DS and IBM: Deal offers better PLM integration, wider reach

By Control Engineering Staff April 12, 2007

Dassault Systemes (DS) and IBM expanded a 25-year relationship with an agreement where IBM is selling the DS portfolio of product lifecycle management (PLM) offerings: Delmia for digital manufacturing and Enovia MatrixOne for collaborative product development (in addition to Catia, Enovia VPLM and Enovia SmarTeam).

The agreement allows IBM to expand its coverage of selected accounts and to better target the high tech, semi-conductor and utilities markets, where there is growing demand for PLM offerings. DS also assumes management of the IBM PLM indirect sales channel. DS is continuing to expand its role as channel management provider on behalf of IBM, and will assume direct responsibility for it as a value-added reseller channel. Companies say that these changes reflect a shared vision of end-to-end PLM that will allow customers and channel partners to fully leverage the strengths of IBM and DS.

DS expects to take advantage of the SOA architecture, as well as IBM middleware, hardware, and services. This better links PLM to other core business processes to improve executive decision-making abilities across the enterprise, the company says.

“PLM is a strategic business for IBM and our 25-year relationship with Dassault Systemes has created a solid foundation for our customers’ success in the years to come,” says Steve Mills, senior vice president and group executive, IBM Software Group. “IBM is excited about bringing these new DS solutions—combined with IBM’s industry leading middleware, hardware, and services—to clients in new markets and industries.”

Bernard Charles, president and chief executive officer, Dassault Systemes, says, “For business partners who are critical in serving our customers this new agreement advances a go-to-market model that is simpler, stronger. It is designed to help them expand their resources and drive growth.”

—Edited by Mark T. Hoske , Control Engineering editor in chief ( Register here and scroll down to select your choice of eNewsletters free .)