FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — March 14, 2011 — IDC Manufacturing Insights has released a new MarketScape report profiling and ranking key vendors in the PLM software applications market. IDC MarketScape vendor analysis reports utilize a rigorous scoring methodology that produces a definitive assessment of each vendor’s current market capabilities and strategies for competing in the future.

In the report, IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Product Life-Cycle Management (PLM) Applications 2011 Vendor Assessment: CAx, Discrete, and Process PLM (Doc #MI226875), PLM vendors were evaluated on three different market segments based on their product offerings:

• Computer Aided Authoring (CAx) which includes CAD, CAM, and CAE: Vendors that offer computer-aided design, machining, and visual simulation software including process design and simulation fall in this segment.
• Discrete Manufacturing: Vendors that offer enterprise product data management or product life-cycle management software that address discrete manufacturing industries such as aerospace, automotive, high tech, medical devices, heavy machinery, and shipbuilding fall in this segment.
• Process Manufacturing: Vendors that offer software to manage the life cycle of a process for industries like chemical, drugs, oil and gas, food and beverage, and paint development, are included in this segment.

The three segments of the PLM market exhibit diverse characteristics that suppliers must take into consideration when crafting a future strategy and in leveraging existing capabilities to their best advantage. The factors were weighted because IDC Manufacturing Insights believes that some are more important than others in maximizing market opportunity and realizing market success.

The IDC MarketScape methodology placed Autodesk, Dassault-Systemes, PTC, and Siemens PLM as market leaders in the CAx PLM segment. Though CAx has been perceived as a mature segment with little growth, its relevance and expansion has been ignored by enterprise, desktop software vendors, and enterprise software vendors.

In the process PLM segment, IDC Manufacturing Insights placed Oracle in the market leader category. The highly competitive nature of process industry verticals, which require products to be replaced quickly resulting in the need for shorter manufacturing cycles, has made process PLM end-users seek software applications that will help them achieve process efficiencies quickly.

Finally, Siemens PLM and Dassault Systemes were placed in the market leader category in the most dominant and highly competitive discrete PLM segment. Fierce competition, lower barriers to entry for ERP vendors, and slow adoption of new software technologies and platforms by manufacturers have made vendors slow to change strategies in this segment.

"Increasing relevance of PLM across industry verticals, the mounting complexity of products that require cross-industry expertise, and a growing need of end-users for expansion has raised the bar for PLM vendors to be both affordable and provide a seamlessly working portfolio of PLM applications," said Sanjeev Pal, research manager, Product, Project and Portfolio Management at IDC Manufacturing Insights. "This report is based on a comprehensive framework designed to evaluate vendors relative to one another and to those factors expected to be most conducive to user demand and to market success in the short-and long-term."

MarketScape vendor analysis reports are designed to identify the factors most conducive to success in a given market and then assess vendors participating in this market against those factors. The studies utilize a rigorous scoring methodology that produces a definitive assessment of each vendor’s current market capabilities and strategies for competing in the future.

For additional information about the new research initiatives, please contact Sarah Murray at 781-794-3214 or Email Contact. Reports are available to qualified members of the media. For information on purchasing reports, contact Email Contact; reporters should email Email Contact.

About IDC MarketScape

IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

For more information about IDC MarketScape, please contact Karen Moser at Email Contact.

About IDC Manufacturing Insights

IDC Manufacturing Insights assists manufacturing businesses and IT leaders, as well as the suppliers who serve them in making more effective technology decisions by providing accurate, timely, and insightful fact-based research and consulting services. Staffed by senior analysts with decades of industry experience, our global research analyzes and advises on business and technology issues facing asset intensive, brand oriented, technology oriented, and engineering oriented manufacturing industries. International Data Corporation ( IDC ) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology market. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology, media, research, and events company. For more information, please visit www.idc-mi.com , email Email Contact , or call 508-988-7900. Visit our online community at http://idc-insights-community.com/manufacturing .