West Bloomfield Township-based MachineTools.com, a business-to-business online marketplace for the machine tool industry, has announced the opening of international offices in Yancheng, China; Chennai, India; and Monterrey, Mexico.

The company said the openings will expand its international presence to meet the growing demand for international machine tool commerce.

“The markets in China, India and Mexico have experienced strong growth,” said MachineTools.com CEO and founder Stuart Carlin. “MachineTools.com’s presence in each location will not only help grow our international business but will also help clientele who use our site to buy and sell equipment on a global scale.”

Industry activity has been significant in all three markets:

The 2007 World Machine Tool Output and Consumption Survey reported one out of five machine tools produced in 2004 went to a Chinese factory while the United States Department of Commerce reported in 2006, the import of U.S. metal-cutting machine tools to China increased by 20.6 percent and metal forming machine tools increased by 40.3 percent.

The Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers Association report in 2004 more than 12,000 machine tools were imported, making the making it the largest import ever to the Indian market.

The 2007 World Machine Tool Output & Consumption Survey also reported Mexico imports more than 90 percent of its consumption of machine tools.

In addition to the multiple languages already available on MachineTools.com, the expansion will place knowledgeable employees in each location to execute the business model and to keep a pulse on the needs of each individual market. The in-market presence will also allow for the company to continue developing existing international relationships, identify regional trends, and create new business opportunities.

Founded in 1999, MachineTools.com has 100,000 registered users and more than 35,000 machine listings provided by more than 1,000 sellers. Every month, MachineTools.com receives 350,000 unique visitors from more than 80 countries. MachineTools.com also provides industry-relevant information such as an industry directory of companies, a job section, and listings of auction events, industry events and publications as well as multiple forums that provide industry professionals the opportunity to exchange information and discuss equipment. The site is also viewable in Chinese and Spanish to facilitate international transactions.