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Sergey Shvets
Written by
Sergii Shvets
Founder & CEO at Gepard
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ETIM International: The Future of Standardized Technical Product Information

6 min read
Published: October 17, 2024
Updated: October 18, 2024

ETIM International offers a standardized solution for managing and exchanging technical product information across various industries. The ETIM international classification system, built on the ETIM model, ensures that product data is structured consistently, making it easier for manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors to communicate and share information accurately.

As industries like electrotechnical, HVAC, building materials, and electrical sectors expand globally, the need for standardized technical product information becomes increasingly critical. ETIM International helps bridge these gaps, supporting efficient and error-free data exchange, and enhancing the overall efficiency of international trade and product management.

What is the ETIM Model of Electrotechnical Information?

The ETIM model is a standardized system specifically designed for organizing and exchanging technical product data in the electrotechnical and other industrial sectors. So, what is the ETIM model of electro technical information? Or ‘What is the ETIM code?’

What is the ETIM?

ElectroTechnical Information Model, at its core, it’s a structured approach that categorizes products into consistent groups, classes, features, and values. This system allows manufacturers and wholesalers to align on a common language for product information, ensuring that technical specifications are clearly communicated without misinterpretation.

This international approach guarantees that businesses worldwide, including internationally operating parties, can rely on the ETIM classification system for their data. ETIM International helps bridge these gaps, supporting efficient and error-free data exchange, enhancing the overall efficiency of international trade and product management, reducing failure costs, and improving order processing.

By using an ETIM-based product classification, businesses benefit from a simplified and streamlined data exchange process. This consistency reduces errors, speeds up the supply chain, and enhances efficiency, as product information can be transferred seamlessly across platforms and between partners, no matter the country or language. In essence, the ETIM model standardizes the way technical product data is handled, making it a crucial tool for modern industries aiming for precision and efficiency. Furthermore, it supports e-business solutions, helping brands optimize their digital channels.

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ETIM Classification Model

ETIM, the international classification standard, has established itself as a widely adopted international classification standard, with its reach extending across 21 countries in Europe and North America. This broad adoption reflects the system’s effectiveness in standardizing product data for diverse industries, including HVAC, plumbing, building materials, and electrotechnical sectors.

What countries are part of ETIM?

Countries such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, the UK, and the United States have integrated ETIM International into their industrial practices, ensuring that technical product information remains consistent and reliable.

This wide-ranging application supports businesses in maintaining accuracy and efficiency across their supply chains, providing an international network for product consistency, and supporting stock management practices.

For wholesalers ETIM international, the platform provides a unified platform for managing and exchanging product data, reducing discrepancies and delays. With ETIM-based product classification, manufacturers and distributors can collaborate seamlessly, enhancing international trade capabilities and ensuring that their product information aligns with the requirements of multiple markets. The system’s global reach and cross-industry adoption across multiple sectors demonstrate its importance in modernizing and simplifying product data management for industries worldwide, emphasizing its international significance and helping electrical distributors’ association members achieve consistent results.

ETIM, the International Classification Standard

ETIM Classification

The ETIM classification system standardizes technical product information, making it easier for businesses to communicate and share data consistently. Here’s a breakdown of its key categories within the ETIM model:

  • Product Groups: Top-level categories that organize products by function, helping users find the right category quickly.
  • Product Classes: These group similar items within each product group based on shared characteristics, allowing for efficient management and comparison. An ETIM classification example includes categorizing different types of valves or lighting fixtures according to their technical features.
  • Synonyms: Alternative names for product classes, improving searchability and flexibility (e.g., “pivot door” might also be listed as “shower screen”).
  • Features & Values: Defines attributes like size, color, or voltage with standardized descriptions and pre-set options, ensuring consistency.
  • Units: Standardized measurement units (e.g., volts, millimeters) maintain data accuracy across systems.

This structured approach, including the use of a consistent ETIM code, simplifies data management and exchange across industries. By organizing technical details in this way, the ETIM classification system makes it easier for businesses to collaborate, manage inventories, and streamline their operations. This internationally recognized system sets a standard that businesses across different countries can depend on, helping them maintain high-quality standards in their processes. It also supports digitalization interface optimization, ensuring compatibility and efficiency.

How the ETIM Management Tool Works

The ETIM Classification Management Tool (CMT) is a powerful resource designed to streamline the management and exchange of product information using the ETIM international classification system. This tool provides businesses with the flexibility and control needed to maintain accurate, standardized data across different platforms and markets. Here’s an overview of its main features:

  • Multilingual Support and Automatic Translations: The CMT supports multiple languages, providing automatic translations for product information. This capability allows businesses to operate seamlessly in different countries without the need for external translation services. By tapping into ETIM International’s multilingual database, companies can manage and distribute product data efficiently, regardless of the language requirements in various regions, making it suitable for international operations.
  • ETIM API: To enhance data management, the ETIM CMT offers an ETIM API that integrates with different platforms and systems. The API allows businesses to connect their product data directly with various software applications, ensuring consistency and accuracy in data presentation. Through this ETIM PIM modelling management tool, businesses can automate updates and manage product data dynamically, keeping their catalogs up-to-date across multiple channels, all while maintaining international standards of the ETIM classification system.  It also supports dynamic release cycles, ensuring that product data remains current and relevant.
  • Managing Product Data Across Platforms: The CMT simplifies the process of synchronizing product information across different eCommerce, PIM (Product Information Management), and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems. By using the ETIM classification system, businesses can ensure that all their product details—features, units, and classifications—remain consistent, no matter the platform or market they serve. This alignment supports international compliance for businesses operating in multiple countries.

ETIM International’s CMT tool, with its multilingual capabilities and robust API, is an essential asset for companies looking to efficiently manage their product information on a global scale. By integrating this tool, businesses can maintain the accuracy and consistency of their product data, streamline their operations, and reduce the manual work associated with managing multiple data formats and systems. The tool also supports standard interfaces ETIM, ensuring compatibility with a range of digital platforms and systems used by businesses worldwide.

ETIM vs. Other Standards (e.g., UNSPSC)

When it comes to international product classification, ETIM International is often compared with other standards like the UNSPSC (United Nations Standard Products and Services Code). While both systems aim to standardize product information, they differ significantly in their approach and application, particularly in the industrial sectors. So, what is the difference between ETIM and UNSPSC?

Focus and Structure

ETIM International is tailored for technical products in sectors like electrotechnical, HVAC, plumbing, and building materials. It organizes data into detailed groups, classes, features, and values, providing a precise framework for industrial needs. In contrast, UNSPSC is broader, covering various industries, and is mainly used for procurement, lacking ETIM’s technical focus.

Detail and Specificity

ETIM International offers in-depth specifications, such as dimensions and materials, crucial for industrial applications. UNSPSC provides simpler categorization, suitable for general cataloging but insufficient for industries needing precise technical details.

Adaptability and Multilingual Support

ETIM International supports multiple languages with automatic translations, enhancing global integrations through its CMT and API. UNSPSC lacks similar multilingual support and interaction tools, making it less flexible for international use.

Application in Industrial Sectors

ETIM’s structured approach is ideal for industries with complex product specs, ensuring consistent and efficient supply chain management. UNSPSC fits general procurement needs but doesn’t meet the detailed requirements of technical sectors.

In short, ETIM’s specialization and detailed structure make it more effective for industries requiring precise product data and global adaptability, enhancing efficiency and international trade consistency.

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Gepard as a Bridge Between Brands and ETIM

Gepard PIM plays a crucial role in integrating the ETIM international classification system, helping businesses automate their product information exchange and streamline operations. Gepard’s platform connects seamlessly with ETIM through its ETIM API, making it easier for companies to manage and distribute product data accurately across multiple retail channels.

  1. Automated Data Transfer: With Gepard’s integration, businesses can automate the transfer of product information based on ETIM’s structured model. By using the ETIM API, Gepard allows for real-time updates and ensures that product data remains consistent across different systems and platforms. This automation supports businesses in maintaining international consistency in their product data.
  2. Seamless Syndication to Retail Channels: Gepard PIM ensures that product information is accurately syndicated to various retail channels, whether it’s an eCommerce platform, distributor system, or other sales networks. By aligning with the ETIM international standard, Gepard makes sure that the product data shared with partners and customers is standardized, precise, and compatible with different systems globally.
  3. Flexibility and Scalability: Gepard’s integration with ETIM not only supports businesses in automating data exchange but also provides the flexibility to adapt as product ranges expand or markets change. The platform’s scalable design means that companies can manage large and diverse product catalogs without worrying about inconsistencies or delays in information sharing, even in international markets.

By bridging the gap between brands and the ETIM international standard, Gepard PIM empowers businesses to efficiently manage their product data, maintain accuracy, and ensure that all information is synchronized across their entire sales network. This approach not only improves operational efficiency but also enhances the overall customer experience by delivering precise and up-to-date product information wherever it’s needed, supporting both local and international efforts.

Conclusion

ETIM is a vital tool for industrial sectors, standardizing technical product information for industries like electrotechnical, HVAC, plumbing, and building materials. Its structured categories and multilingual support enable clear communication and seamless global operations.

Gepard PIM automates ETIM’s data exchange through its API, ensuring accurate and consistent product information across retail channels, reducing errors, and boosting efficiency. This implementation keeps information up-to-date, enhancing business performance and customer satisfaction.

For businesses wanting to optimize ETIM use, Gepard provides tools to structure and automate product data delivery to online shops. Contact us to streamline your product information management and expand your global reach effectively with ETIM and Gepard.

Sergey Shvets
Written by Sergii Shvets
Founder & CEO at Gepard
IT entrepreneur with a deep technical background. Founder & CEO at Gepard, the product information management & delivery platform, helping to centralize diverse product data and deliver complying content to sales channels. Director Of Technology at Icecat, the global open catalog with more than 27K brands onboard. Sergii Shvets is an expert in the field of product data management and optimization, who has set up product content delivery across multiple platforms for a wide range of companies, including HP, MIGROS, and more.

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