Industry Forum

What Industry Forum does

Industry Forum, legally SMMT Quality Management Limited, is a UK-based manufacturing competitiveness consultancy founded in the 1980s by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) with support from the then Department for Trade and Industry. Operating from a London registered office and a primary Birmingham operational site (under 250 employees in the SMMT Ltd Group), the firm serves 250+ organisations across 30 countries on five continents and has trained 25,000+ people through 400+ consultancy programmes delivered by 150+ specialist consultants and trainers.

The company's offering is structured around three integrated service lines: (1) business improvement assessments (business performance assessments, IF Competitiveness Assessment, supplier development assessments, pre-audit gap analysis, self-assessments); (2) consultancy organised by sector (automotive, aerospace, cross-sector manufacturing) and function (strategy and management systems, HR, manufacturing operations including TPM, QRM, Six Sigma, lean transformation and leadership development, new product introduction, and supply chain management); and (3) training delivered through instructor-led virtual sessions, self-directed eLearning, and in-person courses at the IF Learning Centre or customer sites — covering IATF 16949, VDA, core automotive quality tools (APQP, FMEA, PPAP, MSA, SPC), APICS supply chain certifications, Automotive SPICE, and cross-sector manufacturing programmes. A separate e-commerce stream sells AIAG, IATF, VDA, BSI and CQI publications (92+ SKUs, physical and eBook, priced £24–£550) under channel partnership with VDA QMC. Pricing combines unit-priced publications, custom-quoted enterprise consultancy and in-house training, and a UK price-match guarantee on open training courses.

Revenue is generated through professional services fees (training and consultancy) and one-time publication licensing, marketed via a direct sales model supported by phone/email enquiry handling, sector-specific email newsletters, LinkedIn presence, content marketing, webinars and SEO. The customer base spans enterprise OEMs and Tier 1/2 suppliers including BMW, Honda, Nissan, Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover, GKN, Boeing, British Airways, Cobham, Goodrich, Electrolux, Owens Corning, Caterpillar, Cummins and Carlsberg. The firm has no disclosed AI capabilities, patents, external funding rounds or M&A activity and is privately held under the SMMT Group umbrella.

Name

Industry Forum

Legal name

SMMT Quality Management Limited

Website

https://industryforum.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Manufacturing Consulting and Training

akta.pro primary industry

Product Lifecycle, NPI & Industrialization (Design-to-Operate) (BPAHAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Manufacturing, Quality & Industrial Operations Reference (Lean, Six Sigma, QA/QC) (EDAGAGAI), Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ)

Keywords

• Manufacturing consultancy
• Quality management training
• Lean manufacturing services
• Automotive compliance training
• Supply chain consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Training Services: Instructor-led and virtual training courses delivered across automotive, aerospace, and cross-sector manufacturing topics. Includes APICS certifications, IATF courses, VDA courses, and various management systems training.
2. Consultancy Services: Deep consulting engagements including business performance assessments, supplier development, pre-audit gap analysis, and sector-specific consultancy across automotive, aerospace, and cross-sector manufacturing.
3. Publications and Standards Sales: Sale of automotive industry standards and publications including AIAG, IATF, VDA, BSI, CQI, and other industry body materials through online shop. Individual books, bundles, and subscriptions available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Industry Forum provides business improvement assessments, sector-specific consultancy, and training courses to manufacturing organisations across the automotive, aerospace, and cross-sector manufacturing industries. Its consultancy spans strategy and management systems, manufacturing operations (TPM, QRM, Six Sigma, lean transformation, leadership development), new product introduction, and supply chain management. It also operates an online shop selling automotive industry standards and publications from AIAG, IATF, VDA, BSI, and CQI in both physical book and eBook formats.

Product overview

SMMT Quality Management (formerly SMMT Industry Forum) is a UK-based business improvement and manufacturing competitiveness consultancy. Its portfolio consists of three integrated service lines: (1) Business Improvement Assessments — capability benchmarking and gap analysis to identify improvement priorities; (2) Consultancy — sector-specific (automotive, aerospace, cross-sector manufacturing) and functional consultancy spanning strategy and management systems, manufacturing operations (TPM, QRM, Six Sigma, lean transformation, leadership development), new product introduction, and supply chain management; and (3) Training — instructor-led virtual learning, self-directed eLearning, and public courses covering management systems, manufacturing operations, NPI, and supply chain, with sector-specific pathways and APICS, IATF 16949, VDA, and core tools certifications. In addition, the company operates an online shop (standards-and-publications) selling AIAG, IATF, VDA, and BSI publications including core tools manuals (APQP, FMEA, SPC, MSA, PPAP), CQI special process assessments, IATF 16949 standards, VDA volume series, and bundled publication sets in both physical and eBook formats. The three core offerings are designed to work together: assessments identify capability gaps, consultancy delivers lasting improvements, and training builds internal organisational skills to sustain them.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Improvement Assessments Capability benchmarking and gap analysis services that identify improvement priorities for manufacturing organisations, including supplier development assessments and the IF Competitiveness Assessment.
• Pre-Audit Gap Analysis and Auditing Services Pre-audit gap analysis and auditing services that prepare organisations for certification audits across quality management systems such as IATF 16949.
• Sector-Specific Consultancy (Automotive, Aerospace, Cross-Sector Manufacturing) Consultancy engagements tailored to the specific needs of automotive, aerospace, and cross-sector manufacturing organisations to address industry-specific challenges and requirements.
• Strategy and Management Systems Consultancy Consultancy covering vision and strategy development, strategy deployment, audit and gap assessments, supplier development, and HR-focused support for organisational improvement.
• Manufacturing Operations Consultancy Operational improvement services including Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM), Six Sigma, process improvement, lean transformation, and leadership development programmes.
• New Product Introduction Consultancy NPI technical assessment and automotive NPLX consultancy services to support organisations through new product introduction cycles.
• Supply Chain Management Consultancy Consultancy services focused on improving supply chain performance, resilience, and management practices for manufacturing organisations.
• Training Courses Instructor-led virtual learning and self-directed eLearning training covering management systems, manufacturing operations, NPI, and supply chain, with sector-specific pathways for automotive and aerospace.
• Automotive SPICE Training Specialised training in Automotive SPICE for cybersecurity and software development processes in the automotive sector.
• APICS Certified Courses APICS certification preparation courses including Principles of Supply Chain Management and other supply chain professional certifications.
• IATF 16949 Training Training focused on the IATF 16949 automotive quality management system standard, including auditing fundamentals.
• Core Tools Training (APQP, FMEA, PPAP, MSA, SPC) Training in core automotive quality tools: Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA), and Statistical Process Control (SPC).
• Lean Six Sigma Training Training programmes covering lean improvement methodologies and Six Sigma problem-solving approaches for manufacturing operations.
• TPM Training Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) training to improve equipment effectiveness and operational performance.
• QRM Institute Training Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) training and certification programmes delivered through the QRM Institute.
• VDA Courses Training courses aligned with Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA) standards and publications, delivered via partnership with VDA QMC.
• AIAG Publications and Standards Automotive Industry Action Group publications including core tools manuals (APQP, Control Plan, FMEA, SPC, MSA, PPAP), CQI special process assessments, and supply chain guidelines sold in the online shop.
• IATF Publications and Standards IATF 16949 technical specification, auditor guides, rules for achieving IATF recognition, and related IATF automotive quality standards sold in physical and eBook formats.
• VDA Publications and Standards Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA) publications covering process audits, product development, reliability assurance, measurement processes, and supply chain standards sold in physical and eBook formats.
• BSI Publications and British Standards British Standards Institution publications covering ISO 14001, ISO 14002, ISO 14007, ISO 14064, ISO 19011, ISO 14009, and BS 65000 on organisational resilience and environmental management, including digital PDF copies.
• Core Tools Bundled Publications Bundled sets of six or seven core automotive quality publications (APQP, Control Plan, PPAP, FMEA, MSA, SPC, and optionally AIAG/VDA FMEA) offered at discounted bundle pricing of up to £550.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supply chain OTIF improved from 75% to 100%
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company that created Industry Forum (IF) in the 1980s to improve quality matters and supply chain management in the automotive industry. IF was established with support from the Department for Trade and Industry. SMMT continues to provide industry credibility and automotive sector expertise.
• Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA QMC)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman automotive industry association whose courses are offered through IF. Delegate information is shared with VDA QMC for course administration.
• The Motor OmbudsmanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of SMMT Group of companies alongside Industry Forum and SMMT Ltd.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BSI Group: UK-based standards body and certification provider that sells British Standards publications and runs extensive training, auditor certification, and management systems consultancy — overlapping directly with IF's standards shop, IATF/ISO training, and consultancy businesses.
• TÜV SÜD: Global testing, inspection and certification company with a strong automotive and industrial training portfolio covering IATF 16949, ISO and quality management systems — directly comparable to IF's automotive quality training and audit-readiness services.
• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection and certification firm operating across automotive, aerospace and industrial manufacturing with training, auditing and supply chain consultancy — overlapping meaningfully with IF's three service lines.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC company offering industry-specific training, certification and consultancy for automotive, aerospace and industrial clients — directly competitive with IF's automotive quality management and assessor training offerings.
• LRQA (Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance): Certification body providing ISO/IATF training, auditing and management systems consultancy to manufacturing and aerospace clients — closely overlapping with IF's automotive and aerospace QMS practice.
• Intertek: Global TIC provider with industry-specific training, auditing and supplier quality programmes for automotive and aerospace — directly comparable in scope and customer base to Industry Forum.
• DQS: Germany-based management systems certification and training body with deep automotive (IATF) and aerospace (AS9100) credentials — direct competitor to IF's automotive QMS training and consultancy.
• DNV: Global assurance and certification firm with automotive, aerospace and industrial training and audit offerings — overlapping directly with IF's standards-based training and assessment services.
• DEKRA: Global TIC and certification company running automotive quality management training, IATF auditor certification and management systems consultancy — a direct peer to IF's automotive training portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Kearney: Global management consultancy with a strong operations and manufacturing practice serving automotive and industrial clients — competes for senior manufacturing transformation mandates that overlap with IF's consultancy work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smmtqm
• Xx.com/smmtif

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Industry Forum