Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a quick update on what we’re building and what’s coming next.

There are two things we’ve been hearing loud and clear from you, and we’re prioritizing both.

First, we’re making big changes to how the site is organized. Once you’re logged in, you’ll see a clean, simple Console. No more dropdown menus or scattered sections. Everything will be in one place: manufacturers, users, your network, invite codes, referrals, all of it.

Second, we’re building a mobile app. This one will take a bit more time, likely mid to late June, because it involves a lot under the hood and the usual App Store approval process. It will make using the site smoother, more practical, and feel much more native. It also opens up some great new features, like QR codes for your digital wallet and digital business cards.

We’re excited about what’s ahead and always grateful for your feedback.

Keep it coming.
– Andrew

Hi I'm Andrew Kornuta and I'm the founder and CTO of Noramark, Inc. I'm based in NYC which used to be the manufacturing powerhouse of North America. I would love to see it reindustrialized at some point, there's some amazing infrastructure here. I love learning from our customers and I love building a product that is mission-driven and all about accelerating US Manufacturing. I grew up building things and my father and grandfather had us in the shop all the time. I'm passionate about building and even though my professional focus has been software, I love all manner of building. Fun fact, my grandfather helped to put Disneyland (in Anaheim) together, re-assembling many of the rides that Walt Disney brought from the World Fair.

I'm working on adding a section to each Manufacturer profile on NORAMARK for Certifications and Accreditations. Totally optional of course.

Which ones would you like to see on there?

I started to compile the most common here:

Starting-point: U.S. Manufacturing Compliance Reference

Compliance Requirement	Description	Applicable Industries	Mandatory?	Certification Required?	Issuing / Enforcing Body	Renewal / Update Cycle	Penalties or Consequences	Relevance to Defense / Military Work	State-Specific Notes
NIST SP 800-171	Protects Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in non-federal systems.	Defense contractors, manufacturers handling CUI	Yes (for DoD CUI work)	Self-assessment or CMMC Level 2	Department of Defense (DoD)	Every 3 years or per contract	Loss of eligibility for DoD contracts	Required under DFARS 252.204-7012	N/A
CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)	Formal certification framework building on NIST 800-171.	Defense contractors, manufacturers with DoD contracts	Yes (phased rollout)	Yes (3rd-party audit)	Cyber AB / DoD	Every 3 years	Loss of DoD contract eligibility	Essential for DoD work	N/A
ISO 9001	Quality Management System standard, common in manufacturing.	All manufacturing sectors	No (but often contractually required)	Yes (3rd-party cert)	Accredited ISO certifying bodies	Annual surveillance; full recert every 3 years	Loss of supplier eligibility	Often required by primes	N/A
ISO 14001	Environmental Management System standard.	Manufacturing, especially with emissions/waste	No	Yes (voluntary)	Accredited ISO certifying bodies	Annual surveillance; full recert every 3 years	None (voluntary)	May be requested by buyers	N/A
ISO/IEC 27001	Information Security Management System standard.	Electronics, aerospace, medtech, data-sensitive industries	No (but strongly recommended)	Yes (3rd-party cert)	ISO-cert bodies	Annual audit, 3-year recert	Loss of business for sensitive contracts	Sometimes required or preferred	N/A
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)	Requires employers to provide a safe workplace and comply with OSHA safety standards (e.g., machine guarding, hazard communication).	All industries (manufacturing, construction, etc.)	Yes	No	OSHA (federal or state)	Ongoing compliance; inspections may trigger action	Fines, shutdowns, citations	Indirect (applies to all workplaces)	22 states have their own OSHA-approved plans
Clean Air Act (CAA)	Requires industrial facilities to obtain permits and meet emission standards for air pollutants.	Industries with air emissions (e.g. chemical plants, cement, metals, automotive)	Yes	Yes (air permits)	EPA or State Environmental Agency	5 years (Title V permits)	Fines, legal action, permit revocation	Applies if operating facilities	States enforce via SIPs; CA is stricter
Berry Amendment	Requires DoD to buy specific goods (e.g. textiles, metals) that are 100% U.S.-sourced.	Defense supply chain (textiles, food, metals, aerospace)	Yes (for relevant contracts)	Self-certification in bids	Department of Defense	Per contract	Contract loss, disqualification	Yes (directly)	N/A

I care a lot about Industrial Policy. The US is like the only major industrial nation to not have a national industrial policy. While I tend to shy away from TOO much government intervention, I think this is one area where private industry and government probably need to at least coordinate. We need a focus on cheap energy and raw materials to make it more cost effective for US manufacturers. Tariffs and government programs should be focused on those areas.

Then, a system like NORAMARK can be used to network manufacturers together that have common / shared interests. I often think of NORAMRK as a sort of "operating system" for network resource planning. In the mid to long-term I could see it being an effective tool for a National Industrial policy that is owned and operated primarily by the manufacturers themselves.

@Robert_Beecher Speaking of getting Gen Z on board, we are honored to have @Lucas_Pacheco from Hawthorne Academies School of Manufacturing and Engineering here. He is always looking for factories in Southern California to tour with his students. And of course, they are producing the next generation of manufacturers and engineers.

NORAMARK Forums launching March 26th!

We're super excited to bring discussions and classifieds to NORAMARK.

What do you consider to be "Made in the USA"? What are some good and bad examples that you have seen?

Welcome aboard!

@Kyle_Rahe Welcome aboard! Congrats on your new business! This is a great place to make strong connections with our US Manufacturing businesses.

Start Here: Welcome to the NORAMARK Community

Welcome to the NORAMARK Community Forums — the virtual gathering place for U.S. manufacturers, buyers, trade orgs, and innovators.

This is where we connect, ask questions, share knowledge, and grow together as a modern manufacturing ecosystem.

Whether you’re here to respond to RFQs, find partners, share what you’re building, or just listen and learn — you’re in the right place.

⸻

What to Do First

1. Introduce Yourself

• Drop a quick hello — tell us who you are, what you make, or what brought you here.

2. Complete Your Profile

• Add a logo, location, and a link to your NORAMARK company page if you have one.

3. Explore Categories

• Discuss materials sourcing
• Talk about US Manufacturing news.
• Classifieds – Post or browse machines, materials, or services
• Find a vertical you're into; network, organize, and share updates

4. Join a Conversation

• Ask questions, share advice, or react to a post. You earn trust and badges over time.

⸻

️ Community Guidelines

• Be helpful: This space thrives on shared knowledge. If you can help, speak up.
• Stay professional: We’re here to build. Disagreements are fine — disrespect isn’t.
• No spam: Promotional posts should be clearly valuable and relevant to manufacturing.
• Report issues: Flag anything that feels off — moderators are here to help.

⸻

Why This Forum Exists

NORAMARK is building the future of vertically integrated U.S. manufacturing. These forums are a place for honest connection — to solve problems, find collaborators, and move faster together.

We’re just getting started — and we’re glad you’re here. Let’s build something great.

⸻

Questions? Feedback? Ideas?

Post in the Comments & Feedback category or tag @moderators.

⸻

— The NORAMARK Team
️ Built in the USA

We're trying to help with this by making NORAMARK free for public schools. We think the new events calendar (released today) can be great for manufacturers to host factory tours for schools and others. We also have the jobs section of the forums so companies can post jobs.

Coming soon, users of NORAMARK will be able to post their work history if they choose to. This can also be a useful way to find employees / employers.

We've seen this as an urgent need and Linkedin and other jobs platforms are just too noisy and recruiter-oriented. We want NORAMARK to be a simple way to pair workers with jobs.

What do you think about materials cost as well as the role that automation could play for labor cost?

Hi folks, we did a big release of new software today.

We now have Calendars that any tier 1 manufacturer or organization can post to: https://noramark.com/events

• Over time we'll be adding all of the public events to this calendar as well so if you're curious about trade shows, factory tours, etc. they'll be listed there.
• Manufacturers and Organizations can even make private events for their members, only.

We've added an easy way to see your information in our User Console, located here: https://www.noramark.com/user-console/ (and the big button at the top of noramark.com)

• View the manufacturers that you own or are a member of
• View the Organizations that you own or are a member of
• View the manufacturers that are in your network (Tier 1 or Super Patriot sees full details. Tier 2 can see a count, only)
• See who's following you or who you are following (nice way to make and manage a list of manufacturers)
• See if any pending payments are due or referral uploads are required, as well as what your subscription details are
• Edit your personal user profile

Ease of navigation - we got rid of the drop-down for navigation and have a button for forums, a button for User Console, and a button to see your profile, all in the upper right. Should make getting around a lot easier.

Simplified Registration - for folks creating manufacturers, we noticed that a lot of you got stuck in the process. So, we re-did it and now it's very simple to go through the sign-up. Payment can be taken directly or the free tier (Tier 3) can be chosen. We don't prompt for referrals in the sign-up process any more, they are provided via the User Console instead.

We added a page that explains how NORAMARK works. Manufacturers, Super Patriots, the tiers, the network, the trust scores... how do they all work together? We've laid it all out here: https://www.noramark.com/about-noramark/ If you know someone that might be interested in joining, this page is a great thing to share with them so they can better understand what we're all about.

As always, we love to hear your feedback and we're constantly improving and releasing new features. Shoot me a note with your thoughts!

Hi folks, I’m working on implementing the second version of our trust scoring system and I’m curious to get your feedback on it. Does it seem fair, useful, and accurate to you?

NORAMARK Trust Score System

The NORAMARK Trust Score helps manufacturers evaluate credibility, activity, and reputation across the network. Your score reflects your company's level of verification, transparency, and contribution to the NORAMARK community.

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What Is the Trust Score?

The Trust Score is a dynamic number that starts with your tier level and evolves based on your engagement in the network. It can grow without limit as you build trust with peers — and will never fall below your tier’s baseline.

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Tier Levels & Starting Scores

Each manufacturer's baseline trust score is determined by their tier level:

Tier	Baseline Trust Score	Description
Tier 3	20	Entry-level. No referrals required.
Tier 2	40	One verified referral required.
Tier 1	60	Three verified referrals required.
Super Patriot	100	Verified with elite reputation.

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How to Increase Your Trust Score

You can build trust over time by actively contributing to the community:

1. Be Invited by Trusted Manufacturers

If you're invited by a high-trust manufacturer, you’ll receive a boost based on the inviter’s trust score.

2. Upload Referrals

Submitting referrals shows you vouch for others. When those referrals are approved by others in the network, you earn trust:

Approver's Tier	Trust Boost
Tier 3	+2
Tier 2	+3
Tier 1+	+4

3. Approve Referrals

By verifying connections between manufacturers, you help NORAMARK stay reliable. You’ll earn +1 point per approved referral.

4. Reject Low-Quality Referrals

If you reject a referral, the submitter loses trust (-2 points) and you gain +1 point for protecting the network.

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Trust Score Decay

To ensure active participation, trust scores decay by 1 point per month if inactive — but never fall below your tier’s baseline.

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Why It Matters

Trust Scores impact your:

• Visibility in the network
• Eligibility for badges and achievements
• Perceived credibility with peers and trade organizations

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FAQ

Q: Can my Trust Score go over 100?
Yes! There is no upper limit. The more trust you build, the higher your score.

Q: What happens if my referrals are rejected?
You’ll lose 2 points per rejection. Submit only high-quality, legitimate referrals.

Q: How do I become a Super Patriot?
Super Patriot is by invite only and limited to 10 members at a time.

@dave-mcchesney58 Welcome Dave! We're really excited to have you here! NORAMARK works because of participation from the community. thank you for joining!

@EthanCopple Thanks Ethan! It's funny you should mention... I'm actually working on getting the community pages fully integrated into the console but, as you pointed out, it's a ton of work to do it in a way that's clean and totally functional. Should have that knocked out by May 14th... maybe a little sooner!

How NORAMARK Works

NORAMARK connects trusted US manufacturers through a transparent, relationship-driven platform designed to enhance trust, simplify collaboration, and strengthen US manufacturing.

Entities and Relationships:

Super Patriots

• Invite-only elite group of up to 10 exemplary US manufacturers.
• Establish trust guidelines and standards.
• Advise Noramark, Inc. on critical trust-related decisions (e.g., admission criteria).

Manufacturers

Tier 1 Manufacturers:

• Verified through three referrals or invited directly by a Super Patriot.
• Maximum visibility, messaging, and networking privileges.

Tier 2 Manufacturers:

• Require one referral or an invitation from a Tier 1.
• Moderate visibility and network-building privileges.
• Upgrade to Tier 1 possible with additional verification.

Tier 3 Manufacturers:

• No initial referrals required.
• Limited visibility (not searchable).
• Communication primarily through Trade Organization affiliation.
• Can improve Trust Score through positive interactions.

Trade Organizations

• Professional groups manufacturers join.
• Provide exclusive calendars and private forums.
• Facilitate connections and information sharing.

Trade Schools

• Free for public institutions.
• Manufacturers use for talent sourcing and internships.
• Eligible manufacturers offer factory tours to students.

Users

• Individuals managing or affiliated with Manufacturers or Trade Organizations.
• Roles include Owners, Administrators, Employees, Members, or Students.
• Some users engage purely for calendar events or forum participation.

Key Concepts

Trust Score

• Score from 0-100 reflecting adherence to US manufacturing standards.
• Influenced by verified referrals, successful transactions, and community feedback.
• Higher scores increase opportunities and trustworthiness.

Networks

• Automatically formed via referrals, invitations, or Trade Organization memberships.
• Facilitate efficient discovery of trusted partners.
• Maintain supply chain confidentiality.

Badges

• Visual symbols of engagement and achievement.
• Awarded for milestones, event attendance, and community involvement.
• Prominently displayed on manufacturer profiles.

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Detailed Comparison of Manufacturer Tiers

Level	System-wide Search	Messaging	Network Visibility	Manufacturer Research	Forums	Calendar	LinkForge
Tier 1	Highest ranking	Message anyone; control message privacy	See entire network; direct messaging Invite code for Tier 2	View affiliated Users' names	Private Tier 1 & Tier 2 forums	Private & public calendar posting	Request & auto-pair interns/mentees
Tier 2	Visible in search	Message via Manufacturer profile if allowed	See network size only. No invite codes	View and follow Manufacturers	Private Tier 2 forums	Public calendar; private invites	Receive mentor invites; mentee auto-pair
Tier 3	Not visible	Receive messages only	No network visibility. No invite codes	Follow Manufacturer profiles	General forums	Public calendar; Org-invite only	Not eligible

A Visual Overview

Only for the daring....

I hope that all of our new manufacturers will take a moment to introduce themselves. I see several have joined over the past few days. We'd love to hear more about you!

Hi folks,

We just rolled out an update with several new features to improve your NORAMARK experience:
• Chat
The big one. You’ll now see a new messaging feature under the Discussions tab in the Console. This will replace forum-based chats (both are active this week; next week, messaging will move fully to the new system). Group messages, mobile notifications, and other enhancements are on the way. This upgrade is designed to make it easier to connect directly with your network and peers.
• Console Navigation
The header bar (tabs across the top) now stays visible as you scroll. This makes navigating the Console smoother and more intuitive.
• User Profiles
You’ll now see icons next to usernames in the Forums: a factory icon for Manufacturer owners, and a building icon for Organization leads. Clicking a name takes you to their full NORAMARK profile, where you can view their company, check their reputation score, and—soon—start a chat directly from their profile.
• Recommendations
On your Dashboard tab, you’ll find one of our most powerful features: Recommendations. These are updated several times daily and provide personalized guidance to help you get the most out of NORAMARK. Each one includes a “Take Action” button to guide you. For Invite Codes, we even pre-fill the email for you. Keep an eye out here—this is also where our new featured manufacturer videos will appear.

This week, we’re focused on improving the sign-up and setup experience. We’re rolling out a new onboarding wizard to make it easier and clearer for new users and manufacturers to get started. Based on your feedback and our data, we saw that people were getting stuck or dropping off during setup. We know you want a seamless onboarding experience for peers you invite, so making this flow as simple and user-friendly as possible is a top priority.

Thanks, as always, for being part of the NORAMARK network. We will keep rolling out improvements and new features every day!

All the best,
Andrew

At NORAMARK, we’re building something simple: a tool that reflects how you already do business and makes it easier, faster, and more effective. No one has time to learn a new system. You need software that gets out of the way and helps you focus on what really matters: building trusted relationships, growing your network, and getting work done.

You’re Already Doing the Hard Part. We’ll Make It Scale.

You’ve built relationships over years, even decades. You know who’s reliable, who delivers on time, and who’s worth working with again. NORAMARK is built to put that knowledge at your fingertips and put it to work for you. Instead of starting from scratch every time you need a new supplier or a referral, our platform helps you tap into your real-world network, fast.

Real Traction, Real Users—Because It Feels Familiar

In our first month, nearly 30 manufacturers and 200 users signed up. Not because we pitched them a “network.” They joined because what we built felt familiar. Invite codes? We're all familiar with that idea. Referrals? We vouch for our partners and peers every day. Trust scores? That’s just putting a number to what you already know.

This isn’t about software. It’s about solving real business problems in ways that feel intuitive.

Designed Around You: The NORAMARK User Console

We’re rolling out a new version of NORAMARK soon, and it’s all about making your experience smoother. Once you're logged in, you won't even see our public site unless you go looking for it. What you will see is:

Dashboard: Your Day, Prioritized

• A clear list of the most important actions you can take—replies, messages, payment issues, pending invites.
• Smart recommendations based on what you’ve done so far: Want to boost your trust score? Grow your network? We’ll show you how.
• No digging, no hunting; just what needs your attention, right when you log in.

Trust Score: Reputation, in Plain English

• We track how people interact with you through referrals, invites, and approvals and turn that into a score you can use to build and see credibility.
• Everything’s transparent. You’ll see what’s helped your score, and how to improve it further.
• Think of it as your digital handshake, earned over time, and visible to the people who matter.

Network: See Who You Know—and Who You Should

• If you’re not yet connected to others, we’ll prompt you to join or create a manufacturer or organization.
• Higher-tier manufacturers get more visibility into their extended networks and more tools to reach out directly.
• Invite codes and referrals are front and center, so you can grow your network with a few clicks.

Community: Everything in One Place

• Messaging, forums, blog articles, and event calendars, combined into one space so you don’t have to jump between apps.
• You decide who can message you and how you want to be contacted.

Manufacturer & Organization Tabs: Total Clarity

• Manage your own manufacturer or organization, see your badges, update your profile, and track your subscriptions.
• Want to upgrade your tier? You’ll know exactly what you get with each level without guesswork.

Profile: You, at a Glance

• Employment history, affiliations, trust score, and more—displayed in a format that looks familiar and is easy to edit.
• Set your communication preferences, privacy settings, and notification options.

Works Wherever You Are

• On mobile, the interface adjusts to give you the most important tools at your fingertips.
• Messaging, referrals, and key actions are optimized for fast, on-the-go use.

Tiers That Actually Mean Something

We designed high-value tiers that reflect what you need at different stages of your business' growth:

• Tier 3 gives you access and visibility.
• Tier 2 gives you discoverability, insights, and context.
• Tier 1 gives you control—messaging, full network access, and deeper analytics.

Everything is designed to deliver clear, immediate value. If you upgrade, it’s because the tools are making your job easier.

You Come First

At every step, we ask: will this help our customers solve a real problem? Will it make them feel more in control, more informed, and more capable? If the answer is no, we don’t build it.

Our goal isn’t to build flashy software. It’s to make something that feels invisible; something that works the way you already work, just faster, more scalable, and ultimately with better results.

So whether you're just starting out, a very well-connected veteran, or somewhere in between, NORAMARK is built to help you win. We’re honored to build alongside you.