Report: The State of Product Data in Building Materials

Discover what’s really holding back digital growth across the UK’s building materials sector.

The Build North 2025 survey reveals deep-rooted challenges around product data management in the building materials, distribution, and industrial equipment sectors. Drawing on responses from decision-makers across these industries, the report highlights the urgent need for digital transformation—particularly when it comes to managing complex product information at scale.

This report is built for:

• Merchants and distributors navigating thousands of SKUs across multiple channels

• Manufacturers under pressure to improve speed to market and data consistency

• Business leaders mapping their 2025 digital transformation roadmaps

Compiled by Pimberly, this research brings to light the disconnect between growing digital ambitions and the legacy tools still widely used across the industry. 71% of businesses report inefficiencies in their product data processes. Over half say managing product data is a major challenge, and nearly two-thirds admit they’re still not using a PIM system—despite recognising the need.

What’s inside:

• Key stats and insights from across the sector

• A breakdown of product data struggles by company type

• Real implications for sales, operations, and customer experience

• Practical next steps to drive transformation in 2025

For businesses reliant on spreadsheets, manual workarounds, and siloed systems, the risks are growing. But for those investing in enterprise-grade tools like PIM, the opportunity is clear: greater efficiency, improved accuracy, and faster time-to-market.

Download the full report to see where you stand—and how to move forward.