Industry Leaders Join ETIM North America

Companies large and small talk about eCommerce. Progressive firms are talking the concept of eCommerce and broadening it to digitalization and then considering “digital transformation”.

Essentially “digital transformation” encompasses identifying the multitude of opportunities within an organization to automate processes and collect information. The most progressive companies extend this to how they can interact with their broader “community” electronically and provide them information in a digital format.

The benefit is consistency, speed, accuracy and access to expanded information … all cost-effectively.

From a product movement viewpoint there are opportunities to further improve product classification throughout the channel to ensure timely, accurate, information sharing … from manufacturer to rep, through distributor and engineer / architect / lighting designer and down to contractors and “installers” … essentially the entire industry ecosystem.  The key is some “code” in the background to transfer (perhaps translate) information across technology platforms.

This is where ETIM North America comes in, as a product classification system … a standard.  International companies have taken the lead in this effort – as ETIM North America, which launched in mid-February as an independent, non-profit association, welcomes ABB, Schneider, Siemens and Sonepar North America (US, Canada and Mexico) as early adopters – it is because they see the opportunities.

ETIM North America introduce new members

In a recent press release, ETIM North America shared:

Electrical industry leaders ABB, Schneider Electric, Siemens and Sonepar North America have joined the revitalized ETIM North America (NA) standards association, according to ETIM NA representatives.

As Direct Members, the companies will participate in ongoing, collaborative efforts to help enhance and complete the ETIM classification standard for North American electrical products. This includes helping to fine-tune the translation of relevant parts of the model to regional languages (North American English/French Canadian/Mexican Spanish) as well as confirming and expanding product categories, and associated products, features and values, for industry-wide benefit.

Through ETIM NA-led committee activity, member companies’ collective input helps improve the quality and communication of product data throughout the entire supply chain, benefitting all users and applications of electrical product information.

ETIM North America’s newest members include three of the electrical industry’s largest global manufacturers—ABB, Schneider Electric and Siemens—whose expertise in product areas like automation and control, power distribution and power management (among others) is invaluable in building out the classification model to fit the needs of the North American electrical market and related verticals. Virtual committee meetings for some of these product categories will be held beginning in June.

As the creators of technical products, manufacturers generate the detailed product content that the rest of the industry relies on through various roles and phases of the product lifecycle.

Sonepar North America, the largest wholesale distributor in the region, has also joined ETIM NA, bringing US, Canada and Mexico market perspectives to the classification process. One of the most critical roles in the industry, distributors rely heavily on product content for everything from training to marketing and selling manufacturer goods through physical and digital channels.

Other key applications of product information include the various digital formats that engineers, architects and specifiers utilize in CAD, BIM and 3D modeling programs. With all these functions downstream, having a standard for how product data is curated and communicated throughout the “ecosystem” of the industry helps ensure reliable transmission of information across countless users, languages and platforms.

According to Mary Shaw, Executive Director of ETIM NA, “These companies recognize the benefits of supporting the model to better serve their customers and trading partners, both in this region and internationally, making it easier to do business.”

Membership in ETIM NA is open to all companies and associations in ETIM’s focused industries.

Companies focused on digital transformation should join ETIM to have a voice in the product classification standards from a manufacturer, distributor and technology platform viewpoint. Companies that are involved in power distribution and automation should consider joining soon as the technical committee for this product category is being launched in June.

For more information on ETIM North America and how to join visit www.etim-na.org. Also, download their brochure here.