BSA and PTDA Expand PIE Technology Platform with Three New Product Categories

The Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) and the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) announce the addition of three new product categories—open gearing, enclosed gearing and adjustable/variable speed drives—to the PIE Technology Platform (PIE). With these additions, PIE now encompasses 35 bearing and power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) product categories, further solidifying its role as the industry standard for managing and exchanging rich product content. Developed by subject matter experts from BSA and PTDA, the PIE Template is the only standardized format for industrial bearings and PT/MC products. It empowers manufacturers to control their product data, identifying which of their authorized distributors can access specific product categories. This structure ensures secure, accurate and consistent sharing of product information between channel partners. The result is a single, secure and standard platform that enables manufacturers and distributors to work more efficiently—enhancing collaboration and improving the end-user experience. How it works Through PIE, manufacturers and distributors gain 24/7 access to a cloud-based catalog for the seamless exchange of detailed product data. PIE-registered manufacturers manage their own product content within the system and use the self-service platform to upload while distributors download authorized data as needed. Distributors can automatically map PIE-compliant content to their product information management (PIM) systems, websites and digital tools, reducing manual updates and improving accuracy. A “delta” export feature allows distributors to receive only updated product data, streamlining maintenance and reducing staff time spent correcting outdated content.