ETIM NA Delivers Data. Leviton, Rexel Canada Join

Barely 18 months after launching, ETIM North America is delivering … both in membership growth and delivering product data classifications and features in “English (US)” into the ETIM Classification Model Tool.

ETIM North America became an independent, non-profit, association in February 2020, just before COVID brough the electrical industry and, for a fledging association, industry meetings, to a stop.

When launched it was believed that meetings would be critical to membership recruitment. However, through perseverance, a strong message, and the electrical marketplace’s understanding for a better and more refined product classification system, the association now has:

Product Expert Groups focused on Power Distribution and Industrial Automation, Wiring Devices and Lighting Controls and, beginning later this month, Wire, Cable and Conduit. (and the terminology is a little bit of a misnomer as there are many product categories … “classes” … encompassed in each of these which ETIM NA will be seeking to further communicate in the near future.)

Almost 30 members inclusive of direct manufacturer and distributor members, software / data providers such as Distributor Data Solutions (DDS), IDEA and Trimble as well as leading organizations such as IMARK Group and NEMRA.

In August, ETIM North America announced:

• Leviton joined the association and will be participating in all three Product Expert Groups.
• Rexel Canada joined the association and will also help support translating the model into French Canadian.
• That 63 ETIM Classes are now viewable on the ETIM CMT. These classes are 100% complete and include over 4200 feature / value combinations.

Additionally, Mary Shaw, Executive Director, shared that another 300_ ETIM classes are more than 75% complete and the association is seeking to have many of these completed by the end of the year.

ETIM North America anticipates announcing at least a few more new members in September … distributors and manufacturers and will be presenting “Why ETIM?” to automation distributors and manufacturers in conjunction with Frank Hurtte from River Heights Consulting later this month.

Participation in the association enables ETIM North America to accelerate refinement and development of the model to ensure it is appropriate for the US and Canadian markets. According to Shaw, the groups have helped in language refinement (UK English is different then US English), product terminology (the way things are described in Europe is different than the same product in the US, even if from the same manufacturer) and there have been product categories added that are specific to the US or Canadian market.

The ETIM model is a logical, alphanumeric classification system, used internationally, that will significantly enhance the ability of companies to classify and communicate product information across digital platforms … and it makes eCommerce and internal data searching much easier. It doesn’t result in commoditization of products as users can control what goes on their sites, but its feature / value attribution model streamlines processes.

David Gordon, President of Channel Marketing Group, is on ETIM North America’s Board of Directors and believes that industry adoption can accelerate eCommerce support and have direct benefits throughout the electrical ecosystem. Further, companies joining ETIM North America are able to highlight their commitment to the industry and their leadership role while contributing expertise that will help accelerate deployment and utilization of the model. After all, if this much could be accomplished with a staff of one in 18 months, think about what a broader collective could achieve!

If you are involved in “digital transformation”, eCommerce or “product data”, you should learn more about the ETIM model.

To learn more about ETIM North America, give us a call, contact Mary Shaw or visit ETIM North America.