A HUDDERSFIELD firm has signed up some of industry’s biggest names for an online training programme with a difference.

Supply chain consultancy SCALA, based at the town’s Media Centre, has launched an internet-based competition to help firms train their staff to understand the impact a supply chain has on company performance.

Global businesses including Kimberley Clark, Kraft Foods and the US confectionery giant’s newly-acquired Cadbury’s business have already signed up to the interactive web-based training initiative.

The competition, called The Fresh Connection, encourages teams of professionals from all industries to compete against each other online.

Participants are challenged to save a failing “virtual” business by focusing on the main elements of the supply chain process, including operations, sales and procurement.

The game calls on participants to use teamwork and expertise to save the virtual fruit juice manufacturer from demise and develop it into a profitable company.

Over a seven week period, starting on 12 April, it involves weekly heats during which teams will make tactical and strategic decisions to save the business – at each stage demonstrating its importance towards the process of creating an efficient supply chain.

The competition will culminate in a prestigious final in July at the stunning location of Wroxall Abbey, in Warwickshire.

The winners will be presented with four tickets to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

SCALA managing director John Perry said: “By using an interactive and competitive edge, The Fresh Connection is a great tool for staff training and development, as well as team building.

“Not only is this an exciting competition, it is about understanding how businesses operate and run successful global operations.

“Although it has already run successfully in other European countries including Holland, where 280 teams from some of Europe’s largest businesses took part, this is a first for the UK industry.”

The competition has already confirmed teams from the likes of Wincanton, Kimberly Clark, Heinz, Cadbury’s, Bernard Matthews and Kraft.

Keith Newton, customer logistics director for Cadbury’s in the UK and Ireland, said: “The Fresh Connection provides us with an excellent opportunity to enable some of our talented people from across our supply chain teams to practice working and learning together in an integrated and collaborative way and in a competitive environment with other peer businesses.”

For details of this competition go to at www.thefreshconnection.co.uk