SUPPLIER SUMMIT
NBG AT THE FOREFRONT OF DATA EFFICIENCY
At the NBG Supplier Summit, delegates learned about NBG’s participation in Data Yard, and how it will help transform data management in the sector.
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ne ongoing challenge of NBG, in common with the rest of the industry, is about driving efficiency, with managing data a huge part of that. NBG Board Member Rachel Fryers told the Supplier Summit delegates: “We have a lot of data and we are really bad at duplicating it, and then replicating it for anybody who asks in different formats.” The NBG Product Information Management service (PIM) has, for a long time, been at the forefront of what the organisation is trying to do in order to drive efficiency through its Partner businesses.
Fryers said that NBG has been working hard on a partnership with the Data Yard initiative. “I’m proud to have been involved with this initiative from its inception, working through the BMF and NMBS,” she said. “NBG is hugely supportive and invested in the Data Yard Initiative. It is a strategy that will streamline how data is managed across our entire sector. It is around how we work with data differently across the entire supply chain, not just for NBG customers or merchants and Partners, but everyone across the industry.” Handing over to Gareth Thomas, Managing Director of BMDS, the joint-venture company behind Data Yard, Fryers explained that with the construction sector going through a huge change around legislation, and major regulatory changes like the Building Safety Act, NBG Partners and Suppliers need to work their data in a different way, moving away from spreadsheets. Thomas agreed, saying: “Data - high-quality, consistent, accessible data - is now a critical requirement for every part of the supply chain. Anyone who has ever worked in supply chain, logistics, product management or procurement understands how quickly inaccurate or inconsistent data can derail operations. Stock availability issues, inconsistent dimensions, outdated compliance information and mismatched product identifiers have long been everyday frustrations.”
Data Yard is an industry-shaped, industry- backed initiative designed to modernise the way product data is collected, validated, shared and used across the construction sector. With
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the Building Safety Act, introduced in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy, representing one of the most comprehensive regulatory changes in modern history, there is a clear message: the quality, transparency and traceability of product information are no longer optional. But safety is only one piece of the puzzle. Sustainability reporting, environmental impact assessments, waste packaging data and digital assets for e-commerce all require manufacturers to capture, store and share far more information than they ever have before.
Thomas explained that part of the problem lies in the fact each merchant or buying group requests spreadsheets in their own format. “Field names differ. Requirements differ. Data structures differ. Manufacturers spend huge amounts of time reformatting, re-entering, and rechecking data. Merchants spend just as much time cleaning, correcting, and reconciling it so their own systems can use it. It is wasted time, duplicated effort, and an increasing source of risk.
“The industry cannot keep working like this, nor does it need to. That is the gap Data Yard is designed to close.”
Thomas said a key part of Data Yard’s strength comes from the work completed by the BMF over the past three years. “Bringing together merchants, buying groups, manufacturers, government representatives and industry bodies, the BMF developed a comprehensive product data standard that captures the core information required across the industry.”
At its core, Data Yard operates on a simple set of principles: manufacturers upload product data directly into the platform, ensuring it is accurate, up to date, traceable and centrally
governed.They decide exactly which Partners can view their data, right down to the range level.
The platform incorporates standards from GS1, technical frameworks from ETIM, and the extensive BMF data template, which now contains over 350 common fields across master data, logistics, safety, digital assets, procurement and sustainability.
Data Yard connects with major ERP and PIM systems including Epicor, Intact and Klipboard, which means merchants can pull real-time data directly into their systems without needing spreadsheets.
On the grounds that, currently, every manufacturer is at a different stage of data maturity, Data Yard uses a five-level model so businesses can get onboard gradually rather than face an overwhelming template of hundreds of fields from the start. These levels are:
Level 1: Core product information The basics, such as part numbers, product names, brands, dimensions.
Level 2: Procurement and logistics data Pack sizes, ordering quantities, lead times, list prices, accreditations. Level 3: E-commerce data
Digital assets, rich media, product descriptions Level 4: Sustainability
Waste packaging, EPDs, circularity indicators Level 5: Industry-wide consistency Standardised formats for attributes like sizes, weights and product classifications. This is where the industry will gain maximum value. Thomas said: “For Suppliers, the benefits are immediate and tangible. There’s no more reformatting spreadsheets for each merchant. A lot less time is spent on data requests, with the system delivering updates automatically once the initial upload has been made. It provides a structured step into a digital future. With data requirements only increasing in future, Data Yard helps manufacturers stay ahead.” He added: “For merchants, the advantages are equally powerful. There’s no more guessing, scraping or manual corrections. Data flows directly into merchant systems; there are no manual imports, no cleaning up of spreadsheets work.
“All data is verified and traceable and comes directly from the manufacturer. Teams spend less time fixing data and more time supporting customers. Better product data fuels better e-commerce, better customer experience and better sales.”
January 2026
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