Product Data Standards … A 2024 Update from ETIM

With everything becoming more “digital” and analytics driving much, the role of product data has become more important to the electrical industry. And it is not just the historical issue of descriptions and assets. It is the underlying foundation of product data and how it is structured. This facilitates AI, analytics, and anything digital.

Where is it used?

The essence of the information can be used in the AI applications for improving sales operations, data entry workflows, price optimization, product category management and analysis, inventory optimization, many usages within eCommerce applications, and more.

While the IMARK / AD merger made headlines last year, along with the plethora of acquisitions (116 in the past 4 years!), a “quiet” alignment that can have significant implications for the industry was re-formed and, as it takes hold, can help optimize, and accelerate, the industry’s digital transformation … and it can also be used today!

This relationship is when IDEA became an ETIM North America service provider, especially given that the ETIM model is a core data input for IDEA’s HDM. And with IDEA joining, NAED and NEMA joined (NEMRA was ahead of the game and joined the first year)

Last month Mary Shaw, Executive Director of ETIM North America, shared an update with the ETIM NA membership. She shared that update with ElectricalTrends:

ETIM 2024 Year-in-Review

ETIM North America

“We welcomed two new manufacturer members (Hammond Power Solutions and CMP Products), two new solution provider members (KYKLO and Syndigo), and welcomed back IDEA, supported by NEMA and NAED, bringing our number of members to 32.

• Review and translation of the ETIM model from a North American perspective continued throughout the year, with several working sessions, the latest focus being on wire/cable tray, which is almost complete.
• • Review of wiring duct/trunking is about to get underway, with a call to action for product experts sent out before Christmas.
  • Work began on transformers and cable glands, but additional expertise is required before they can be completed.
• Many one-on-one training sessions were conducted as member company representatives changed, more frequently than in previous years.  This is most likely due to mergers, acquisitions, and staff rotations within these companies.

North American exposure

• ETIM NA exhibited for the first time, at NEMRA24 in Las Vegas, where ETIM was showcased to the broader rep industry.
• Co-hosted a webinar with our solution provider member, Productsup, to present ETIM xChange and Productsup’s ability to support the new exchange format for their customers.  Note: joint presenting with solution providers to profile their ETIM solutions is open to all members as is a presentation to your management team.
• Attended the Electro-Federation Canada’s annual conference in Banff, Alberta, meeting with Canadian manufacturers, distributors, associations and manufacturers reps.
• Conducted meetings in Toronto with two of the major Canadian associations for HVAC/Plumbing/Refrigeration (HRAI and CIPH), providing exposure of the ETIM standard to their market.

ETIM International

•  ETIM xChange was launched in February by ETIM International. It was developed to become an international Master Data exchange format based on the combination of requirements from EMDG, BMEcat, DICO, FAB-DIS and the assorted North American formats.  The actual exchange protocol and validation schema were written in JSON to meet the requirements of modern data exchange technologies and legislations and serves not only the European market but the North American and Australian continent as well.
• ETIM 10.0 was released just in time for Christmas, with 5640 classes, of which 159 are new.
• • This release also introduces ETIM Feature Groups, that allows the user to group features according to their types (e.g. measurements, electronics, material, colors, etc.).
  • Feature groups were also added to the IXF format, ETIM International’s official XML release format.
  • In addition, ETIM Groups were given a serious cleanup, which was needed due to the merger of sectors in the past and to properly assign new products to the right groups.
• • Overall, version 10.0 is the result of 5264 change requests submitted internationally.  This new release contains:
    • 5,640 Classes, with 33,684 Synonyms
    • 16,728 Features, with 73,085 Class-feature (relations)
    • 15,656 Values, with 192,886 Class-feature-value (relations)

Note to manufacturer and distributor members: While this new model is ready to be used now, as members you have the opportunity to participate in its continued refinement.  This means, if you encounter any terminology that you feel needs changing, or encounter anything missing that you would like added to the model, for the products you manufacture or purchase, you can submit those requests to Mary Shaw.

• Version mapping tools were released, for member companies to easily manage the upgrade from version 9.0 to 10.0.  However, these are restricted to members only.
• ETIM International has been conducting working group sessions on environmental data and is participating in Europe’s new Digital Product Passport regulations workshops (CEN.CENELEC JTC 24).  The new ETIM xChange format combined with the ETIM classification model is more than ready to meet any data requirements coming from that initiative.
• ETIM UK expanded their membership and services, to support the companies in the Republic of Ireland.

ETIM NA’s International exposure

•  Participated in ETIM International Board, General Assembly, and Technical Committee meetings representing the North American market.
• Participated in two ETIM International board sessions to provide supporting updates and education to two of the major associations for electrical and building materials in Portugal.
• Participated in the ETIM International insider-community Forum in Rome, where members of the ETIM chapters’ staff offices gathered to share ideas on the future of ETIM, build relationships, and learn about the many ways that the ETIM standard can support and influence the impact of artificial intelligence in our industry.

2025 Roadmaps

ETIM North America Roadmap for 2025

• Continue review of the ETIM model for North American needs (more product experts are needed!!)
• The IDEA team and their subject matter expert customers will be working closely with ETIM NA and our members throughout 2025 to identify any missing classes/features/values that are needed for the North American market, in an effort to fast-track the adoption of ETIM in the US.
• Grow membership
• Promote adoption of ETIM in the North American community
• Conduct webinars on the newly release ETIM standards
• Participate in solution provider and association webinars to further educate the industry on ETIM and bring awareness to companies who can assist with the adoption of ETIM
• Expand to national chains
• Participate in North American and international events to spread awareness of ETIM to the global industry.

ETIM International Roadmap for 2025

 Publish latest versions of the ETIM standards (ETIM 10.0, ETIM MC’25 and ETIM xChange v1.1) on bSDD (buildingSMART Data Dictionary).

• Launch of the ETIM online academy, education portal.
• ETIM Forum 2025
• Maintenance projects within ETIM: update guidelines, clean up and improve the ETIM model, improve the ETIM websites.
• Begin work on ETIM 11.0 with the broader ETIM community

And last, but not least, Mary Shaw was re-elected to the ETIM International board of directors in November, for a third 3-year term, ensuring that North America retains a voice at the ETIM International table.

While the translation reviews continue, and the global model continues to be refined, there is nothing stopping anyone from adopting the model today. As with any standard, it is a living thing that will continue to grow and be adapted to the current and future needs of the industry.

The ETIM model remains the most robust, yet simplest, product classification system in the electrical industry, and related verticals, and the only one with worldwide acceptance.  Today, the ETIM model is utilized in more than 150 countries, with local representation in 21 countries, including the three North American countries.

We very much appreciate your continued support and commitment to ETIM North America and look forward to engaging with you in our ongoing maintenance of the ETIM model and product information exchange standard throughout 2025.”

Comments .. What Your Company Should Know

• ETIM North America is a member-driven association and product standards group. As such, members are the ones that are refining the standards that originate from ETIM International. ETIM North America is charged with refining the standard for US, Canadian, and Mexican usage. Members participate in Product Expert Groups to review categories and refine, or add, to the features and attributes. Your company must be a member to vote on a Product Expert Group, but anyone can share their expertise (manufacturers, distributors, reps.)
• Mary facilitates the Product Expert Groups (and there are a number of them) given “active” categories based upon the existing manufacturer and distributor membership.
• The pace of change, and adoption, is, to a degree, governed by the number of active members … the more that are active, therefore the more PEGs and more categories that can be reviewed.
• To date there are 2565 classes (categories) that have been reviewed and finalized … for a list, contact Mary.
  • And there are now some service providers involved who can help manufacturers with adoption.
• The entire model can be used to date as refinement is ongoing … and the ETIM model is a living model … because products are always changing.

To date national distributors and a number of larger manufacturers have been leading the charge, but the membership model gives 1 vote / company, so everyone can participate, and the fee structure is nominal to encourage participation.

If you are involved in IT, eCommerce, digital strategy, product content or a software company and want to be involved, contact Mary. If your company is a product category leader and wants to help set the product content standards for your product category(ies), contact Mary. And if you are a “product maven” that wants to contribute your knowledge for the betterment of the industry, contact Mary.

To learn more go to www.etim-na.org. If you’d like a 1-page overview about ETIM North America and the benefits for manufacturers and distributors, contact Mary Shaw or email me and I can send you an overview that I have (I am on the BOD of ETIM North America).