I think the point of polymagnets aren't to maximize the magnetic attraction in one specific direction but to allow for custom magnetic field designs.

Getting strong magnets in one specific direction is one of their applications. See the "attach" example of their /polymagnets page[1]:

"Polymagnets are the world’s strongest magnets because their magnetic energy has been concentrated near the surface. Polymagnets are up to 5x stronger than conventional magnets."

1. http://www.polymagnet.com/polymagnets/