Engineering Growth: Turning a Usability Barrier into a Revenue Engine
Zekelman Industries, North America’s largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer, faced a significant hurdle with their new product line. Despite the clear benefits of their Jumbo Hollow Structural Sections (HSS), architects, engineers, and fabricators were hesitant to adopt it.
The marketing team initially faced what looked like an awareness problem; however, the product was known, it just wasn’t being specified in designs. Zekelman needed to uncover why the market wasn’t moving and find a way to bridge the gap between product superiority and actual usage.
Friction, Not Awareness
Partnering with The MX Group, Zekelman conducted a deep analysis of the B2B buyer journey. The investigation revealed that the challenge wasn’t about brand awareness; it was a usability barrier.
Designers found it difficult to incorporate the new materials into their existing workflows. The strategic pivot was clear: Marketing needed to stop promoting the product and start enabling customer success. The goal shifted from traditional advertising to solving the critical friction points that kept engineers from specifying HSS.
The Solution: The HSS Connection Hub
To remove the barrier to entry, the team launched the HSS Connection Hub.
This free digital platform was designed to integrate seamlessly into the daily workflows of architects and engineers. It enabled designers to model complex steel connections digitally and export them directly into their CAD programs.
By creating a utility that solved a technical problem, marketing transformed into a connective force spanning product, engineering and customer experience. The tool didn’t just display the product; it allowed users to build with it immediately.
Marketing as a Growth Engine
The initiative proved that when marketing is led with purpose, it doesn’t just support growth, it engineers it. Within months of launch, the HSS Connection Hub delivered measurable commercial value and fundamentally shifted the organization’s mindset regarding marketing’s role in generating revenue.
Strategic Outcomes
Pipeline
Usage data from the Hub now informs future product development and gives marketing deep visibility into pipeline opportunities.
Alignment
The project strengthened alignment between marketing, engineering and sales, demonstrating to the C-suite that marketing drives innovation and revenue.
Measurable Impact
2,000+
HSS Connection Hub registrants
2,550
Unique connection types designed
2,500+
New projects created since launch
