SALT LAKE CITY — Electri-Flex, an industry leader for flexible wire and cable protection, joins ETIM North America (NA) as the newest direct manufacturer member.
Since 1955, Electri-Flex, a family-owned and operated business, has successfully been innovatively designing and manufacturing flexible electrical conduit for the liquidtight conduit industry. With its cultural focus on quality products and services, knit together with a strong sense of loyalty to its extended family of employees and business partners, it has earned itself a leading position in this niche market. Partnering with market leaders, Electri-Flex offers its full array of products through a network of professional U.S. manufacturer representatives that sell only to authorized worldwide electrical wholesalers, and are hand-selected based on demonstrated high standards of commitment and performance.
ETIM North America, one of 22+ country members of ETIM International, is leading the charge to drive the adoption of ETIM’s language-independent product classification model in North America. The improved product classification system can generate supply chain efficiency, facilitate downstream computer-to-computer communication, and enhance eCommerce functionality through predetermined normalized product descriptors.
In its first year, ETIM NA has attracted 23 like-minded manufacturers, distributors, technology companies, and associations to help refine ETIM’s electrical product classifications to North American terminology and be inclusive of the North American specific products and their features. While the initial focus has been on refining product categories in Power Distribution / Industrial Automation and Wiring Devices / Lighting Controls segments, 2021 will allow expansion into Wire & Cable and its associated protection industry.
Although liquidtight conduit is a niche product family within the industry, Brock Klein, National Sales Manager for Electri-Flex, sees the potential for the ETIM model to bring further clarity and delineation of product descriptors to facilitate eCommerce product searching and improve U.S. and international processes. “ETIM fits with our company’s focus on high standards for quality products and services.” According to Klein “ETIM is the first model I’ve seen that can help with what many consider a commodity, by more properly defining our specialty application products through its product expert-defined features and values.”
“As a product category leader, and a supporting segment of the broader Wire and Cable sector, I encourage my competitors to join in this collaborative effort so that we, collectively, can have our voice heard and define our product offerings rather than have others do it for us. Further, we know that this will be a requirement to work with international distributors, inclusive of the largest distributors in North America. ETIM has huge potential in helping us move our industry forward with a simple yet robust, descriptive model.”
ETIM North America’s Executive Director, Mary Shaw, remarked that “We welcome Electri-Flex’ support for ETIM North America and are encouraged that they see the opportunity to move our industry forward. Their vision for their product family is to be commended. It is important that all manufacturers who value channel efficiency, who recognize that the electrical ecosystem is undergoing digital transformation, and who are industry leaders, be part of the process. The more companies are involved, the quicker we can support refinement of the model for North American products.”
To learn more about ETIM North America, its Product Expert Groups, and how you can participate, visit www.etim-na.org or contact Mary Shaw at mary@etim-na.org.
Tagged with Electri-Flex, ETIM North America