Manufacturers Must Embrace Digitisation

Manufacturers of construction products must start to share their data digitally to help to support a safer and more sustainable construction industry, according to a new guide that has been released by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Regulations are coming in post-Grenfell, and digital transparency is set to be key for manufacturers within the industry. The IET’s new ‘Digitisation for Construction Product Manufacturers: a plain language guide’ sets out a simple process to implement internal digitisation.  It’s also been produced to help decision makers in manufacturing identify why supplying structured data is so important; how to avoid poor investment decisions; how to set priorities and implement information management; and safe ways to share this information about products throughout the supply chain.

Rick Hartwig, IET Built Environment Lead, said: “As we embrace a digital future, it’s putting pressure on the manufacturing industry to act. Manufacturers produce a significant part of the information required for a safer construction industry, but currently, this information isn’t structured or shared in a consistent way.

“If the UK construction industry is to meet the challenges of a digital future and respond to the requirements of a new building safety regulatory system, it needs manufacturers to structure and share their data safely and sustainably.

“This new plain language guide will help the industry embrace digitisation.  It is only through this digital transparency that industry and society can differentiate between compliant and non-compliant manufacturers. Making structured information available to the supply chain is an essential step in this process.”

The benefits which are given in the report also go beyond compliance to include commercial advantages like increased revenue margins, brand improvement and a smoother sales pipeline which comes from structured product data.

Mr Hartwig added: “With a strong record of digitisation and the commitment to a digital economy, the UK Government is in an ideal position to take the lead in encouraging manufacturers to digitise.”

The guide has already been welcomed by industry. James Talman, CEO of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors commented: “We welcome this guide as it will help companies to navigate through the minefield of information and systems out there on product data. Ultimately this will help get data to work efficiently and effectively for both suppliers and specifiers. We also support the central role the guide places on Trade Associations in leading an open digital culture.”

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