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

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'.

Sharn Hayward-Higgs, Investment Readiness Team Specialist

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.

Machinery Market

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.

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.

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.

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.