Construction product data platform targets 2027 prototype

The MIH team - Paul French, Alex Small, Su Butcher, Chris Evett. Image: MIH

The Manufacturer’s Information Hub (MIH) is intended to connect manufacturers’ databases through a standard API, allowing product information to be shared with specifiers, contractors and asset owners in a consistent format.

The not-for-profit initiative is also intended to support product safety and environmental compliance and, in future, digital product passports.

The first phase tested whether the concept was technically feasible and examined how manufacturer databases could connect to the platform, as well as the requirements for a standard data dictionary to validate and present information.

Alex Small, founder of the MIH, said the work had helped establish where the technical complexity lies and what would be needed to develop the platform further.

“The MIH will make it much easier for manufacturers to share product information efficiently and consistently across multiple platforms and systems,” he said.“By being not-for-profit and manufacturer-led, it means that companies retain full ownership and control of their data.”

The project is supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through its Industrialising and Digitalising Construction Research and Innovation Challenge.

Melissa Zanocco from UKRI, said reliable access to manufacturers’ product information was an important part of creating a more digitally connected construction sector.

The not-for-profit initiative is also intended to support product safety and environmental compliance. Image: MIH

“At a time of major change in the world of construction products, particularly when it comes to demonstrating the safety and sustainability criteria of products, this will help manufacturers meet the challenge in a simple, effective way,” she said.

Subject to funding, the next stage will be the development of a small-scale working prototype with early adopters by spring 2027.

That phase is expected to connect a limited number of manufacturers and users through the API, while further work is carried out on standardised product attributes.

A full-scale prototype is then planned for testing during 2027, ahead of the launch of initial platform functionality in 2028.

Current UK supporters include Knauf, Sika, Etex, Siderise, Heidelberg Materials, Wienerberger, Kingspan, Saint-Gobain and Tata Steel UK, as well as contractors Kier, Bovis and Sir Robert McAlpine.