Short answer: Often yes, for its own operating records, if it's big enough. Mode asks for 50+ employees in this industry; micro1 asks for 30+. Census counts 45,348 U.S. firms in this industry with 30+ employees and 29,893 with 50+.
On this page
What these companies hold
- ERP, MRP and quality records
- Engineering drawings and process specifications
- Supplier and customer correspondence
- Maintenance and production logs
What buyers value
Quote-to-ship and quality records (nonconformances, corrective actions) show how work moves through a plant. Mode names four drivers: how many people work in the company's systems (today and at its peak), years of records, number of connected systems, and volume. Records that show outcomes, such as deals won or lost and jobs completed, raise the number (Mode affiliate FAQ).
What needs care
Technical data can be controlled: releasing 'technology' or source code to a foreign person, even inside the US, is a deemed export under the EAR (15 CFR 734.13). Your process know-how may also be a trade secret (18 U.S.C. § 1839).
Size and fit
Mode lists 50+ employees for industries outside legal (10+) and accounting, medical and finance (15+) (Mode). micro1 asks for 30+ employees, mostly English data, and says it is prioritizing US companies (micro1).
| Industry (U.S. firms, 2022) | All firms | 30+ staff | 50+ staff | 100+ staff | 150+ staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing (NAICS 31-33) | 239,265 | 45,348 | 29,893 | 16,569 | 11,696 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022, detailed employment sizes. Firms (enterprises) by paid employees; contractors are not counted. Each column sums the Census size classes at or above that size.
Price and timeline
Mode's affiliate FAQ gives indicative offers by full-time US staff: 20 to 49 = $200K to $500K, 50 to 149 = $400K to $900K, 150+ = $800K+, with eligible companies under 20 quoted individually. Mode calls these 'indicative ranges, not offers' (Mode affiliate FAQ).
Mode's FAQ describes a 30-minute call, a non-binding letter of intent with a mutual NDA, an intake form and indicative range, a fixed offer in the license agreement, upload of the agreed systems within 10 days of signing, de-identification with a sample audit, and payment within 30 days of acceptance. It says most companies go from first call to payment in about 2 to 3 months (Mode affiliate FAQ).
This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to your own attorney or compliance advisor before you share or license any records.
What could your company's records be worth?
Answer 6 questions. See the published range for a company like yours and which program fits. Takes about a minute.
Frequently asked questions
Do contractors count toward headcount?
Census counts paid employees only, and the programs don't publish a contractor rule. Ask the buyer.
What systems do we need?
Mode asks for 5+: email, internal chat, file storage, a CRM, plus one more, with 3+ years of records.
Do we lose our data?
Mode describes licensing a de-identified copy; you keep your originals and systems.
Sources
- Mode / BizBuyData referral pagebizbuydata.com
- Mode affiliate FAQ (PDF, dated Oct 14, 2026)bizbuydata.com
- micro1 company referral pagemicro1.ai
- U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022, detailed employment sizeswww2.census.gov
- 15 CFR § 734.13, Export (EAR), including deemed exports (Cornell LII)law.cornell.edu
- 18 U.S.C. § 1839, Definitions (trade secret) (Cornell LII)law.cornell.edu
Referral-fee disclosure: we may be paid by a program if your company signs with it after using this site. General information only, not legal advice.
Compare programs
Best AI data program for a company with 50+ employeesSide by side from each program's own pages. Rankings follow published rules, not referral fees.
See buyers for engineering, CAD, trades and field-services records, from their own pages, with sources and dates.
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