Trade literature is a term used to describe the printed material published by a company to promote its products and may include: technical and repair manuals, operating guides, parts lists, price lists, sales brochures, advertisements, etc. (Source: Canadian Science and Technology Museum).
Trade shows are also valuable sources of competitive and technical intelligence. Well known examples include the Consumer Electronics Show (in Las Vegas) and the North American International Auto Show (in Detroit).
For Public Companies, other valuable sources of competitive information are:
The following websites provide information on intellectual property, regulatory, and other legal issues:
The following sources can help when assessing production and operating requirements for your new product or service:
How We Make Stuff Now: Turn Ideas into Products That Build Successful Businesses by
"This step-by-step DIY guide shows today’s entrepreneurs how to create and launch new products, package and market them to consumers, and build a thriving business" (publisher)
Consumer and Sensory Evaluation Techniques: How to sense successful products
This text "speaks to management and decision-makers within organizations and addresses the main questions (eg: "How much will it cost?" and "How quickly can it be achieved?") that are faced when developing and testing new products before a launch".
Innovative Technologies in Beverage Processing
An in-depth look at new and emerging technologies for non-alcoholic beverage manufacturing.
A Handbook for Sensory and Consumer-Driven New Product Development by 
Handbook of Fruits and Fruit Processing, 2nd ed.
Handbook of Fruits and Fruit Processing distils the latest developments and research efforts in this field that are aimed at improving production methods, post-harvest storage and processing, safety, quality and developing new processes and products.
Consult one of the following trade directories in order to identify companies that manufacture or distribute industrial products and services. Most directories allow you to search by company, product, or brand name, or to browse by category.