Siderise: A Manufacturer’s Model for Specification Excellence

As a manufacturer, the more you can aid specifiers in making informed product decisions, the more likely you are to have your products selected. 

Don’t just take our word for it. In this case study, we hear from Siderise, a manufacturer specialising in fire protection solutions for the building envelope, to explore how they have embraced the NBS platform to empower specifiers with the tools and information they need to make confident, compliant choices. 

If you want to win more projects at the specification stage, keep reading to see how Siderise harnesses the power of NBS to deliver value to specifiers by integrating high-quality product data, BIM objects, and CPD resources into the specification process…

When Siderise first joined NBS in 2009, the manufacturer was looking for ways to raise its profile among architects and specifiers. The challenge was clear: how to make its product information more visible, more accessible, and more trusted within specifications.

Recognising NBS’s heritage - over 50 years of developing specification tools - gave Siderise confidence that the platform was both credible and widely trusted across the industry. This assurance underpinned its decision to adopt a specification-led approach.

“The main driver for adopting NBS was to initially enhance our visibility and connect with architects and specifiers to share comprehensive construction product information and valuable formats of data to support the development of robust specifications.”

Over time, Siderise expanded its commitment, joining the NBS National BIM Library (now part of NBS Source) in 2016 and the RIBA CPD Providers Network in 2021. By investing in the full suite of NBS solutions, including Source, BIM, NBS Chorus, Marketing Services, and CPD, the manufacturer has firmly embedded itself within the specification journey, ensuring its products and expertise are visible at every stage of decision-making.

Supporting specifiers with NBS Source

With over 600,000 users in 2024, NBS Source has become a central part of Siderise’s specification strategy. The platform enables the team to showcase its full product portfolio, including its market-leading acoustics solutions, to a highly engaged audience of architects and specifiers. 

“We are big supporters of NBS Source as it gives fair direct comparisons across a range of standardised criteria between different products that fulfil the same function, allowing specifiers to make an informed choice. The way information is presented logically, in terms of structure and format meets industry expectations and makes it easy for specifiers to evaluate.”

For specifiers, NBS Source provides a straightforward way to identify suitable products, while offering manufacturers like Siderise the opportunity to showcase additional features, performance benefits, and third-party certifications. This transparency builds confidence and supports more informed decision-making.

Recent platform developments have further strengthened this. For example, the addition of product certification as a searchable criterion - including products registered with the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) - means specifiers can instantly see that information is clear, accurate, up to date, and aligned with industry standards.

Another feature proving valuable is ‘add to spec’, which enables specifiers to export product data directly into NBS Chorus. For Siderise, this has had a measurable impact on visibility and specification engagement:

“In two years (between 2022 and 2024), we’ve seen an add-to-specification increase which has nearly tripled. We haven’t reached the end of 2025 yet, but to date, we are already on course to exceed our 2024 figures.”

Becoming a Model Manufacturer with BIM

For Siderise, investing in BIM has been a natural step in supporting specifiers and embedding its products into digital design workflows. By providing BIM objects authored to the internationally recognised NBS BIM Object Standard (BOS), the manufacturer ensures its solutions perform in the model as they would in the real world, complete with accurate and up-to-date performance data.

“In NBS Source, the icon on our product listings highlights that the BIM objects meet the NBS BIM Object Standard. By embedding Siderise products into BIM workflows, specifiers can include performance information, visualise inclusion, and reduce the risk of being substituted from the specification and during construction.”

The benefits extend beyond compliance. With NBS authoring and hosting services, Siderise BIM objects are:

• Trusted and verified – BOS stamping signals to specifiers that product data is credible, consistent, and meets industry expectations.
• Integrated seamlessly – BIM hosting on NBS Source makes objects instantly available within the tools specifiers already use.
• Performance-rich – product models include essential real-time information such as dimensions, fire performance, and acoustic values, helping specifiers make informed design decisions.
• Risk-reducing – Siderise embeds its products directly into project workflows, reducing the risk of substitution and increasing the likelihood they are retained through to construction.

By combining BIM authoring, BOS verification, and hosting within NBS Source, Siderise not only supports digital transformation but also positions itself as a manufacturer that specifiers can rely on for accuracy, compliance advice, project specific testing, comprehensive library of fire and acoustic test data and of course in-depth knowledge and wisdom.

Using RIBA CPD to Drive Specification Engagement

Siderise reports that more than half of its CPD requests now come directly via the NBS and RIBA platforms - demonstrating the effectiveness of accredited CPD in creating specification opportunities and building relationships with practices.

To achieve this, the manufacturer Siderise joined the RIBA CPD Providers Network to ensure all training content met rigorous standards of quality and educational value. Independent research undertaken by NBS in 2022 confirms this impact: CPDs assessed and approved to RIBA standards are perceived as more credible (78%), higher quality (76%) and more professional (82%).

Today, Siderise delivers four RIBA-approved CPDs, with three more in development. Covering topics such as passive fire protection and acoustics, the sessions are regularly updated to reflect legislative changes and evolving best practice – ensuring specifiers always receive accurate, relevant, and up-to-date guidance.

“We cover product terminology, testing standards, certification, performance considerations, detailing, and additional services that bridge the gap between design and as-built performance.”

Siderise was also the first to submit a CPD via the new RIBA section of the NBS portal. The team described the process from uploading content to approval as efficient and straightforward, with thorough feedback and recommendations that strengthened the final content. Once approved, the CPD went live on ribacpd.com – a modern, user-friendly platform linked to NBS Source that makes discovery and booking easier for specifiers.

By combining trusted accreditation with accessible delivery, Siderise has successfully positioned itself as a knowledge partner. Its CPDs not only enhance industry understanding but also serve as a powerful route to specification engagement.

Collaboration Through NBS Chorus

NBS Chorus is a cloud-based specification writing platform that enables real-time collaboration between manufacturers and specifiers. By keeping all information digital, Chorus supports better project data standards and preserves the Golden Thread of information across the project lifecycle.

For Siderise, Chorus provides the opportunity to go beyond product supply and become a trusted partner in the specification process. With its own Chorus licence, the team can work directly alongside specifiers within the platform – guiding product selection, helping write specifications, and offering a full specification service when required.

This collaborative approach delivers clear benefits:

• Accuracy – ensuring Siderise products are represented correctly in specifications.
• Risk reduction – minimising the chance of errors, omissions, or substitutions later in the process.
• Time savings – giving specifiers instant access to expert guidance without leaving the specification environment.

By embedding itself in the workflow through Chorus, Siderise has strengthened relationships with specifiers and increased the likelihood of its products being carried through to final project delivery.

Partnering with NBS Marketing Services to Maximise Reach

Reaching specifiers with the right content at the right time can be a challenge – often requiring significant time, budget, and resources. To overcome this, Siderise partners with NBS Marketing Services, using the platform’s trusted channels to extend its reach and engage a receptive audience.

Through this partnership, Siderise has shared knowledge-led articles on overlooked topics affecting fire safety and building acoustics, positioning the business as a thought-leader while driving visibility in a competitive marketplace. NBS Marketing Services supports manufacturers by promoting CPDs, product campaigns, events, webinars, and technical insights directly to specifiers – ensuring content is both targeted and impactful.

“NBS allows us to increase visibility in what can be considered a crowded market. We have a close relationship with our account manager, who provides ongoing counsel and advice. By consulting with specifiers to understand their values, and then reviewing our content against those needs, NBS helps us refine our messaging. The ROI and engagement data give us confidence that our campaigns are resonating.”

By combining industry insight with targeted promotion, Siderise ensures its expertise reaches the audiences that matter most – strengthening brand visibility, building credibility, and generating meaningful specification opportunities.

Siderise sets the standards for how manufacturers can effectively utilise the NBS platform to expand their reach. Visit the Siderise on NBS Source to see more examples.

Manufacturers who want to follow in Siderise’s footsteps and better engage with specifiers can learn more about NBS via our How We Can Help page.