CHH achieves Achilles UVDB certification to open new market opportunities

CHH is proud to announce that we have successfully achieved certification under the Achilles UVDB (Utilities Vendor Database) scheme. This marks a major milestone that reflects our commitment to quality, compliance and continuous improvement. The certification will help our business access tender opportunities and reinforces our capability to act as a trusted, full turnkey delivery partner across multiple sectors.

 

Achilles is one of the most respected supply chain risk and performance management systems in the UK. It streamlines the pre-qualification process between buyers and suppliers, particularly in highly regulated sectors such as utilities, rail, infrastructure, energy and public services. The system enables major buyers to identify and engage with approved suppliers who meet stringent standards across areas such as health and safety, ESG, quality assurance and financial management.

 

To gain certification, the team at CHH completed a detailed online pre-qualification questionnaire covering 14 critical areas of the business, from governance and environmental policies to workforce development and operational controls. This was followed by a comprehensive two-day audit, which we passed with full compliance. Our certificate was formally issued in May 2025 and is valid until May 2026, with access to the Achilles UVDB tender portal now fully activated.

 

CHH’s Nick Turley, Head of Sales & Business Development within our Technical Services Division led the process. He said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have achieved Achilles UVDB certification. It’s a reflection of the work that’s gone into building CHH as a credible and scalable business. This opens doors to new markets and major customers within the utilities, infrastructure and energy sectors.  For a business like ours with end-to-end capabilities, this presents new opportunities.”

 

End-to-end capabilities

 

Our registered product and service commodity codes span a wide spectrum of our operational capabilities, including:

 

• Steel and metal products
• Cable assemblies and enclosures
• Signaling and telecommunications equipment (including rail-specific codes)
• Distribution cabinets, EV charging accessories, and fibre optic cables
• Metering housings, prewired junction boxes, and control cable accessories
• Protective Clothing & PPE
• Hand tools, Power Tools
• Ladders & Climbing Rails

 

These codes are part of our full turnkey offering from design and assembly through to installation and maintenance. Achilles UVDB links these CHH service and product codes to relevant buyers actively seeking suppliers within these categories. This gives us real-time visibility of tender opportunities to support our continued growth.

 

While Achilles has traditionally been seen as a platform for utilities and infrastructure companies, the breadth of tenders now available on the portal extends well beyond these industries. Buyers include universities, local authorities, housing associations, public-private partnerships and transportation hubs. All are looking for pre-approved, compliant vendors able to deliver quality work and ensure supply chain assurance.

 

This certification not only simplifies the tendering process but also positions us competitively in complex procurement environments. More importantly, it demonstrates that we are serious about compliance, continuous improvement and responsible business practice. Buyers often require suppliers to be Achilles registered before even allowing access to bid documentation. With our registration in place, we can bypass much of the duplication and delay caused by bespoke pre-qualification processes.

 

We are now actively reviewing tender opportunities on the portal and engaging with buyers across priority sectors. Looking ahead, this certification supports CHH’s broader strategy of growing our footprint beyond our existing client base. With a robust and proven track record in smart connectivity we are well positioned to meet the evolving demands of clients across a range of target markets.