manager, Procurement Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Manufacturing Engineer, Director of Engineering |
How Many Buyers Can You Reach?
In short 285,290 companies in Ken's database, as of Oct 17, 2026.
285,290 companies in Ken's database match the buyer filter for manufacturers as of Oct 17, 2026. The filter: US companies with 11-5,000 employees that buy from manufacturers: wholesalers and distributors, retailers, other manufacturers (OEMs) and construction firms.
These are companies in Ken's database (250M people and 24M companies), not every company that exists. The count refreshes weekly.
| Employees | Companies | Share of buyers |
|---|---|---|
| 11-50 | 221,178 | 77.5% |
| 51-200 | 48,666 | 17.1% |
| 201-500 | 9,586 | 3.4% |
| 501-1,000 | 3,172 | 1.1% |
| 1,001-5,000 | 2,688 | 0.9% |
Companies in Ken's database. Bands come from each company's listed employee count.
Plays That Work
In short 5 outbound plays for manufacturers, each tied to a trigger you can spot.
| Play | Channel | Trigger | Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production moving to the US | The OEM announced a new US plant or said it is moving production back to the US. | Write to the Strategic Sourcing Manager about quoting the parts the OEM is moving away from an overseas supplier, with your lead time and capacity in the first email. | |
| Example first lineSaw that [Company] is moving production of its housings to the US, and we machine aluminum and steel parts like these from existing drawings. | |||
| Open RFQ or sourcing event | The OEM posted an RFQ, a supplier registration call or a sourcing event for a part family you make. | Write to the Commodity Manager for that category, name the part family and process you run, and ask to be added to the bid list. | |
| Example first line[Company] has an open sourcing event for sheet metal enclosures, a part family we build for OEMs today, and we would like a spot on the bid list. | |||
| New product introduction | Email and LinkedIn | The OEM announced a new product line or posted jobs for new product introduction engineers. | Write to the Manufacturing Engineer or Director of Engineering on the new program and offer design-for-manufacturing notes before drawings are frozen. |
| Example first line[Company] is hiring engineers for a new product line, and we send design-for-manufacturing notes on molded parts before you cut tooling. | |||
| Second source for single-source parts | The OEM posted a supplier quality or supplier development job, or disclosed a recall or shortage tied to a purchased part. | Write to the Supply Chain Manager offering to qualify as a second source on a part that has one supplier today. | |
| Example first lineIf [Company] has parts that depend on one supplier, we can run a first article on one of them so you have a qualified backup on file. | |||
| New certification | Email and LinkedIn | Your shop earned a certification the OEM requires from suppliers, such as AS9100, ISO 13485 or IATF 16949. | Write to the Procurement Manager at OEMs in the industry the certification serves, because it makes you eligible for parts you could not quote before. |
| Example first lineOur shop just completed AS9100 certification, so we can now quote [Company]'s machined aerospace parts that require it. | |||
Campaigns or 1:1 Accounts?
In short With 285,290 buyers and a typical deal of $20,000-$200,000 (estimate), volume outbound in Campaigns fits best.
| Check | Manufacturers | Points to Accounts (Coming) when |
|---|---|---|
| Typical deal (estimate) | $20,000-$200,000 (first-year purchase orders from one OEM customer), midpoint $110,000 | Over $15,000 |
| Buyer companies in Ken's database | 285,290 | Fewer than 25,000 |
| Suggested lane | Campaigns | Both checks pass |
Ken's estimate: one OEM moving one to three part numbers to you in the first year, from a prototype order up to a production run. It assumes a small or mid-size program; a full program award can run far higher.
Ken's view: when one deal is worth more than $15,000 and there are fewer than 25,000 buyers, each account is worth researching and writing to one by one. Otherwise volume wins: a Campaign of short email and LinkedIn sequences reaches more of the market for the same effort.
Objections
In short What buyers tend to say back to manufacturers, and how to answer.
| Objection | How to answer |
|---|---|
| We already have qualified suppliers for that. | That makes sense for parts that run well. Send one drawing where a backup quote would help, and we will return lead time, price and a first article plan so you have an option on file. |
| Qualifying a new supplier takes too long. | Start with one low-risk part number. We will handle the first article inspection and the paperwork your quality team asks for, and you decide on more parts after that run. |
| You will cost more than our overseas supplier. | On unit price we might. We will quote landed cost, including freight, duties and lead time, on one part so you can compare the full number. |
FAQ
How do manufacturers get clients?
In Ken's view, most contract and component manufacturers win work through existing OEM accounts, engineers who bring them along when they change jobs, trade shows and supplier portals. Outbound reaches OEMs before an RFQ goes out, when they announce a new product, a new plant or a move away from an overseas supplier.
Should we email engineering or procurement at an OEM?
Both, with different messages. Engineers decide whether your shop can make the part, so lead with tolerances, materials and design feedback. Procurement and commodity managers run the RFQ, so lead with capacity, lead time and delivery record.
Is reshoring bringing new work to US suppliers?
The Reshoring Initiative counted 244,000 US manufacturing jobs announced through reshoring and foreign direct investment in 2024, led by computer and electronics, electrical equipment and transportation equipment. Plants that move or open in the US often look for suppliers near them, which makes announced projects a good place to start your list.
How long does it take to win an OEM account?
Plan for a long cycle. The OEM has to send drawings, compare quotes, review a first article and approve you as a supplier before production orders start, so a small first order on one part is the fastest way in.
What does the CAN-SPAM Act require of a cold email?
In the US, the CAN-SPAM Act covers commercial email, and the FTC says it makes no exception for business-to-business email. Its requirements: no false or misleading header information, no deceptive subject lines, identify the message as an ad, include your valid physical postal address, tell recipients how to opt out, honor opt-outs within 10 business days, and monitor anyone who sends email on your behalf. Other countries have their own rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do This in Ken
Find These Buyers in Ken
Open Ken Search with the buyer filter for manufacturers, narrow it to your territory and best-fit size, then send the plays above as a Campaign over email and LinkedIn.
- Search companies with this filter: US companies with 11-5,000 employees that buy from manufacturers: wholesalers and distributors, retailers, other manufacturers (OEMs) and construction firms. Searching is free.
- Narrow the list to your territory and size band, then pick the titles to contact: Strategic Sourcing Manager, Commodity Manager, Procurement Manager.
- Find valid emails at 1 credit ($0.02) each and add the list to a Campaign.
- Module
- Ken Search
- Open in Ken
- /waitlist
- API
POST /v1/search/companies- MCP tool
search_search_companies- Cost
- Free to search, 1 credit ($0.02) per valid email
The new Ken opens to the waiting list in batches.
Related
Sources
| Source | Checked |
|---|---|
| Reshoring Initiative, 2024 Annual Report | |
| FTC, CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business | |
| Ken pricing (credit costs) |
Changelog
- Page published.