CAM Software Market Leaders Named

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, May 12, 2004 — CIMdata recently named UGS PLM Solutions, IBM/Dassault Systẻmes, CNC Software, and SolidCAM as the 2003 worldwide CAM software market leaders. Each was a leader in a different ranking used by CIMdata to position NC software vendors. UGS PLM Solutions was identified as being the largest CAM software supplier on the basis of the dollar volume of NC software and services revenues received by a vendor. IBM/Dassault Systẻmes (IBM/DS), however, is the largest vendor on the basis of end user payments for NC software and services. This grouping not only includes the revenues received by the vendor, but also the revenues retained by business partners or resellers. CNC Software continues to be the market leader on the basis of number of software seats sold and installed in industrial markets. This ranking measures the pervasiveness of the product. SolidCAM, an Israeli firm, was named as the most rapidly growing vendor among the significant NC software suppliers.

CIMdata estimated that UGS PLM Solutions received $109 million in CAM related product and services revenues in 2003, giving them a 15% market share and making them the worldwide largest software vendor by this criterion. This was the same revenue level that they were estimated to have achieved in 2002. The remaining vendors in the worldwide top five listing of NC software providers were IBM/Dassault Systẻmes, Hitachi Zosen Systems, PTC, and Delcam.

CIMdata estimated that the end user payments for CATIA manufacturing related products and services were $134 million in 2003, or a 12.8% market share. End user payments include revenues received by IBM business partners as well as that of IBM. On this basis, IBM/DS is positioned as the worldwide largest CAM vendor. Following IBM/DS in this grouping were UGS PLM Solutions, PTC, Hitachi Zosen, and Delcam. Hence, the same suppliers comprised the top five for both of these revenue rankings, but with UGS PLM Solutions and IBM/DS changing places as the industry leader.

CIMdata again named CNC Software as the market leader on the basis of CAM seats shipped, as more seats of Mastercam were sold in 2003 than that of any other CAM product. CIMdata estimates that CNC Software shipped 4,280 seats of Mastercam into industrial environments. UGS PLM Solutions, PTC, IBM/Dassault Systẻmes, and Hitachi Zosen followed CNC Software in the ranking of suppliers by industrial seats shipped. CNC Software has been the market leader in this category in every year since 1995 when CIMdata began ranking vendors on this basis.

SolidCAM was estimated to be the most rapidly growing vendor in 2003, with a revenue increase of 39.4% over that of 2002. This growth rate is remarkable, especially considering the difficult economic conditions being experience in the manufacturing sector in 2003. Vero International, an English company, followed close behind with a 28.3% revenue growth rate. Over the past three years, Vero International is the worldwide growth leader with annual increases of 16%, 16.5%, and 28.3%, respectively. Other firms in the top five listing of most rapidly growing companies in 2003 were Delcam, OPEN MIND, and TekSoft.

This information is contained in the recently released Version 13 edition of the CIMdata NC Software and Services Market Assessment Report. This is a 216 page report that measures and segments the CAM software market, ranks NC software suppliers, and identifies and discusses market and technology trends. It can be purchased from CIMdata, a consulting and market research firm.

Alan Christman , CIMdata Vice President and primary author of the report commented, “The CAM software market has experienced several tough years as manufacturing activity declined. However, the market turned around in 2003 and in 2004 a modest level of single digit growth should be achieved.”