Liebherr Aerospace Signs Strategic Contract for Product Lifecycle Management Solutions and Services from IBM and Dassault Systèmes

Aerospace supplier migrates to SMARTEAM product data management application - IBM Global Services to deliver consulting, implementation and support services

Lindenberg, Germany, Toulouse and Paris, France – December 9, 2003 – IBM and Dassault Systèmes (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced that Liebherr Group’s Aerospace division, a key global aerospace supplier, will implement their Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions for product data management company-wide.

IBM PLM Solutions, with SMARTEAM for collaborative product data and lifecycle management developed by Dassault Systèmes, will support Liebherr Aerospace’s objective to accelerate time-to-market, increase return on investment, product quality, and ultimately, company growth. The integration of SMARTEAM, supported by IBM Business Consulting Services PLM expertise, will enable the company to optimize management of specifications, engineering rules, operational parameters, simulation results, and customer-related product design data.

Liebherr Aerospace provides the world’s major aircraft manufacturers with aircraft control, hydraulic, landing gear, air conditioning and ventilation systems. To support company growth, Liebherr Aerospace sought a collaborative application robust enough to manage and share the product data of its wide range of offerings between both of its European production centers and also with its customers based around the world.

The multi-million euro Liebherr Aerospace contract involves 700 licences of SMARTEAM. IBM Business Consulting Services PLM Practice will provide PLM strategy consulting, project management, and implementation and support services over the three-year roll-out period, in order to help Liebherr redefine product development methodologies and realize rapid return of investment from the new platform through productivity gains and cost reduction.

Liebherr Aerospace cited IBM’s worldwide leadership in information technology tools and its ability to provide proven best practices for the aerospace industry, coupled with the on-demand capacity of the SMARTEAM solution, as the critical reasons for the software migration and services engagement. “In complex projects, combining information technology tools and industry best practices with aerospace processes requirements calls for reliable, sustainable and proven partners,” said Andre Benhamou, managing director, Liebherr Aerospace Toulouse. “IBM, supported by Dassault Systèmes, meets this partnership qualification because it is a truly global player that ensures an internationally harmonized and controlled delivery of Business Consulting Services and PLM Solutions to European organizations.”

“As a technology partner to the world's major aerospace companies and suppliers, IBM has evolved its offer to reflect the significant change the aerospace industry is experiencing,” said Patrick Fardeau, business executive, IBM Product Lifecycle Management, Europe Middle East and Africa. “Aerospace OEMs now rely more on their suppliers for component and systems development and sub-assembly. IBM supports Liebherr, and other aerospace suppliers, with collaborative PLM solutions and industry expertise that help them expand their relationships with manufacturers.”

“We are delighted that Liebherr Aerospace has joined the distinguished group of strategic SMARTEAM customers,” said Avinoam Nowogrodski, CEO, SmarTeam Corp. “SMARTEAM will bring value to Liebherr by enabling it to establish business compliancy with its OEM customers, better structure and organize product data, streamline methods and processes, and collaborate securely with partners. SMARTEAM’s comprehensive PLM functionality will help drive Liebherr's market leadership position in the years to come.”

“As the leading technology consultancy partner to the aerospace industry, IBM Business Consulting Services and its subsidiary MDTVISION enable the significant change required for success in this dynamic marketplace,” said Cosme de Moucheron, vice president, IBM Business Consulting Services PLM Practice, EMEA and CEO, MDTVISION. “The expansion of our work with Liebherr Aerospace, a true visionary in aircraft product development, is testimony to the business benefits that our PLM practice delivers.”