BIM for construction manufacturers

Benefits of BIM for construction manufacturers

Manufacturers of building materials are struggling with increasing pressure from designers who require BIM data from the client side in their projects. BIM objects allow designers to precisely plan, analyze and coordinate the project, based on current and detailed product data contained in the BIM of the material manufacturing company. Without digital models, e.g. of windows, pipes or cable systems, the products of construction manufacturers fall outside the specifications of BIM projects, so that their competitors who offer their own BIM objects take over the orders.

“73% of construction projects in the UK are based on BIM.” 2023 NBS Report

BIM modeling, i.e. preparing BIM objects containing relevant data, consumes time, budget and requires specialists, which is a problem for many manufacturing companies. When there is a lack of resources to create BIM libraries that comply with classifications such as ETIM or Uniclass, it becomes difficult for manufacturers to collaborate with designers. In such a situation, customer support managers receive a lot of questions from the customer about the technical aspects of the products and instead of supporting sales, they spend hundreds of hours contacting designers. How can manufacturers of building components keep up with the market without straining the company's resources? BIM allows manufacturers to increase visibility and sales and provide faster information exchange thanks to BIM libraries — digital representations of products. What are BIM objects and how can the use of BIM technology help building manufacturers?

What are BIM Libraries? They are not BIM models

BIM libraries, also called BIM components, are digital models of building products (building elements) — they can be for example doors and installation systems. They consist of 3D geometry (product visualization) and metadata such as dimensions, ETIM classes, EAN codes or certificates. In English terminology, the terms “BIM Content” and “BIM libraries” are used. Note — sometimes you may come across the term BIM models referring to products, but this is a misnomer. This term refers to the design of building objects or digital twins, not construction products/products. BIM libraries are elements of a building model, but they are not the model itself.

BIM data enables designers to quickly search and specify products in design tools such as Revit or ArchiCAD. Creating BIM objects that represent products allows them to be used in libraries. Designers' BIM models, in turn, rely on these libraries, which makes the use of BIM objects crucial for manufacturers of building materials for the placement of products. BIM makes it possible increasing the chances of incorporating products into projects, and then into investors' orders. Examples of such manufacturers are companies such as Uponor or OBO Bettermann, which reach designers in dozens of countries thanks to customized BIM software and the creation of BIM libraries. Available BIM objects are not just 3D models — they are digital manufacturers' information that supports sales and visibility.

Why do building materials manufacturers need BIM and what obstacles can they face when creating BIM objects?

The benefits of BIM for construction manufacturers are crucial in today's industry, where cooperation between manufacturers and designers determines success. BIM allows manufacturers to promote their products and place them in project specifications, Which translates directly into sales. However, the implementation of BIM libraries presents challenges that manufacturers must overcome in order to fully realize the potential of BIM technology:

1. Brand promotion and visibility: The use of BIM objects increases the visibility of products among designers who use BIM models in tools such as Revit or ArchiCAD.

“Manufacturers with BIM libraries increase the chances of product specification by 15-20%.” Autodesk 2023 Report

For Marketing Managers, it is therefore a marketing advantage that distinguishes the brand from the competition. A good example is Uponor, whose online BIM platform reaches designers in 30 countries, promoting the brand's installation systems.

2. Placement of products in projects: BIM project specification is the key to investors' orders. BIM objects allow designers to easily incorporate products such as windows, pipes, and cable systems into projects. BIM allows building component manufacturers, such as OBO Bettermann, to place complex cable systems in models, which increases the chances of sales. Without modeling product information, quotes are often skipped, which for the manufacturer means losing orders.

3. Lack of resources as a barrier: Creating BIM libraries requires BIM Managers and engineers, which many companies lack.

“58% of construction companies in the US face a lack of personnel for BIM.” 2022 Dodge Data & Analytics Report

Small companies often do not have teams, which makes it difficult to use BIM technology and promote products.

4. Cost and time: manually preparing your own BIM objects costs between $500 and $3,000 apiece (bimobject.com estimates), and keeping libraries up to date is another expense. Information modeling is time-consuming, especially when adapting to standards such as ETIM or Uniclass, which requires resources and knowledge. This makes many companies unfortunately abandon information modeling.

5. Designer pressure: The BIM design method is the standard in construction — 73% of projects in the UK use BIM (NBS 2023). Manufacturers' collaboration with designers suffers when libraries are scarce, and customer support managers waste time on technical questions instead of supporting sales.

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With BIM, manufacturers gain tools to promote and place products, but they have to overcome barriers such as lack of resources and the high cost of creating BIM objects. These BIM delivery challenges affect all roles within the company. Marketing Managers lose their marketing edge, Product Managers cannot provide specifications, and customer support managers, as we mentioned earlier, waste time asking questions from designers instead of supporting manufacturers' collaboration with contractors and designers. Therefore, not all companies are able to exploit the full potential of BIM technology.

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How to solve problems with BIM? BIM Library Management

The implementation of BIM technology for construction manufacturers does not have to be complicated. The potential of BIM technology can be exploited by applying appropriate strategies:

Process automation and BIM objects

Online BIM platforms, such as BIMStreamer, eliminate manual work by automating BIM processes such as creating BIM libraries. One of our customers, Uponor — manufacturer of installation systems — thanks to BIMStreamer, already generates more than 100,000 BIM objects containing data for 30 countries in 20 languages. Their Revit plugin, through the use of BIM technology, automatically selects fittings and detects errors, saving designers time. At OBO Bettermann, on the other hand, BIM solutions simplify library management for cable gutter systems — for example, BIM modeling in their plugin allows you to automatically update BIM data, such as ETIM classes, by changing the route width parameter. As you can see, BIM allows manufacturers not only to directly support sales, but also to automate processes. You can find out more about our design automation and dedicated plugins here: https://www.sagiton.pl/en/services/revit-plugins-dynamo-scripts-and-grasshopper-3d

Delegation of tasks - BIM design for manufacturers

Not every manufacturer has to build a BIM team. External partners can prepare BIM components or manage data, relieving the burden of BIM Managers on the client side. This allows construction manufacturers to focus on the core business, rather than investing in new competencies. As BIMStreamer, we also support companies that want to distribute files containing key product data in the creation of their own BIM objects.

Ready-made BIM systems and digital tools — BIM applications and plugins

Instead of creating their own platforms, manufacturers can use solutions like BIMStreamer. This is what Aliaxis BIM solutions are based on. The company now provides a multi-brand online BIM platform, with which it unifies its BIM catalog for different brands and markets, which has significantly accelerated the delivery of BIM objects from the manufacturer to the customer side.

The digital standard of the construction industry

Investing in classifications such as ETIM makes it easier to adapt libraries to local requirements. When entering BIM, companies such as Geze (door systems) or Reflex Winkelmann (installation solutions) apply standards to make their products more easily specified.

Designer support and marketing trends

By using BIM objects, manufacturers relieve the burden of customer support managers. Uponor, thanks to the BIM objects available on its online BIM catalog, reduced the number of technical questions, by improving cooperation between manufacturers and designers. In addition, the use of BIM technology and additional publication of libraries on external marketplaces (BIM object platforms), increased the visibility of Uponor. The company adhered to marketing trends, so called BIM Omnichannel, using BIM objects on multiple channels simultaneously.

BIM models offer an opportunity for building component manufacturers to improve both the visibility and attractiveness of their products in the marketplace.

Implementation of BIM Technology is a marketing advantage

BIM technology which is using relevant information is a necessity for construction manufacturers these days. Without BIM files, products disappear from the designer's radar, and with them orders. BIM allows manufacturers to increase their competitive advantage. Those manufacturers who invest in libraries located in virtual BIM models, such as Uponor, OBO Bettermann, Aliaxis, Geze or Reflex Winkelmann, are already seeing this. Information modeling technology improves specifications and relationships with designers. BIM solutions such as BIMStreamer allow you to automate processes, delegate tasks and standardize information by distributing BIM objects containing key metadata.

BIM stands for Business

In summary, the construction industry requires BIM — it is your pass to a market where the use of BIM models for the design of building objects is becoming the standard. Thanks to BIM, your products go directly to projects at the concept stage. This is a real competitive advantage and an opportunity to increase sales.