To book meetings with manufacturers and distributors, call the person who owns the problem on site (plant, operations or maintenance manager) and find out early whether procurement or a general manager signs off. Call after the shift start and morning production meeting, avoid shutdowns and month end, open with a specific operational reason, and build your list site by site.
Industrial buyers are hard to reach by email and LinkedIn, and many of them spend the day on the floor. That makes the phone the most direct route, as long as your caller understands how plants and distributors run. This guide is for suppliers of equipment, parts, consumables, industrial software, maintenance services, safety and training, and for brands looking for new distributors. It is part of our series on booking meetings by industry; see also our outbound for manufacturing and distribution page.
Who decides when you sell to manufacturers?
The person who owns the problem on site usually starts the conversation, and someone else often signs. In owner-run businesses that is the owner or general manager; in larger groups it is procurement or a national operations lead.
| Role | What they own | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|
| Owner or general manager | Final sign-off in small and mid-sized manufacturers | Direct line, or a callback booked through reception |
| Operations director or plant manager | Output, cost, safety and site priorities | Site number, after the morning production meeting |
| Maintenance or engineering manager | Equipment, reliability, spare parts and shutdown work | Site number, away from breakdowns and shutdowns |
| Procurement or purchasing manager | Supplier panels, pricing and contracts | Once there is interest; ask how suppliers get approved |
| Supply chain or warehouse manager | Inbound materials, storage and dispatch | Site number, after the first dispatch |
| Quality or safety manager | Compliance, audits and incident follow-up | Direct line; often a strong second contact |
Ask early: "Is this something you'd decide on, or does it go to procurement or the GM?"
How is selling to distributors different?
A distributor buys to resell, so the conversation is about their customers and their margin, not their own operations.
| Role at the distributor | What they care about |
|---|---|
| Owner or general manager | Which supplier lines to add, margin and risk |
| Purchasing or category manager | Stock turns, pricing, supply reliability and minimum orders |
| Sales manager | Whether the team can sell it and customers are asking |
| Branch manager | Local demand and what walks through the door |
A good opening question for a distributor: "Which lines are your trade customers asking for that you can't supply well at the moment?" If you are recruiting resellers rather than distributors, our guide to booking meetings with MSPs and resellers covers the partner conversation.
When is the best time to call manufacturers?
In our experience, mid-morning after the shift start and morning production meeting, or early afternoon away from shift handover. That is experience, not data, so always use a callback time the manager gives you.
- Avoid the first hour of a shift. Plant and maintenance managers are setting up the day and dealing with overnight issues.
- Avoid shift handover. On two- and three-shift sites it is one of the busiest times for supervisors.
- Plan around shutdowns. Many plants run planned maintenance shutdowns and end-of-year closures. Ask when the next one is, then call before or after it, not during.
- Avoid month end and stocktake for procurement and distributor purchasing teams.
- Stay within telemarketing hours. In Australia, telemarketing calls can only be made 9am to 8pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm on Saturday, with no calls on Sundays or national public holidays, even if the site starts at 6am. This is general information, not legal advice.
Our best time to cold call guide covers the general windows.
How do you get past the switchboard or site reception?
Treat headquarters and the site as two routes. The site tells you who runs operations; headquarters gets you to procurement and the general manager.
- At the site: "Hi, it's Sam from (company). I'm trying to reach whoever looks after maintenance on site. Is that (name), and when are they usually off the floor?"
- At headquarters: "I'm calling about how your sites handle (problem). Who looks after that across the business, operations or procurement?"
- When asked what it's about: "It's about unplanned downtime on your packaging line. Is (name) the right person, or does that sit with engineering?"
Our guide to getting past the gatekeeper has more lines.
What opener works with plant and operations managers?
Lead with a specific operational reason and ask who owns it. Industrial buyers respond to plain language about a real problem.
"Hi Mark, it's Sam from (company). I'm calling because you've added a second production line at the Dandenong site, and when plants scale up a line, spare parts and maintenance planning usually get stretched. Are you the right person for that, or is it your maintenance manager?"
Why it works: the trigger is public, recent and specific to his site, so Mark knows the call isn't random. The question gives him an easy way to route you if he isn't the owner. Good triggers include a new site or line, a new contract win, hiring for maintenance or quality roles, an expansion announcement or a move into a new product category.
What objections will you hear from manufacturers and distributors?
Mostly about existing suppliers, approved supplier lists and timing.
| Objection | What it usually means | What to say |
|---|---|---|
| "We already have a supplier for that." | No active pain, or switching feels risky | "Most sites I call do. When is that agreement next reviewed, and is there anything it doesn't cover well?" |
| "You'd need to be on our approved supplier list." | Procurement controls the process | "Understood. How does a supplier get approved, and who runs that?" |
| "There's no budget until next financial year." | Timing, not a no | "When does the budget get set? I'd like to be in that conversation." |
| "Just send me something." | A polite exit, or genuine interest without time | "Happy to. So it's relevant, is it more about downtime or cost for you, and is this the best email?" |
| "That gets decided centrally." | The decision is made at headquarters | "Thanks. Who there looks after it, and is it worth you joining the call?" |
Our guide to cold call objection handling scripts covers more responses.
How do you build a list of manufacturers and distributors?
Build it site by site, not just company by company. The decision maker for a plant is often not at headquarters, and one company can have several sites with different needs.
- Define your ideal customer profile. Industry, site type, size, equipment or product lines and regions. Our ICP framework works here.
- Find the companies. Industry association member lists, trade directories, trade show exhibitor lists, government supplier panels and LinkedIn company searches.
- Find the sites. Company websites, distributor and dealer locators, and job ads that name a site.
- Find the people. LinkedIn for operations and procurement roles, then confirm names, roles and direct lines by phone where online data is thin.
- Wash the list. Check numbers that may be personal, such as mobiles, against the Do Not Call Register before you call.
How do you follow up a "not now" from a manufacturer?
Note the reason and the date, then run a two-week cadence that respects shifts. "Not now" usually means "not until the review", "not until after the shutdown" or "not until budget".
- Same day: a short email confirming what they told you and when to call back.
- Day two: connect on LinkedIn with operations and procurement contacts; many plant staff don't check it, so don't rely on it.
- Day four: call at the time they said was quiet, with one new relevant point.
- Day seven: call a second contact at the site, such as maintenance or quality.
- Day ten: email one question about their next review, shutdown or budget date.
- Day fourteen: a final call, then a CRM task for the date they gave you.
What counts as a qualified meeting with a manufacturer?
A meeting with someone who owns or influences the decision, at a site you can serve, with a stated problem or review date. Write the definition down before launch.
We usually check the site and its scale, the current supplier or approach, the problem and its cost where they'll share it, timing, and who signs off. Our guide to how an outbound agency defines a qualified meeting has template wording. If you also sell into logistics, see our guide to booking meetings with logistics managers.
Is it legal to cold call manufacturers in Australia?
Generally, yes. Calls to business numbers are generally not restricted by the Do Not Call Register, but a mobile mainly used for personal reasons can be registered, so wash your list. The Telecommunications (Telemarketing and Research Calls) Industry Standard 2017 sets calling hours and requires callers to identify the business and enable calling line identification. Follow-up emails must meet the Spam Act 2003. Our Australian cold calling laws guide has more detail. This is general information, not legal advice.
Should you book meetings with manufacturers in-house or outsource it?
In-house if your sales team has time to prospect and knows the sites; outsource if they are tied up in quotes, trials and existing accounts.
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| In-house | Deep product and technical knowledge, existing relationships | Prospecting stops when quotes and trials take over |
| Outsourced | Daily calling around shifts, site-level list building, weekly reporting | Needs a clear brief on which sites you can serve, and a minimum term |
How does Nousu compare?
Nousu Collective runs phone-first outbound with senior callers, all working in-house in Sydney. We build site-level lists in-house, call plants and distributors daily around their shifts, follow up by email and LinkedIn, and hand over each meeting with notes on the buying process. Pricing is starting at $7,000 a month (ex GST), with the exact fee quoted after a 30-minute call. The initial term is 3 months, then rolling monthly, and first calls go out within 2 weeks. Most campaigns book about 8 qualified meetings a month once running, within a range of 6 to 20, and from month two an agreed meeting floor applies, with a credit for every meeting short. Across 218,000+ dials into Australian businesses, 14% reached a live person, Sydney callers booked 1.3 meetings per 100 dials, against 0.3 for offshore teams, and about 50% of meetings converted to opportunities.
Frequently asked questions
Who should you call at a manufacturer? Start with the person who owns the problem: the plant or operations manager for production, the maintenance or engineering manager for equipment and reliability, and procurement for supply and contracts. In owner-run manufacturers, the owner or general manager usually signs off. Ask early who else is involved so you can bring them into the meeting.
When is the best time to call plant and operations managers? In our experience, after the shift start and morning production meeting, usually mid-morning, or early afternoon away from shift handover. Avoid planned shutdowns, stocktakes and month end. That is experience, not data, so use any callback time the manager gives you.
How do you sell to distributors? Call the owner or general manager at smaller distributors and the purchasing or category manager at larger ones. Lead with what they care about: margin, stock turns, customer demand and supply reliability. Ask which product lines are growing and which suppliers are letting them down, then book a meeting about fit.
How do you build a list of manufacturers to call? Build it site by site, not just company by company, because the decision maker for a plant is often not at headquarters. Combine industry association member lists, trade directories, distributor and dealer locators, supplier panels and LinkedIn, then verify direct lines and roles by phone where online data is thin.
What objections do manufacturers raise on cold calls? Mostly existing suppliers, approved supplier lists, budget timing and "send me something". Treat each as information: ask when the supply agreement is reviewed, how a supplier gets approved, when the budget is set and what they would need to see. Book a callback against a date rather than chasing.
Can an outsourced SDR team book meetings with manufacturers? Yes, when the brief defines the sites and roles you can serve. The agency builds the site-level list, works switchboards and site reception, calls around shifts and hands over each meeting with notes on the buying process. Your sales team runs the technical and commercial conversation.
Sources
- Federal Register of Legislation, Telecommunications (Telemarketing and Research Calls) Industry Standard 2017 (calling hours, caller identification): https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2017L00323/asmade/2017-03-28/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_1/document_1.html
- Do Not Call Register, Industry standards (calling hours, identification and calling line identification): https://www.donotcall.gov.au/industry/industry-overview/industry-standards
- Do Not Call Register, Industry guide (business numbers can't be registered; personal numbers can): https://www.donotcall.gov.au/media/1212/dncr-industry-guide.pdf
- Federal Register of Legislation, Spam Act 2003: https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A01214/latest/text
- Nousu call data: 218,000+ dials into Australian businesses, November 2024 to April 2026, published in Inside 200,000 Cold Calls.
Book a 30-minute call
Selling into manufacturers, wholesalers or distributors? Book a 30-minute call with Harry Constant, our founder, and we'll talk through which sites and roles to call first.