PLM software is gaining market coverage because of the increasing complexity of at the nexus of manufacturing and ‘information.’ Right on schedule, the CIMdata 2012 PLM Executive PLM Market Report, available now, offers an executive-level view of the global “product lifecycle management” market, with summary charts on the overall market and on specific PLM solution segments. According to the authors, it also includes perspectives on current trends in the PLM industry and how they may affect current suppliers and investments.
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is the latest evolution of information technology, following MES and ERP, and similar products. Those platforms coordinate financial and commercial information with production process programs; PLM adds data from design and manufacturing software, and incorporate various other sources of data for production planning, too, to clarify the process of producing finished products — from CAD forward. It helps manufacturing and commercial organizations manage the growing volume of data necessary to produce and supply products and materials efficiently, cost-effectively, in compliance with regulations, and in time with market considerations.
As detailed by CIMdata Inc., the 2012 PLM Industry Review and Trends Report presents mainly qualitative information. It focuses on critical issues facing the global PLM ‘ecosystem’ (i.e., the software developers and suppliers) and the user organizations. It highlights changes that occurred in the PLM sector during 2011, and forecasts the short-term and medium-term effects those changes may have, as well as what developments may lay beyond the horizon.
CIMdata Inc. is a management consulting and research firm that works with industrial organizations and providers of technologies and services, and conducts research on related technologies. It provides PLM-focused subscription services, and produces several commercial publications.
The 2012 PLM Executive PLM Market Report is the second of five modules to be released for CIMdata’s PLM Market Analysis Report. The MAR Series presents detailed information and dense analysis of the global PLM market during 2011, and examines major trends and issues. The major PLM providers are evaluated, and the report offers regional revenue analyses, industry sectors studies, and historical and projected data on market growth. The Series is available as a five-module set or each module can be purchased separately.
The first module of the MAR, already released, is the CIMdata 2012 Executive PLM Market Report. It offers CIMdata’s global PLM market analysis, and includes useful charts on PLM market investment statistics through 2011, forecasts of investments for 2012 through 2016, and a summary of PLM providers’ performance in 2011.
Still to come in the series are the 2012 PLM Market and Solution Supplier Provider Analysis Report, which will detail measurements of and forecasts for the overall PLM market and major segments of it, including Tools, cPDm, and Digital Manufacturing. The Tools section will have further details on sub-segments, including MCAD, NC, S&A, EDA, and AEC. It also will include CIMdata’s estimates of PLM solution supplier provider revenues in these segments and sub-segments for 2012 through 2016.
The fourth installment will be 2012 PLM Market Geographic Analysis Report provides an additional view of the 2011 market results, by major geography. CIMdata’s 2011 estimates and market forecasts for PLM and the major PLM market segments are provided for North and South America, Europe/Mid East/Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. It also will include estimates and forecasts for the cPDm segment within specific European and Asia-Pacific countries and regions.
The last module, the CIMdata 2012 PLM Market Industry Analysis Report, will look at industry segmentation in the 2011 PLM market results. CIMdata’s 2011 estimates and market forecasts for Mainstream PLM and cPDm will be provided for eight different industry sectors: aerospace and defense; automotive and other transportation; electronics/telecommunications; fabrication and assembly; process-packaged goods; process-petrochemical; utilities; and construction, infrastructure and shipbuilding.
“While the global economy sputtered, the PLM economy grew faster than in 2010, which was a very good year,” according to Stan Przybylinski, CIMdata’s director of research, “Most segments of the market that CIMdata tracks saw high double digit growth, with very strong license sales. Given that new license sales are often precursors to more software and services investment, this is a strong indicator that 2012 could be another solid year for PLM solution and services providers.”
