Former teacher satisfies curiosity of shoppers
Apr 16 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal
HAVE you ever wondered exactly where in the world your music player, trainers or car were made?
If you have, then you are not alone. Growing global demand for ethically-produced goods and a desire among customers to buy locally-made goods to support their regional economy amid tough times have led to an increased appetite from consumers to know where things come from.
And a former schoolteacher from Northumberland is hoping to tap into this demand with the launch of a digital business.
Graham Rankin, of Morpeth, has set up madeinnations.com, which allows customers to pinpoint on a global map exactly where a particular item was manufactured.
As well as finding out in which countries consumer goods are made, the site links in to Google Maps to show the location of the cities and even the factories where they are put together, where this information is available.
Users can also find out more about the manufacturing processes and how the companies operate via links to articles from respected sources such as The Wall Street Journal and to company websites.
Mr Rankin said: “More and more these days, consumers want to know more about where their money is going when they buy things – whether that is from an ethical, moral or patriotic point of view.
“We think people have a right to know where things come from, but too often it’s hard to tell and many manufacturers do not clearly label where they make their goods.
“Madeinnations acts as a single source for all of this information so people can make more informed decisions about where they choose to spend their money.
Consumers looking to boost the region’s economy by buying North East-made goods in the spirit of The Journal’s Think North East First campaign, can also turn to the website for help. Items including Sunderland-built Nissan cars are on the site as well as the lesser-known Ibex 4x4 vehicle, which is built in Hexham, Northumberland. Other goods made in the region will be added in the future.
Mr Rankin said: “The North East has a rich manufacturing history and remains a thriving sector, although many companies make components rather than finished consumer products.”
The online business, which will be driven by advertising revenues, was launched with the help of North East law firm Ward Hadaway.
Partner and head of intellectual property at the firm, Alex Shiel, said: “Like all the best online ventures, Madeinnations.com takes a simple idea and uses the power of the internet to make it come alive.
A French language version of madeinnations.com is due to go live in April while Spanish and German versions are planned for later in the year.
