Milestone reached for BMF and NMBS-backed construction data initiative
Building products manufacturer Polypipe has become the 100th supplier to join Data Yard, the industry-owned platform established to improve the sharing of product information across the building materials supply chain.
Developed by the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) and NMBS, Data Yard provides a centralised platform designed to standardise and manage product data between manufacturers and merchants while supporting evolving regulatory requirements.
The latest addition marks a milestone for the initiative as the construction sector places increasing emphasis on product transparency, compliance and digital information management.
Building Safety Act and CCPI driving demand for better product data
Data Yard has been developed to provide a secure environment for managing construction product information, with protocols designed to improve the quality, consistency and accessibility of data shared across the supply chain.
For Polypipe, which manufactures plastic piping systems and low-carbon heating products for the residential market, the platform will manage information across more than 4,000 product lines.
Amy Smith, Sales Director at Polypipe, said: “Managing data for over 4,000 product lines requires a platform built for the future of construction. By partnering with Data Yard, we are reinforcing our commitment to absolute transparency.
“As legislation such as the Building Safety Act demands a rigorous, immutable ‘Golden Thread’ of information, Data Yard gives our business a single source of truth. Furthermore, as signatories of CCPI, Data Yard will enable us to achieve the gold standard of data integrity and guarantees that our merchants, developers, specifiers and installers have instant access to accurate, up-to-date product data, specifications and certification.
“Data Yard isn’t just about managing data; it’s about building trust, ensuring safety, and simplifying our supply chain from our Doncaster manufacturing sites to our end-user customers.”
The move reflects wider industry efforts to improve the availability and accuracy of product information following the introduction of the Building Safety Act and the increasing adoption of the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI).
Data Yard targets improved supply chain efficiency
The Data Yard platform has been designed to support the exchange of product data across the building materials sector, helping suppliers and merchants reduce duplication while improving consistency and regulatory compliance.
According to Data Yard, the platform aims to deliver benefits including centralised product data management, enhanced supply chain efficiency and greater transparency.
Gareth Thomas, Managing Director of Data Yard, said: “We are delighted that our 100th confirmed supplier sits within the Plumbing & Heating category. Polypipe’s commitment to Data Yard underlines the platform’s potential across the building materials industry, benefiting all product categories, from heavyside to lightside.”
The latest supplier milestone comes as digital product information and the concept of a “golden thread” of building data continue to gain prominence across the construction sector, with manufacturers, merchants and contractors increasingly required to provide accurate, up-to-date information throughout a building’s lifecycle.
As regulatory requirements continue to evolve, initiatives such as Data Yard are expected to play a growing role in helping the construction supply chain manage product information and demonstrate compliance.
