Bertrandt AG Selects Product Lifecycle Management Solution from IBM and Dassault Systèmes to Maximize Efficiency of Product Development Platform

Powerful combination of PLM solutions will enhance development of vehicle prototypes and models for major automakers worldwide

Ehningen, Germany and Paris, France – April 1, 2003 – IBM and Dassault Systèmes (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced the signing of a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions contract with Bertrandt AG, a leading engineering services provider for the automotive industry.

Bertrandt selected an IBM PLM solution, with ENOVIA™ Life Cycle Applications (LCA) V5 for product data management, developed by Dassault Systèmes. IBM’s Business Consulting Services (BCS), working with Dassault Systèmes, will support Bertrandt AG’s efforts to standardize its entire product development platform, including integrating the ENOVIA solution with the company’s existing CATIA® V5 product development platform.

IBM PLM solutions and Dassault Systèmes will enable Bertrandt to improve product design and reduce time-to-market for a variety of auto parts including the chassis, engine and electrical equipment for customers such as DaimlerChrysler, BMW, Ford, Volkswagen and Audi. Bertrandt’s 3,100 employees will share design information in real time across the extended enterprise and with international partners and automotive manufacturing customers.

The implementation process will occur in several phases, gradually enabling Bertrandt to harness the benefits of the PLM platform. IBM BCS, working with Dassault Systèmes, will provide consulting, implementation, integration, and training for company-wide deployment of the solution and manage the project, ensuring consistent processes and methodologies across Bertrandt’s various design and product-related departments and teams.

“Our integrated PLM solution from IBM and Dassault Systèmes enables us to simulate every aspect of the end-to-end development process for complete derivatives, including design support and manufacturing,” said Bernhard Zechmann, Manager CAx Application Strategy, Bertrandt AG. “We now have numerous design tools in one powerful application and can improve designs and processes early in the development stage. We can share this knowledge with our automotive manufacturing customers in a common work environment, thus significantly optimizing workflow while achieving unequaled levels of quality."

“IBM helps customers transform into on demand businesses – by enabling them to become more highly responsive, focused, resilient and variable in ever-changing marketplaces,” said Klaus Schaefer, vice president, IBM PLM EMEA. “By implementing our PLM solution, Bertrandt will become even more efficient.”

“In the vehicle design business, new concepts and design modifications occur frequently,” said Denis Senpéré, vice president PLM Europe, Dassault Systèmes. “Henceforth, Bertrandt’s design changes will be updated immediately and automatically, ensuring that all extended product development and production teams share the same information in a company-wide 3D collaborative workspace. By using a CATIA-ENOVIA V5 combination, Bertrandt is giving itself a strong competitive edge.”