Thomas Register
The Thomas Register of American Manufacturers, now simply Thomas, is an online platform that helps people in the United States and Canada find suppliers and source products. It used to be famous as the “big green books” and the Thomas Registry, a large print directory that listed thousands of manufacturers, distributors, and service companies across many industrial categories. At its peak it filled 34 volumes and provided detailed product information.
Thomas Publishing started the Thomas Regional Directory Company in 1976. The regional guides appeared in print and on CD-ROM and covered local manufacturers, distributors, and maintenance and repair services in 19 regional editions across the U.S. Thomas Register and the regional guides began online access in the mid-1990s, and the print editions ended in 2006. The database moved online as Thomasnet, managed by Thomas Industrial Network, one of Thomas’ five business units. Thomasnet now offers company and product information, online catalogs, CAD drawings, news, press releases, and blogs.
In December 2021, Thomas was acquired by Xometry and continues as part of its network. Thomasnet is based in New York City. The New York Public Library named Thomasnet.com one of its Best of Reference sources in 2006, and it remains listed as a top site for industry information. Since 2010, Thomasnet has been a founding partner of GlobalTrade.net, a marketplace for international trade services. Thomasnet News, a publication from Thomas Publishing, started by delivering brief press-release summaries and grew to cover industry news in journals such as Industry Market Trends and other topics, including Green & Clean, Machining, Fluid & Gas Flow, Career, and Procurement. The company also runs the Industry Market Barometer, an annual survey of manufacturers about the industry landscape.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 01:26 (CET).