Garfield AI Featured in Machinery Market as Part of Support for JLR Suppliers

Industry Publication Highlights Garfield AI's Role in Supporting West Midlands Manufacturers Facing Financial Challenges

Birmingham, 11 October 2025 – Machinery Market has featured Garfield AI as part of coverage of the Investment Readiness Programme providing urgent financial support to West Midlands manufacturers impacted by the JLR cyberattack. The article highlights how Garfield's platform helps SMEs claim back unpaid invoices, addressing a critical cashflow challenge for manufacturers navigating economic uncertainty.

Crisis Support for JLR Suppliers

The Machinery Market article, titled "An 'assistance lifeline' for impacted JLR suppliers," examines how the Investment Readiness Programme is providing urgent financial advice to manufacturers affected when Jaguar Land Rover halted production for several weeks following a cyberattack.

Delivered by Oxford Innovation Advice and funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), the programme helps tier 1, 2, and 3 suppliers navigate available support packages, understand cashflow problems, and access appropriate finance.

The initiative has already achieved concrete results, with one pressings manufacturer securing the option of a £150,000 loan facility to bridge the gap until production resumes.

The Scale of the Challenge

Sharn Hayward-Higgs, one of the specialists in the Investment Readiness team, described the widespread impact:

"The impact on the West Midlands supply chain has been huge and we are hearing daily about finance issues, potential redundancies and, in the worst possible cases, companies going under. These are sound businesses, who have been victim of criminal activity that few could have anticipated. They deserve the best possible chance to survive and hopefully recover and that is what we are trying to do through our 'Future Fit Cohort'."

This sobering assessment underscores the vulnerability of manufacturing supply chains to disruptions and the critical importance of cashflow for business survival during crisis periods.

Future Fit Cohort: Comprehensive Support

The article details the Future Fit Manufacturing Cohort's comprehensive approach to supporting manufacturers. The series of events covers multiple dimensions of business resilience:

Previous Sessions

1. Decarbonisation and Diversification - Supporting environmental sustainability and market expansion
2. Digital Skills Transformation - Building workforce capabilities for modern manufacturing
3. Automation and Manufacturing Productivity - Improving efficiency through technology, presented by Made Smarter

Artificial Intelligence Session

The article specifically highlights the AI session where Garfield AI participated alongside SWAI Ltd:

"Artificial intelligence (AI) was also on the menu at the same event, with SWAI Ltd and Garfield AI showcasing their software that acts as a marketing partner to firms targeting new sectors and a programme that helps SMEs claim back unpaid invoices respectively."

This framing positions Garfield as part of the technology toolkit available to manufacturers facing financial challenges, specifically addressing the unpaid invoice problem that compounds cashflow difficulties during crises.

The Unpaid Invoice Challenge for Manufacturers

While the immediate crisis stems from the JLR cyberattack, manufacturers face ongoing challenges with unpaid invoices that impact their ability to invest and grow. Garfield's inclusion in the Future Fit Cohort reflects recognition that recovering outstanding debts is critical for manufacturers' financial health.

For manufacturers operating on tight margins, unpaid invoices represent:

• Trapped working capital that could fund operations during disruptions
• Lost investment capacity for new machinery, automation, and expansion
• Increased vulnerability to supply chain shocks
• Potential cashflow crises that threaten business survival

Garfield's affordable, accessible debt recovery platform makes pursuing unpaid invoices economically viable even for smaller amounts, helping manufacturers convert accounts receivable into usable cashflow.

Meet the Funders Event

The article notes that the Investment Readiness Programme's next event—focused on connecting manufacturers with funders—was the "most heavily subscribed yet," reflecting the urgent need for financial support.

Scheduled for October 15, 2025, the event features:

• Barclays - Major banking support
• ART Business Loans - Specialist business lending
• Frontier Development Capital - Growth capital provider
• Midven - Co-Investment Fund coverage
• Forvis Mazars - Maximizing planning and building investment cases

This comprehensive lineup demonstrates the ecosystem of financial support available to manufacturers, from traditional banking to specialist lending and investment capital.

Investment Priorities Survey

The Machinery Market article cites an Investment Readiness survey revealing that most West Midlands manufacturers seek investment of £50,000-£250,000 over the next two years, with priorities including:

Capital Investment

• New machinery
• Automation systems
• Energy efficiency improvements

Growth Initiatives

• Business expansion
• Training and skills development
• Export market development

These investment priorities highlight the sector's focus on modernization and growth—goals that require healthy cashflow to achieve.

The Support Gap

Sharn Hayward-Higgs outlined what manufacturers most need:

"When it comes to support, businesses are very clear: they want help with finding and applying for grants and finance, building solid business plans and financial forecasts, and understanding tax reliefs like research and development (R&D)."

She identified key challenges holding manufacturers back:

• High upfront costs
• Economic uncertainty
• Not knowing what funding is available or how to access it

The Future Fit Cohort was designed to address these specific challenges, with the JLR cyberattack "exacerbating the need for it."

Garfield's Role in Manufacturing Cashflow

Garfield's participation in the Future Fit Cohort aligns with its broader mission to support SMEs across all sectors. For manufacturers specifically, the platform offers:

Rapid Debt Recovery

Manufacturing businesses can recover unpaid invoices quickly and affordably, converting aged receivables into usable cashflow without expensive legal fees.

Scalable Process

Whether recovering payment for a single delivery or managing multiple outstanding invoices, manufacturers can use Garfield's platform to handle debt recovery at scale.

Focus on Core Business

By automating debt recovery processes, manufacturers can focus on production, quality, and customer relationships rather than chasing payments.

Bridge Financing Alternative

For some businesses, recovering outstanding invoices may provide sufficient cashflow to weather disruptions without taking on additional debt.

Regional Economic Impact

The Machinery Market coverage emphasizes the West Midlands' significant manufacturing presence and the regional economic importance of supporting suppliers through crises. The WMCA's funding of the Investment Readiness Programme reflects recognition that:

1. Manufacturing supply chains are economically critical
2. Business failures ripple through regional economies
3. Proactive support is more effective than crisis response
4. Technology can help manufacturers build resilience

Garfield's inclusion demonstrates how legal technology fits within broader economic development strategies aimed at supporting regional business ecosystems.

Sound Businesses Facing Extraordinary Circumstances

Sharn Hayward-Higgs's characterization of impacted suppliers as "sound businesses, who have been victim of criminal activity that few could have anticipated" highlights an important distinction: these aren't failing businesses with fundamental problems, but viable companies facing extraordinary external shocks.

This context makes tools like Garfield particularly valuable. Recovering unpaid invoices helps sound businesses access capital they're legitimately owed, strengthening their position to survive temporary disruptions and return to growth trajectories.

The Criminal Activity Impact

The JLR cyberattack represents a category of business risk that traditional planning often doesn't account for: criminal activity targeting supply chain partners. When a major customer halts production unexpectedly, suppliers face immediate cashflow challenges despite having no control over the situation.

In such circumstances, every available financial resource becomes critical. Unpaid invoices that might have been written off as "too small to pursue" under normal circumstances suddenly represent crucial working capital.

Building Resilience Through Multiple Channels

The Future Fit Cohort's multi-session approach—covering decarbonization, digital skills, automation, AI, and financing—reflects understanding that business resilience requires attention to multiple dimensions:

• Operational efficiency (automation, productivity)
• Market positioning (diversification, sustainability)
• Workforce capabilities (digital skills, training)
• Financial health (cashflow management, funding access)
• Technology adoption (AI, marketing tools)

Garfield fits within the financial health and technology adoption dimensions, providing practical tools to improve cashflow through debt recovery.

Immediate Support Available

The article emphasizes that suppliers needing immediate advice and support can contact the Investment Readiness Programme directly, with booking available for Future Fit Cohort events.

This emphasis on accessibility reflects the urgent nature of support needs following the JLR disruption and recognition that delayed intervention could result in otherwise-viable businesses failing.

The Government Loan Guarantee Scheme

The Investment Readiness team provides expertise on navigating the Government loan guarantee scheme, helping suppliers access funds quickly. This support is particularly valuable for manufacturers unfamiliar with business lending processes or unsure whether they qualify for government-backed financing.

For some businesses, recovering unpaid invoices through Garfield could strengthen their financial position when applying for loans, demonstrating active management of accounts receivable and improving cashflow projections.

Looking Forward

The Machinery Market coverage reflects growing recognition that supporting manufacturers requires comprehensive approaches addressing multiple challenges simultaneously. Technology solutions like Garfield, combined with financing support, business planning assistance, and skills development, provide manufacturers with tools to navigate both immediate crises and longer-term challenges.

As Sharn Hayward-Higgs noted, economic uncertainty is among the biggest challenges holding manufacturers back. In uncertain environments, tools that help businesses recover money they're owed and access appropriate financing become particularly valuable.

Industry Publication Recognition

Garfield's inclusion in Machinery Market—a specialist publication serving the manufacturing sector—demonstrates the platform's relevance beyond traditional legal services markets. Manufacturers, like other SMEs, face unpaid invoice challenges that impact their ability to invest, grow, and weather disruptions.

This sector-specific recognition complements Garfield's broader media profile, showing how AI-powered legal services can support specific industries facing particular challenges.

Read the Full Article

The complete Machinery Market article is available at machinery-market.co.uk.

About Garfield AI Garfield AI is the world's first AI-driven law firm, approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The platform helps businesses across all sectors, including manufacturing, recover unpaid invoices through affordable, accessible processes that make debt recovery economically viable. By converting accounts receivable into usable cashflow, Garfield supports SMEs building resilience and navigating economic challenges. Founded by senior City litigation lawyer Philip Young and quantum physicist Daniel Long, Garfield demonstrates how AI can provide practical solutions to real business problems. Visit garfield.law to learn more.

Media Contact: Philip Young, CEO - philip@garfield.law Daniel Long, CTO - dan@garfield.law