ARCAT
ARCAT, founded in 1991 and based in Fairfield, USA, operates the largest free building product research and specification platform in North America, serving AEC professionals with CAD, BIM, CSI specs, and compliance content while monetizing via manufacturer listing subscriptions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersFairfield, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What ARCAT does
ARCAT, Inc. is a privately held information services company founded in 1991 and headquartered in Fairfield, United States, operating what it describes as the largest free building product research and specification platform in North America for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. The platform provides architects, engineers, and contractors with no-registration-required access to a content library organized across 48 CSI MasterFormat divisions, including CAD drawings (DWG/PDF), BIM objects (Revit, SketchUp, DWG), CSI 3-Part formatted specifications, shortform and outline specifications, Health Product Declarations, Environmental Product Declarations, technical data sheets, catalogs, videos, accredited continuing-education courses, and a curated project library. Its core proprietary technology is SpecWizard, a patented tool that generates CSI specifications automatically via guided questions.
The business model is a two-sided platform: AEC professionals consume content for free under a product-led growth motion, while building product manufacturers pay recurring subscription listing fees to surface their products to specifiers during the design and preconstruction phase. Supporting go-to-market channels include content marketing (blog, podcast), organic social, accredited CE webinars, and a manufacturer directory, with ARCAT's primary operating geography being North America served through a global self-serve digital platform. The company has 1-10 employees and discloses no revenue, funding, or ownership structure.
ARCAT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ARCAT
- Legal name
- ARCAT, Inc.
- Website
- https://arcat.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ARCAT, founded in 1991 and based in Fairfield, USA, operates the largest free building product research and specification platform in North America, serving AEC professionals with CAD, BIM, CSI specs, and compliance content while monetizing via manufacturer listing subscriptions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ARCAT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Specification & BIM Product Data Software
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Suites (HDAEAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Records & Information Management (RIM) / Records Management (HDAEAGAC), Content Governance, Compliance, Retention & eDiscovery (HDAEAGAJ)
Keywords
Where ARCAT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fairfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
ARCAT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Manufacturer Product Listings: Building product manufacturers pay to list their products on the platform, gaining visibility to architects, engineers, and contractors during the specification phase
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
ARCAT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ARCAT operates an online building-product research and specification platform that aggregates manufacturer catalogs, CSI-formatted specs, and CAD/BIM objects for architecture, engineering, and construction professionals. It offers a patented SpecWizard tool for automated specification writing and provides free access to specifiers while charging manufacturers for product listings, advertising, and sponsored editorial content.
Product overview
ARCAT is a platform-plus-content ecosystem offering the largest free building product research and specification platform in North America. The core platform provides access to CAD drawings (DWG/PDF), BIM objects (Revit/SketchUp/DWG), and CSI 3-Part formatted specifications. SpecWizard is a patented add-on module that automates specification generation through guided questions. Additional offerings include Health Product Declarations (HPDs), Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), technical data sheets, product catalogs, educational videos, AIA-accredited webinars, and a project library. Content is organized by 48 MasterFormat CSI divisions and numerous building product categories, enabling architects, engineers, and contractors to access comprehensive building product information throughout the design and construction process.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ARCAT SpecWizard Patented automated specification-writing tool that guides users through a structured questionnaire to generate CSI-formatted specifications for inclusion in construction documents. Targeted at architects, specifiers, and engineers assembling project manuals.
- ARCAT Building Product Catalog Online, categorized catalog of building products from manufacturers, providing product data, downloadable specifications, and related resources to AEC professionals. Manufacturers pay to be listed; specifiers access for free.
- ARCAT BIM / CAD Library Library of downloadable CAD blocks and BIM objects for building products, enabling architects and engineers to insert real product geometry directly into design and Building Information Modeling workflows.
- CSI Specifications Database (SpecWriter / SpecStation) Database of CSI-formatted specifications covering multiple building product categories, used by architects and engineers to source specification text for inclusion in construction project manuals.
- Manufacturer Advertising & Sponsored Editorial (GreenSpec, Specifier's Notebook, Architectural Record Product Reports) Sponsored editorial sections (GreenSpec for sustainable products, Specifier's Notebook, Architectural Record Product Reports) and banner advertising placements on arcat.com that manufacturers purchase to promote their products to the AEC specification audience.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reaches architects, engineers, and specifiers during design and preconstruction phase before crews mobilize on site
Companies that use ARCAT
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ARCAT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
ARCAT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SkillSignalnotableSkillSignal became the first construction safety and compliance company to publish its own product specification on ARCAT. The listing places worker safety and compliance tools in front of architects, engineers, and specifiers during the design and preconstruction phase, enabling early planning of credential management, safety training, and site access.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ARCAT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) / CMD Group: CMD Group (formerly Sweets Network) operates one of the most established building product catalogs and specification platforms serving architects, engineers, and contractors. It is the closest direct competitor to ARCAT in North America, offering manufacturer product listings, CAD/BIM content, and spec writing tools.
- BIMobject: BIMobject is a European-headquartered digital marketplace that connects building product manufacturers with AEC professionals through BIM objects and manufacturer-branded content. It directly overlaps with ARCAT on BIM content distribution and manufacturer-paid listings, though with stronger European geographic footprint.
- Avitru (MasterSpec): Avitru produces MasterSpec, the leading commercial specification system used by AEC professionals. It is directly comparable to ARCAT on the CSI specification generation side and represents the incumbent specification automation platform that SpecWizard competes against.
- BSD (Building Systems Design) / SpecLink: BSD's SpecLink is a master specification production and editing platform used by AEC firms for CSI-formatted specification writing. It competes directly with ARCAT's SpecWizard in the spec-automation category and targets the same architect/spec-writer persona.
- AEC Daily: AEC Daily is a leading provider of free online continuing-education courses for architects, engineers, and construction professionals — directly comparable to ARCAT's accredited CE channel. It serves the same AEC persona and competes for manufacturer-sponsored CE content.
Broad incumbents
- Autodesk (Revit / AEC Collection): Autodesk's Revit and AEC Collection are the dominant BIM authoring tools used by ARCAT's target audience. While not a content platform per se, Autodesk could bundle manufacturer content libraries and spec automation natively into Revit, making it a broad incumbent threat to ARCAT's distribution position.
- Trimble (Tekla / Trimble Connect): Trimble provides BIM, structural, and construction collaboration software widely used in AEC. Like Autodesk, Trimble could integrate manufacturer content and spec workflows directly into its design tools, posing a broad-incumbent threat to ARCAT's content-distribution model.
- Dodge Construction Network (McGraw Hill): Dodge Construction Network provides construction information services, project leads, and product specifications to the AEC industry. It overlaps with ARCAT's information-services role for AEC professionals and represents a broad-incumbent competitor in construction intelligence.
- Procore Technologies: Procore is a leading construction management platform connecting general contractors, subcontractors, and owners. While primarily focused on field/project management, Procore's marketplace and preconstruction modules increasingly intersect with ARCAT's specification and product-research workflows.
Emerging players
- Bluebeam (Nemetschek Group): Bluebeam offers PDF-based markup, design collaboration, and estimation tools widely used in AEC workflows. While not a direct content competitor, Bluebeam's expanding preconstruction capabilities partially overlap with ARCAT's spec and product-research use cases for designers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ARCAT social profiles
Digital presenceARCAT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ARCAT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ARCAT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ARCAT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ARCAT
What does ARCAT do?
ARCAT operates an online building-product research and specification platform that aggregates manufacturer catalogs, CSI-formatted specs, and CAD/BIM objects for architecture, engineering, and construction professionals. It offers a patented SpecWizard tool for automated specification writing and provides free access to specifiers while charging manufacturers for product listings, advertising, and sponsored editorial content.
Is ARCAT a public or private company?
ARCAT is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ARCAT founded?
ARCAT was founded in 1991. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ARCAT based?
ARCAT is headquartered in Fairfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does ARCAT make money?
One revenue line is on record: manufacturer Product Listings.
Who are ARCAT's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) / CMD Group, BIMobject, Avitru (MasterSpec), BSD (Building Systems Design) / SpecLink and AEC Daily. Broad incumbents are Autodesk (Revit / AEC Collection), Trimble (Tekla / Trimble Connect), Dodge Construction Network (McGraw Hill) and Procore Technologies. Bluebeam (Nemetschek Group) is listed as an emerging player.
Does ARCAT have an API?
No public API is recorded for ARCAT.
What industry is ARCAT in?
ARCAT's product category is Construction Specification & BIM Product Data Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEAGAB, Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Suites, with a secondary code of HDAEAGAC, Records & Information Management (RIM) / Records Management.