1. feature
ptc spotlight
“We’re taking product planning and portfolio tools, engineering reports,
or configuration of engineered products. The ability to
Microsoft with us integrate data from all of these different points of view leads
into engineering to better forecasting and improved understanding of the
and manufacturing key performance indicators of the business.
“We’re taking Microsoft with us into engineering
departments and then
and manufacturing departments and then we’re
we’re working with working with them to get us into the core IT spaces,”
them to get us into the
ProfiTable
explains Michel. “Web Parts provides the ability to
extend access to engineering and manufacturing
core IT spaces”
information across the enterprise.”
PTC has recently moved into a new area of activity
Iain Michel, that it believes will quickly gain traction in the
ParTnershiP
PTC marketplace. Its project and portfolio management
(PPM) solution, based on Microsoft Project, aims
to help managers tackle complex decision-making
processes in tough economic conditions. “Our PPM
solution is focused on helping managers decide upfront
what to work on and then manage it throughout
the lifecycle,” says Michel. “As their budgets and
development flexibility shrink, they can pick not only
which projects to work on, but the best projects within
their portfolio to invest in, and they can manage that
process efficiently.”
PTC continues to grow its longstanding relationship with Microsoft. customers based on that trend. As SharePoint continues
its adoption curve, we feel that it’s a great opportunity for
Another area that is gaining momentum is PTC’s
incorporation of social networking in its products.
Michele Witthaus examines the resulting benefits for both companies us to work with Microsoft to drive SharePoint adoption in PTC’s CAD solution, Pro/ENGINEER, has already
the engineering space.” PTC’s SharePoint strategy currently had some social networking features built into it for
includes two primary products – Windchill ProductPoint the last few years, says Michel. “We are also building a
and Windchill Web Parts for SharePoint. social product development application on top of the
P
TC has been a leading vendor in the product built on SharePoint. In addition, Microsoft is a core Windchill ProductPoint is a SharePoint-based SharePoint stack. It allows people to work more easily in
development space for more than two decades. The user of PTC’s InSight product analytics solution. solution that supports sharing, versioning and viewing of groups, and to understand where knowledge is resident
company has released strong results for the first The rise of Microsoft SharePoint has deepened the multi-CAD data. The sophisticated search functionality within an organisation.”
quarter of 2010, with an impressive 195 per cent year-on- working relationship between the two companies. For PTC, saves time across entire projects while reducing the risk He points out that there are many advantages to
year increase in product lifecycle management (PLM) SharePoint offers the opportunity to enhance customers’ of design errors. embedding social networking in engineering solutions.
licence revenues in the large enterprise market. And since existing initiatives with product development applications The addition of Windchill ProductPoint to the Windchill These include being able find people with relevant
the last quarter of 2009, PTC has taken the number of that leverage Microsoft’s proven system. PTC and family has allowed PTC to develop a variety of new areas of expertise, possibly leading to conversations that culminate
paying seats for its software to more than a million. Microsoft are now involved in significant joint initiatives to business. Having chalked up 100 new customer wins by the in attracting new inputs into a design. Michel says PTC’s
Based on these robust results, the company expects to develop, sell and market SharePoint solutions. end of the last financial year, the company aims to net 400 customers are already very excited about the possibilities
outpace the overall market in 2010 and beyond. The PLM PTC’s senior vice president for corporate development, Windchill ProductPoint wins in FY10. A joint go-to-market that are opening up as a result.
part of the business, and in particular PTC’s Windchill Iain Michel, has occupied a variety of roles at PTC over strategy with Microsoft is a critical part of this process. Often, PTC schedules new releases of its solutions to take
platform, will account for the bulk of this expansion. the last decade, from corporate strategy and business “The Windchill ProductPoint solution is built natively advantage of new developments in its partner technologies.
Windchill is already generating around US$500 million development to mergers and acquisitions. He believes on SharePoint on the Microsoft technology stack, so the The release of SharePoint 2010 this year will be the trigger
of revenue annually and is by far the fastest growing PLM that the secret of PTC’s extraordinary integration with Microsoft sales force is very enthusiastic about it,” says for a range of new functionalities in PTC’s core products.
solution in the marketplace. PLM revenue growth is being Microsoft lies in a mutual commitment to interoperability. Michel. He notes that the SharePoint base makes the Following closely behind the 2010 launch, PTC will roll out
driven by demand from leading organisations such as “We’ve worked internally and with Microsoft to make sure solution very easy for SMBs to adopt. “In most cases, they new versions of several products to capitalise on the features
Airbus, BAE Systems, Cummins, DRS Technologies, Ikea, that all of our solutions fit seamlessly together,” he says. already have SharePoint and they can grow quickly.” built into SharePoint 2010.
Raytheon, and the United States Army and Navy. “SharePoint is obviously a huge part of the strategy.” An important part of PTC’s offering for enterprises is An upcoming Windchill Dynamics integration will
A significant factor in PTC’s success is its long It’s not just SharePoint that underpins PTC’s solutions: Windchill Web Parts for SharePoint. Working seamlessly continue to capitalise on Microsoft technologies, and
and fruitful partnership with Microsoft. Not many there is also extensive integration with SQL Server, with PTC’s Windchill PLM solution, Web Parts give customers can expect further integration throughout
companies can claim that Microsoft depends on Office Communications Server, Dynamics and Project companies broader access to product data, improving the suite on the Microsoft stack and in the Windchill
them for a core part of its functionality. PTC is in Server. For end users, this collaboration results in ease of worker productivity by presenting essential Windchill product family.
this enviable position – in fact, 90 per cent of all implementation, lower cost of ownership, and trusted information in a familiar SharePoint browser. Flexible, “We believe that PTC is making the largest investment in
Microsoft hardware is designed using PTC’s core access to best-in-class solutions. configurable search is central to Web Parts. Cross- SharePoint-integrated products of any ISV,” remarks
MCAD solution, Pro/ENGINEER. PTC was the first SharePoint has gained market share very quickly across application dashboards allow team members to seamlessly Michel. “Certainly, we’re the only ISV in the PLM space at
MCAD provider to support Windows NT in 1993, the manufacturing industry because it is a disruptive access and edit documents regardless of their location. the moment leveraging SharePoint as a collaboration
and PTC later pioneered support for 64-bit processing technology, says Michel. “We are seeing IT consolidation, The genius of Windchill Web Parts for SharePoint platform for a core product. We are also the only PLM
with its Pro/ENGINEER 2001 and Pro/MECHANICA where customers are replacing old legacy systems with is its capacity to connect staff communications across player developing a portfolio management solution
2001 design tools. Today, Microsoft is a major PTC SharePoint and with systems integrated to SharePoint. departmental boundaries. Team members in planning, working with Microsoft Project Server, and we’re very
customer for the Windchill ProductPoint solution, There is a lot of pick-up and interest from enterprise marketing, finance or procurement departments can view excited about the opportunities this presents.”
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