Introducing ETIM

Introducing the ETIM data standard and ETIM UK and Ireland

ETIM UK and Ireland

ETIM started in the Netherlands in 1991. Truly international, this data model is now used by 20+ countries, including the UK and Ireland.

  1. ETIM is an international product data model – a classification or structure – it is not a database;
  2. ETIM applies only to the technical information about any product;
  3. ETIM exists to help B2B customers further along the supply chain find and choose your products.

ETIM UK and Ireland Ltd is responsible for supporting businesses with the uptake of the ETIM standard.

In 2019 the Electrical Distributors’ Association and BMF became partners in ETIM UK and Ireland. Each organisation has responsibility for different types of product:

  1. Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) for electrotechnical, where the ETIM standard is at the heart of the EDATA data pool.
  2. Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) for HVAC & Plumbing
  3. Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) for Building Materials.

Adopting the ETIM standard in the UK and Ireland

The Electrical Distributors’ Association introduced the ETIM standard for the UK’s electrotechnical sector back in 2017.

The decision to use the ETIM standard was prompted by research in 2016 amongst EDA Member Wholesalers which showed that digitalisation was seen by wholesalers as a major opportunity for growth, but that competition from on-line businesses from outside the traditional wholesaler sector was the greatest threat.

Wholesaler businesses rely on manufacturers’ product data to provide content for their web sites. As received, this data varies hugely in terms of accuracy, consistency and completeness and few wholesalers have the resources to restructure it for their own use.

ETIM is that structure. Tailored to the UK market, manufacturers use the standard to classify their products and serve-up their ecommerce-rich data to the wholesaler.

Imagine the transformation if every manufacturer used the same consistent structure of their product data when sharing it with wholesalers along the supply chain – that’s why it’s so important.

So in 2017, work started to ETIM-ise product data in the electrotechnical sector.

In December 2019, the EDA and Builders Merchants’ Federation (BMF) became partners in what was then, ETIM UK Ltd  Each organisation championed the data standard for their sector.

In January 2025, the ETIM organisation expanded its scope to include Northern Ireland, and the organisation was renamed ETIM UK and Ireland Ltd.

In 2019 the EDA and BMF agree to become partners in what was ETIM UK and is now ETIM UK and Ireland

2019 EDA and BMF become partners in ETIM UK
Phil Thompson
Manager - ETIM UK and Ireland
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Phil Thompson, Manager - ETIM UK and Ireland
“After many years of working alongside trade associations, I’m excited to be joining ETIM UK and Ireland and look forward to supporting both the BMF and the EDA to increase adoption and raise awareness of the need for high quality product data across the construction sector.”
Go to the ETIM UK and Ireland website
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Must-see webinar: Starting your ETIM journey
Margaret Fitzsimons, EDA CEO, is the
ETIM UK and Ireland representative on the ETIM International Board
Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO at the EDA
“High quality, unambiguous, consistent and complete – good data is the golden thread of commerce,” says Margaret Fitzsimons, EDA CEO.
“ETIM has been a key pillar of the EDA’s work since we took the strategic decision to introduce the ETIM data model to the UK’s electrotechnical sector in March 2017.”

Automatic ETIM benefits for EDA Members & Affiliates

EDA Members & Affiliates (Manufacturers & Service Providers) are automatically members of ETIM UK and Ireland Ltd too.

ETIM options for non EDA Members

Your business does not have to be an EDA Member or Affiliated Member to benefit from ETIM.

You can join as an ETIM UK and Ireland Ltd Member.

To find out more call the team on 020 3141 7350.