ETIM dominates European electrical wholesale. ECLASS covers broader industrial product categories and is ISO-standardized. Most electrical distributors need ETIM. If you also serve process automation, MRO, or non-electrical industrial customers, you likely need both. The identifier formats, class structures, and validation rules differ significantly.
Two systems, one goal
Both ECLASS and ETIM exist to classify products in a standardized way so that suppliers and distributors can exchange structured data. Both assign products to a class (category) and define features (technical attributes) for that class. The implementation is different.
If you supply ETIM-classified BMEcat files, the ETIM BMEcat validator checks your XML against the ETIM XSD and guideline rules. If you supply ECLASS-classified BMEcat files, the ECLASS BMEcat validator validates IRDIs, property types, units, and enum values against the ECLASS 16.0 reference.
Structure comparison
| Aspect | ETIM | ECLASS |
|---|---|---|
| Class identifier | EC###### (e.g., EC001049) | IRDI: 0173-1#01-AAA999#999 |
| Property identifier | EF###### (e.g., EF000007) | IRDI: 0173-1#02-AAA999#999 |
| Value identifier | EV###### (e.g., EV000052) | IRDI: 0173-1#07-AAA999#999 |
| Unit identifier | Rec 20 codes (AMP, VLT) | IRDI: 0173-1#05-AAA999#999 |
| Class hierarchy | Flat (group > class) | 4-level hierarchy (segment > main group > group > commodity class) |
| Current version | ETIM 10.0 / xChange 2.0 | ECLASS 16.0 |
| Number of classes | ~5,500 | ~48,000 |
| Number of properties | ~5,000 | ~570 (in reference, more via application classes) |
| Governance | ETIM International | ECLASS e.V. |
| Standardization | Industry standard | ISO/IEC compliant (IEC 61360, ISO 13584) |
| BMEcat format | ETIM BMEcat (custom namespace) | BMEcat 2005 (standard namespace) |
Identifier format
The most visible difference is how each system identifies objects.
ETIM uses short, readable codes. EC001049 is a miniature circuit breaker. EF000007 is rated current. You can scan a BMEcat file and get a rough sense of the data without a lookup table.
ECLASS uses IRDIs (International Registration Data Identifiers) following ISO 29002. 0173-1#01-ACH237#013 is a low-voltage fuse. The IRDI embeds the issuing organization (0173-1 = ECLASS), the object type (01 = class, 02 = property), the item code, and the version number. More verbose, but globally unique and self-describing.
For details on how ECLASS IRDIs work, see what is an ECLASS IRDI.
Industry coverage
ETIM was built for the electrical wholesale industry and has expanded into HVAC, plumbing, and construction. Its strength is depth within these verticals. An ETIM class for a cable tray has 20+ features specific to cable management. The classification is detailed enough for parametric search on a distributor webshop.
ECLASS covers virtually all industrial product categories: electrical, mechanical, process automation, IT hardware, office supplies, MRO consumables, and more. The breadth is its advantage. An industrial distributor selling both circuit breakers and hand tools can classify everything in ECLASS. The trade-off is that some electrical-specific classifications are less detailed than ETIM's.
In practice, many European electrical distributors receive ETIM-classified data from their electrical suppliers and ECLASS-classified data from their industrial/MRO suppliers. Your PIM needs to handle both.
Data pool requirements
Where you send data determines which system you need.
ETIM is required by:
- German VEG/EDXF (Verband Elektro-Grosshandel) data pool
- Dutch Technische Unie and Rexel Netherlands
- Norwegian Nelfo/EFO
- French Sonepar and Rexel France
- Most European electrical wholesaler data pools
ECLASS is required by:
- German eCl@ss e.V. certified platforms
- Many industrial procurement platforms (SAP Ariba, Coupa)
- Public procurement systems in Germany and Austria
- Cross-industry data pools like DIN SPEC 91379 compliant systems
Some data pools accept both. Some require one and reject the other. Ask your trading partner before you build the export.
BMEcat format differences
Both systems use BMEcat as the XML transport format, but the encoding differs.
ETIM BMEcat uses a custom namespace (https://www.etim-international.com/bmecat/50 for version 5.0) and a custom XSD schema that extends BMEcat with ETIM-specific elements, particularly the User Defined Extensions (UDX.EDXF.*) for packing units, MIME codes, surcharges, and REACH data.
ECLASS BMEcat uses the standard BMEcat 2005 namespace (http://www.bmecat.org/bmecat/2005) and the standard BMEcat 2005 XSD. ECLASS classification data goes into the standard PRODUCT_FEATURES element using IRDI-format codes. There are no custom namespace extensions.
This means ECLASS BMEcat files are more portable. They conform to the base BMEcat spec. ETIM BMEcat files require the receiving system to understand the ETIM namespace and UDX extensions.
Validation differences
ETIM validation checks:
- XSD conformance against the ETIM-specific schema
- 247 element rules from the ETIM data exchange guideline
- 49 promoted mandatory fields (optional in XSD, required by guideline)
- 46 country-specific overrides
- ETIM code formats (EC/EF/EV + 6 digits)
- VEG/DE Open Datacheck rules for the German market
ECLASS validation checks:
- XSD conformance against BMEcat 2005 schema
- IRDI format for classes, properties, units, and values
- Property existence in the ECLASS 16.0 reference
- Data type matching (numeric, enum, boolean)
- Unit IRDI agreement with property definitions
- Multivalence constraints (single vs. multiple values)
- Enum value verification
You can run both checks with the respective validators: ETIM validator and ECLASS validator.
When to use which
Use ETIM when:
- Your primary trading partners are European electrical wholesalers
- The receiving data pool explicitly requires ETIM (VEG, Nelfo, TU, Sonepar)
- You need deep technical features for electrical, HVAC, or plumbing products
- Your products fall within the ~5,500 ETIM classes
Use ECLASS when:
- Your product range spans multiple industrial categories
- The receiving system is a procurement platform (SAP Ariba, Coupa)
- Your trading partner specifies ECLASS
- You need ISO-compliant identifiers (IRDI)
- You supply to public procurement systems in DACH markets
Use both when:
- You supply both electrical wholesalers and industrial procurement platforms
- Different trading partners require different systems
- Your catalog covers both electrical-specific and general industrial products
Dual classification strategy
If you need both, the practical approach is to classify products in your PIM using one system as the master and generate the other through mapping. ETIM-to-ECLASS mapping tables exist (ETIM International publishes one), but they are not one-to-one. An ETIM class might map to multiple ECLASS classes, and properties do not always have direct equivalents.
The recommended workflow:
- Classify products in your primary system (usually ETIM for electrical, ECLASS for industrial)
- Use the official mapping table to generate the secondary classification
- Review mapped products, especially where the mapping is ambiguous
- Validate both outputs independently before sending
Do not try to maintain both classifications manually. The maintenance burden doubles with every catalog update. Automate the mapping and invest review time only in the ambiguous cases.