Dassault Systèmes, France-based PLM supplier, has announced its intent to acquire Apriso, a supplier of manufacturing software solutions, for approximately $205 million.
At least three times in the press release and the conference call company management referred to “closing the loop” in manufacturing management.
There are at least two trends at play here. First is the continuing consolidation of the ERP market. I’m only surprised by the acquiring company in this case. But it fits another trend of increasing IT/manufacturing/simulation blending.
Siemens acquired UGS a few years ago forming Siemens PLM. Integration with the rest of Siemens for virtualization of manufacturing has been proceeding. But integration with Siemens IT seems to be lagging. It will be interesting to see if Dassault is able to bring the integration of design, simulation and operations management into fruition. If it does, this would be a powerful for manufacturing leaders.
Dassault labels itself “the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions.” The press release notes that the acquisition of the Long Beach, California-based Apriso enriches the global manufacturing operations management capabilities of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
Apriso will be integrated with and expand Dassault Systèmes’ DELMIA application portfolio and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform’s virtual+reality capabilities. “Apriso’s solutions synchronize global manufacturing networks, offering real-time visibility and control over the business processes performed by plants and suppliers. These solutions establish a common set of operational standards that can be managed holistically, on a global basis, while continuously improving and meeting local market and customer needs. By integrating these solutions with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, customers will have a comprehensive view of their business, from idea to design, to production and global product availability for consumers worldwide.”
