How does Drag, Drop, Source! work?

You upload your drawings and tell us about your project and we match it to relevant subcontract manufacturers who will contact you directly to discuss your opportunity.
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First of all, we believe you need to work directly with the manufacturers!

Unlike most on-demand manufacturing platforms, where you deal with the middleman instead of your supplier, we offer a transparent route for you to speak to the suppliers directly from the very start of your project through to delivery and aftercare. Helping you to form long-term partnerships with manufacturers you can trust to make your components and products. 

Here is a quick guide on how Drag, Drop, Source! actually works and when you are ready, start by uploading your drawings.

1. Upload Drawings & Post Your Project.

To start, simply upload your engineering drawings (CAD or PDF) into our Drag, Drop, Source! platform and describe your project: supplier location, approvals required, materials, batch size and frequency and lead times for example.

2. We'll Send It Onto Relevant Suppliers.

Once we have received your project you will be allocated one of our experienced Sourcing Account Managers, who will be on hand to help to identify the right type of manufacturing suppliers to send your opportunity onto. 

3. Start To Receive Contact And Quotes.

Interested suppliers will begin to contact you offering manufacturing advice where required, quotes and lead times. As you will be dealing with the suppliers directly you can go onto form long-term manufaturing partnerships.

100% Free From Start To Finish.

Qimtek is supplier-funded, meaning that there is absolutely no cost to use our sourcing service. We never charge you for finding new suppliers, nor do we take commission from either side on projects that you award to our suppliers in our network.

Qimtek - Upload your quotes Feature - All in one place

NEW FEATURE: All your quotes now in one place!

The sourcing platform now offers a new feature where suppliers can upload quotes and supporting documents all in one place, making it easier for buyers to access and manage their quotes.

  • Convenient and easy access to all supplier quotes and supporting documents in one place.
     
  • Simplifies the quoting process for buyers, eliminating the need to track down multiple quotes and associated information.
     
  • Increased efficiency and time-saving, allowing buyers to quickly compare quotes and make informed decisions.

A wide range of manufacturing capabilities:

Manufacturing in almost any material:

Mild Steel

Mild steel is a ferrous metal made from iron and carbon. It is a low-priced material with properties that are suitable for most general engineering applications. Our suppliers can machine all types of mild steel including EN24T, EN8, S275JR, EN3B, rebar 500B, EN1A, A142, A193, A252 & more.

Aluminium

Grade 1050 is the most common grade of aluminium sheet available in the UK, whilst grade 5251 is probably the second most popular grade of aluminium sheet used in the UK today. Our suppliers offer a wide range of services that cover all types of grades including 1000 series, 2000 series, 5000 series, 6000 series and 7000 series

Stainless Steel

We can put you in touch with suppliers who specialise in manufacturing stainless steel parts. Two of the most commonly-used stainless steels are grade 304 and grade 316, but our suppliers can also manufacture items out of grade 303, grade 306, grade 309, Duplex 2205 & more.

Plastics

We have a wide range of suppliers who can machine, mould or print plastic components from ABS, acetal, acrylic, nylon, foam, FEP, ETFE, polyethylene, polypropylene & PTFE.

Other Materials

Whilst the aforementioned materials are the most commonly-used when it comes to producing  components, we also have some suppliers who are capable of manufacturing using alloy steel, brass, bronze, cast iron, ceramics, copper, carbon steel, hastelloys, inconel, iron, nickel, titanium, wood & zinc.

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I have used Qimtek sourcing service several times, using a Non Disclosure Agreement and I must say, it works very effectively and does the job on sensitive projects. It saves us a lot of time as Qimtek collect the signed NDA's before releasing the drawings to potential suppliers to quote. I'm pleased with the responses coming back, and will be awarding my projects to Qimteks Supplier Members. I would highly recommend using Qimtek sourcing service with or without the nda, it's been successful everytime 

Design Engineer at Compak Ramps Ltd

"Qimtek offers a really good free service that keeps in touch with me when I need, and helps by sending information from possible suppliers, as well as finding additional suppliers (all within the UK) when my current supplier base can't manage the requirement. After having looked at similar services, the service offered by Qimtek is definitely the best in my opinion."

Buyer from Eskan Electronics Ltd

‘Working with Qimtek has been a very rewarding and beneficial partnership. We have managed to increase our supplier base significantly, which in turn, has enabled up to keep our customer’s lead times at a minimum. We started using Qimtek in 2017 and now worth of work with 10 different UK suppliers to date through the system. Using Qimtek means we no longer need to spend time researching and vetting suppliers - instead, we use this time to concentrate on other important tasks and I would definitely recommend using Qimtek.’

Buyer from Approved Hydraulics Ltd

Frequently Asked Questions:

How does it work?

Qimtek's sourcing service is designed to take the headache out of finding new engineering suppliers, making it a really simple way of sourcing for your subcontract projects. Simply upload your drawings using our online Drag, Drop, Source! service, or email them to [email protected]. Our sourcing account managers will then review your drawings and ensure that we have all the information we need, before compiling your project and sending it to relevant suppliers. From there, suppliers will contact you directly with their quote. The relationship is always kept directly between the buyer and supplier - we simply put you in touch with subcontract suppliers who can assist, saving you the time and hassle of contacting multiple companies individually.

Qimtek Vs On-Demand manufacturing platforms?

Most, not all on-demand platforms can often be a middle man that will put a mark up on your components. They will usually sub contract your parts out to be manufactured. In most cases you will not get to speak with the manufacturers directly which can cause difficulties when discussing complex projects. Qimtek is totally different. We put you in direct contact from the start so you can chat, form a relationship and grow your supply chain with the added bonus of not receiving quotes with mark up on your components or additionall subscription charges for using our Drag, Drop, Source platform. 

Why is the sourcing service free?

Qimtek is supplier-funded, meaning that there is absolutely no cost to use our sourcing service. Our supplier members pay a flat monthly subscription fee to receive and quote for projects - we never charge manufacturing buyers for finding them new suppliers, nor do we take commission from either side on projects that have been awarded to our members.

My projects are sensitive...

Not a problem! Qimtek is a closed network and our members are forbidden from sharing information with third parties by our terms & conditions. However, if you need a bit of extra security, we can attach a non-disclosure agreement to your project, which members will have to sign and return before gaining access to the drawings. We can accommodate your company's own non-disclosure agreement, or Qimtek has a standard NDA which can be used if you prefer. 

Do the quotes come directly back to us?

Yes! Your contact details will appear on your project so that suppliers can submit their quotes to you directly. This allows you to get an impression of the suppliers firsthand before placing your business. We will also specify on the project how you prefer to be contacted, whether by email or telephone.

My project is urgent, how quickly can we expect quotes?

Most of the projects published through our network receive quotes the same day - however, this can vary depending on the process, material and approvals you require. Non-disclosure agreements can also slow the response rate slightly. We always recommend giving suppliers at least a week to quote so that you can thoroughly benchmark the responses you receive. If you decide to move forward with a supplier within that time, then no problem - you can simply close the project through your online account.