BIM Content Development & Distribution: A Guide for Manufacturers
Architects and engineers pick products inside their design software. This guide shows how to create, distribute and maintain BIM content that gets your products found, compared and specified.
9 pages · 5-step checklist included · Free
Inside the guide
Questions this BIM content guide answers
Short answers, practical steps, and a 5-step checklist to plan your first BIM objects.
What is a BIM object, and why does it matter to manufacturers?
What do architects, engineers and contractors need from your product data?
Should you build BIM objects in-house or with a partner?
Which software formats and regional standards should you cover?
How does BIM content development work, step by step?
How do you get BIM objects found, and keep them up to date?
Why BIM content matters for building product manufacturers
BIM, short for Building Information Modeling, is how architects, engineers, designers and contractors plan and decide on building projects. A manufacturer-specific BIM object gives them your real product geometry, technical data, materials and documentation, right inside their design software.
For you, that means products that are easier to find, evaluate, specify and use in real projects.
But a BIM file on its own isn't enough. It needs accurate product data, it has to work in the software your customers use, and it has to stay up to date as products and requirements change. The guide shows you how.
The critical aspect of a BIM object is that it includes the product’s information, materials, and textures. Designing every last bolt or including all product features will create a file that’s too large or contains information the designers don’t need. We have to think about what is most useful for the user.”
Award-winning BIM object creation
Named Best BIM Object Creation Specialists in Europe at the BUILD Sustainable Building Awards, in 2024 and 2025.
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BIM content development: common questions
It's written for building product manufacturers, in particular:
- Marketing managers who want their products to show up where specifiers search
- Product managers deciding which products to digitize first
- Sales teams who want to be specified earlier in a project
- Anyone new to BIM who needs a clear overview before investing
A BIM object is a digital version of a real building product. It combines 3D geometry with product data such as dimensions, materials and performance, so architects and engineers can place it directly in their design models.
Revit and Archicad are the most widely used. The right choice depends on the software your customers work in, your markets and your product categories. Standards also vary between regions, so your BIM content should reflect local requirements.
Designers choose products early, inside their BIM software. If your product isn't there, a competitor's product that is there is more likely to be specified.
In-house can work if your team already has BIM skills, the software, good product data and the time. If not, a specialist partner is usually the easier route, and makes sure your objects are built correctly and work in the software your customers use.
Yes. Products change, software gets updated, links break and standards evolve. Reviewing your BIM library regularly, updating files for new software versions and checking product data keeps your objects accurate and trusted by specifiers.
Yes. Download it and use the checklist to plan your BIM content.
Ready to get your products specified?
Get the practical guide to BIM content development and distribution for building product manufacturers.
Prefer to talk it through? Get in touch with our BIM specialists