EDI 101 \ Private Industry Standards

Relief came to the auto industry in the form of the Automotive Industry Action Group, a trade association for the industry. The AIAG worked with the automakers and suppliers to develop an EDI standard for the entire Industry.
Other industries have taken the same approach of developing specific standards of their own. Industry specific EDI Standards Development Associations include:

• Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards VICS
• American National Standards Institute ANSI
• Uniform Code Council UCC
• Automotive Industry Action Group
• General Trade Document Interchange
• National Automated Clearinghouse Association
• National Wholesale Druggist Association
• Transportation Data Coordinating Council

Many other industries are also developing EDI standards and many are using the TDCC standards as a base. The Grocery Industry's Uniform Communications Standards and the Warehouse Information Network are examples of TDCC derivatives.
Even the collection of industry specific standards is not enough since few businesses operate in a single industry. For example, a telephone manufacturer in the Communication Industry must buy plastics from the Chemical Industry. Once again, the need for further standardization exists.