The free tool, launched as part of the Made Smarter Innovation | Digital Supply Chain Hub, brings together hundreds of thousands of businesses across the UK industry in one search online resource. Businesses are also able to claim their company profile within the directory, allowing them to better showcase key information and help attract new customers and suppliers.
Users can search the directory according to company size, location, specialist areas with a range of other filters. Using classification, they can also find suppliers or supply chains based on manufacturing capability.
By building closer local business networks, UK manufacturers can increase their supply chain visibility to better understand and address potential weaknesses with upstream and downstream supply chain partners. Connecting UK manufacturers with local supply chain networks could also reduce transport distance for goods, cutting transport emissions and costs to save money while boosting sustainability.
HVM Catapult developed the directory in collaboration with the Data City and Digital Catapult. The Made Smarter Innovation | Digital Supply Chain Hub is delivered by Digital Catapult.
Katherine Bennett, chief executive of the HVM Catapult, said: “Connecting local manufacturers and making supply chains more resilient is an absolute priority for the UK industry.
“Our country continues to invest in our manufacturing capabilities for green technologies such as electric vehicle batteries, hydrogen energy and carbon capture. We must maximise the upstream and downstream opportunities for UK businesses.
“By working together to keep more of the positive economic impacts of manufacturing in the UK, we can lift industrial productivity while supporting economic growth across the economy.”
