If you order sheet metal parts online, the providers look much the same at first glance: upload a file, see the price, order. Behind the interface, however, there are two fundamentally different business models – and they help determine how quickly your parts arrive, who answers your queries and who takes responsibility for quality. Laserteile Online is a direct manufacturer: laser cutting and press brake bending take place in the in-house production facility of fexon e.K. in Greiz, Thuringia (Germany), on our own machines. In this article we explain how the two models differ and what you gain by sourcing laser-cut parts direct from the manufacturer.
Two models: brokerage platform and direct manufacturer
Brokerage platforms accept orders through their website and pass them on to partner companies, which manufacture the parts. The platform handles pricing, payment and customer communication; production takes place at another company. The model is financed through a margin on the order. That can make sense, for instance when many different processes are to be offered from a single source.
Direct manufacturers produce the parts ordered themselves. The order goes straight to where the cutting and bending happen – with no additional stage in between.
Which model is behind an online shop is not always obvious at first glance. Useful clues are the legal notice, a stated production site and machine park – or simply asking directly where your parts will be made.
What an additional stage can mean in practice
Every time an order is passed on, there is one more handover point: the order has to be transmitted to the manufacturer and scheduled there, and queries about the drawing, material or deadline go back and forth between several parties. This can lengthen delivery times and slow down the resolution of queries. Responsibility is also divided: whoever accepts the order is not the one who manufactures the parts. And the brokerage service is paid for as part of the price. How much this matters in an individual case depends on the provider in question – but as a general rule, the fewer interfaces there are, the less can get lost along the way.
How Laserteile Online manufactures: our own machines in Greiz
At Laserteile Online, the entire chain from CAD data set to bent part is located at one site, on coordinated Bystronic technology:
- Bystronic ByStar Fiber fibre laser: laser cutting with sheet formats up to 3,000 × 1,500 mm, steel up to 20 mm, stainless steel up to 15 mm, aluminium up to 12 mm.
- Bystronic Xpert press brake: sheet metal bending with bending lengths up to 3 m and up to 150 t press force, with a 6-axis back gauge and live angle monitoring.
- Bystronic BySoft CAD/CAM software: checks the uploaded CAD data and translates it into the programs for the laser and the press brake.
Cutting and bending therefore happen under the same roof, based on the same 3D visualisation. Bend radii and flat patterns do not have to be coordinated between two companies.
The benefits of ordering direct from the manufacturer
- Short paths: your order goes to production planning without being forwarded to another company, and from there to the machine.
- Fast delivery: delivery times start at 2 working days. Standard materials such as steel, aluminium and stainless steel are almost always in stock in all thicknesses; when material is available, production sometimes starts within 24 hours. Same-day express production is available for a surcharge.
- Direct contacts from production: whoever calls or writes reaches the production team in Greiz directly – no ticket system, no call centre. Questions about feasibility, material or deadlines are resolved without detours.
- One party responsible for quality: whoever cuts your part also bends it. If something is not right, there is exactly one contact – and no passing back and forth between platform and manufacturer.
- No intermediary mark-up: for laser-cut and bent parts, no brokering party earns a share of your order. The price is made up essentially of material, machine time and the additional options you select.
To be clear: where we work with partners
Being honest also means saying where in-house production ends. There are two services we do not perform ourselves: powder coating is carried out by a partner company – the parts go there after cutting and bending and come back fully coated, which means around two weeks on top of the normal delivery time. Turned and milled parts are produced via a vetted partner network, with a delivery time from 10 working days. In both cases, Laserteile Online remains your contact for the entire order. Laser-cut blanks and bent parts, on the other hand, come exclusively from our own production.
Ordering direct from the manufacturer: how it works
You can see the price of your parts in the instant price calculator in around 60 seconds – no registration required. Upload your CAD file (DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES or STL), choose material, thickness and quantity, and you get the price straight from the manufacturer's own calculation. You can order from a single part; the minimum order value is €30 excl. VAT, excluding shipping. If you would like to see for yourself: find out more about our machine park and team on the About us page – a visit to the production facility in Greiz is possible on request.
Conclusion
Ordering online and buying from a direct manufacturer are not mutually exclusive. At Laserteile Online you get both: an instant price in your browser and laser-cut parts that are cut and bent on our own machines in Greiz. Short paths, fast delivery, contacts from production and clear responsibility for quality are not the promises of an intermediate stage, but the result of order handling and production sharing one roof.
Frequently asked questions
Does Laserteile Online manufacture all parts itself?
Laser cutting and press brake bending are carried out in-house on the Bystronic machines in Greiz. Powder coating is handled by a partner company, and turned and milled parts are produced via a vetted partner network. Either way, Laserteile Online remains your contact.
How can I tell whether an online provider manufactures itself?
Look for a stated production site, details of the machine park and the legal notice. If in doubt, simply ask where and on which machines your parts will be made.
Is a direct manufacturer automatically cheaper?
Not automatically. The price depends on material, thickness, geometry and quantity. With a direct manufacturer, however, there is no mark-up from a brokering party. The easiest way to compare is in the calculator with your own file.
Can I visit the production facility in Greiz?
Yes, a visit is possible on request. Get in touch by email at info@laserteile-online.eu or by phone on +49 3661 4557488 to arrange an appointment.