Download LAB Thirteen WORLD WIDE WEB AND PRODUCT SEARCHES

LAB Thirteen WORLD WIDE WEB AND PRODUCT SEARCHES
It is important to be able to quickly and efficiently do product research.
Some fundamentals and definitions that will assist in product research
There is a supply chain involved with any product or material.
Supply chain is defined as the chain of manufacturer’s, manufacturer’s representatives, dealers,
distributors, re-sellers, wholesalers, specifiers, installers and end users. Each of these entities
has a vested interest in the product in as well as their own financial interests.
Manufacturer- the party responsible for making or final assembly of the finished product.
Manufacturer’s representative- the party responsible for local sales of the product. They
distribute literature, call on architects, builders and owners and otherwise provide a local
presence for the product. These reps typically handle products for a handful of different
manufacturer’s in a common industry.
As an example plumbing rep may typically handle one line of faucets, another line of china, a
line of valves and fittings and a line of piping. They do not handle two competing lines of
faucets or other materials.
Dealers/distributers/re-sellers- The party responsible for stocking, distributing and selling the
product to the end user or installer. Dealers typically handle different manufacturers within an
industry and will often be able to help architects, builders and owners determine the best product
without a bias toward a particular manufacturer. In some industries, dealers are aligned with
certain manufacturers, in that they get preferred pricing from them. This can influence their
“advice”
Specifiers is a broad term used to denote the party responsible for specifying the product to be
purchased. A specifier can work for an architect, engineer, owner or consultant to the project.
A specifier should not be connected or aligned with a particular manufacturer or their rep. The
goal of the specifier should be to provide the best value to the building owner, while meeting the
form and function of the project as defined in the schematic design phase.
Builders and contractors will often determine the final product that is installed in the building or
construction assembly. As long as it meets the criteria laid out in the contract documents,
this party is able to select products as they wish.
Products are sometimes single sourced, which means that the owner or the architect has
specified that a particular model number of a particular manufacturer will be the only product
accepted for the installation.
There are many means and methods for searching for products that may meet the contract needs
while providing the best value to the contractor. The most common method is to become
familiar with the various sub contractors and suppliers. The contractor then requests quotations
and specifications detailing the item(s) being quoted. If an item is largely or partially unknown
the contractor may refer to a catalog system such as Sweets or other architectural source catalogs.
They may also request more information from the architect or engineer specifying the product.
If the contractor is responsible for researching the product it may be wise to initiate a search on
the Internet or the World Wide Web. Most large manufacturers now have web pages, many have
on line catalog where catalog sheets or cut sheets are available for download and for printing.
The web sites also generally have contact information to help locate a local manufacturers
representative. These reps can generally assist with catalog sheets, budget pricing and
specifications.
There are many search engines available on the WWW. Each has little bit different purpose and
application. For business related issues Lycos is a good search engine. Many web sites also have
search engines in bedded within them.
Two kinds of searches
Specific search for a specified product. IE Georgia Pacific
General search for information on a system or material.
These searches will often yield a great deal of information about the products and their
manufacturers. As an example, design solutions, sample products, CAD details, assembly
details, Product news, contact information for local reps and other valuable information.
Sample search for architectural wall systems
http://www.citadelap.com/
http://www.buildingmaterialsdir.com/
http://www.hunterdouglasceilings.com/
http://www.riceandrews.com/