Platform launched early to help manufacturers
The launch of an innovative new platform for聽the UK鈥檚 manufacturing sector聽has been brought forward by nearly six months to help industry in its struggles against coronavirus.
Co-developed by media organisations MTD and Jefferson, the聽FactoryNOW initiative聽is聽designed to聽help manufacturers raise their profiles,聽boost sales, engage with both potential customers and suppliers, facilitate collaboration, recruit talent, launch new products and create their own bespoke communities.
Jefferson and MTD have worked together for many years and earlier in 2020 formed a strategic partnership to offer the British manufacturing sector a 鈥榤enu鈥� of online and offline marketing services. More than a quarter of a million people and companies follow their social media accounts.
鈥淢ost of the team at MTD are from industry and we know first-hand the challenges聽firms聽are facing at this time鈥�, said Joe Reynolds, Director of MTD.
鈥淥ver the聽past decade we have worked with hundreds of聽engineering and manufacturing companies and felt compelled to do whatever we could to assist them at the most critical time for industry since聽World War Two.鈥�
In recent months, both Jefferson and MTD have been using their social media channels to promote urgent calls for industry to provide PPE and medical devices for the NHS and other frontline healthcare workers and believe the聽FactoryNOW聽platform will help organisations communicate and collaborate more effectively.
鈥淔actoryNOW聽has been developed with manufacturers, for manufacturers鈥� explained Stuart Whitehead,聽founder of social media platform Jefferson.
鈥淲e have worked with MTD for a long time and earlier聽this year聽decided we had to accelerate the development of聽FactoryNOW聽as the true impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning to be realised.鈥�
One聽of the聽consequences of the聽pandemic is that all聽trade exhibitions across the UK have been cancelled or postponed and this is聽impacting heavily on the manufacturing community. Using the聽FactoryNOW聽media wall feature, firms can now stage their own virtual exhibitions.
Will Watson, Digital Marketing Manager at MTD, explained: 鈥淢TD聽is involved with most of the major exhibitions across the country and we know how vitally important they are for firms to engage with customers, launch new products and market their services.
鈥淔actoryNOW聽is designed to聽complement,聽not replace,聽face-face contact聽which,聽at聽this moment in time,聽is聽just not possible. A virtual exhibition stand can be聽set up on聽the聽FactoryNOW聽platform within minutes.鈥�
One of first companies to join the initiative is the Bott Group, manufacturers and suppliers of workplace storage equipment, vehicle conversions and workplace systems. Marketing Executive Nikki Jarvis said: 鈥淲e have worked with Jefferson and MTD on other projects and their knowledge of, and passion for, the聽UK鈥檚聽manufacturing sector is unrivalled.
鈥淲e have been involved in the development of FactoryNOW聽since its inception as we strongly believe it offers a unique solution that perfectly complements our existing marketing聽strategy.鈥�