CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

24 April 2013

Product News

Encouraging Start-up Businesses in Plant Engineering and Factory Layout

Plant engineering software developer CAD Schroer has just announced its programme in support of start-up engineering design companies, which will be able to deploy the MPDS4 plant design and factory layout software suite at 10% of its normal cost.

Big Hurdles for Small Engineering Firms
In the current economic climate, engineering start-ups face big hurdles. While the right software tools are essential, bank loans are hard to obtain, and small firms do not have the bargaining power that leads to big software discounts.

“Start-up and self-employed engineers often write to bemoan their lack of leverage with CAD systems providers when they only require one or two seats of a plant design system,” says CAD Schroer account manager Sergej Schachow. “That’s made us think. After all, it is in our interest to encourage small business. Customer loyalty is one of our strongest assets, and creating that loyalty means sharing technology and expertise to create long-term opportunity for growing firms.”

Wrong Tools Come at a High Cost
CAD Schroer says that the right technology for process and production engineers will pay big dividends quickly, helping to grow the business through early competitiveness, whereas the wrong tools will squander a start-up’s competitive advantage.

“Engineers setting out on their own in the niche plant and factory design sector can offer real flexibility and low rates to clients. That’s their competitive edge,” Sergej says. “On the downside, it’s easy to squander this advantage by using low end software not specifically developed for large-scale engineering layouts.”   Restrictions on the size of plants; a lack of interference or consistency checking for quality control; difficult design editing; and a lack of automation, integration or visualisation often mean that start-ups put in huge amounts of design time free of charge in order to win and keep contracts. 

The Right Tools at Low Cost
“That’s not sustainable,” Sergej says. “We want to enable start-ups to use the right, scalable solution from the beginning. With 90% off MPDS4 plant design and 50% off technical support for those in their first year of trading, we’re giving new businesses a solid foundation on which to thrive.”

To find out more about 3D plant design and 2D to 3D factory layout with MPDS4, visit:
www.cad-schroer.com/plantdesign/pk/209

Details of CAD Schroer’s start-up discount can be found at:
http://www.cad-schroer.com/Software/MPDS4/1/1486/pk/209

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