TECHNIA's expansion has generally been underpinned by its high competence in the 3DEXPEREINCE.
It is not a coincidence that from 2015 to today, PLM consultant TECHNIA has continued to climb ever higher to become one of Dassault Systèmes’ foremost solution-dedicated partners. TECHNIA is owned by the Addnode Group, and is known as being more efficient than most when it comes to implementing and operating Dassault’s PLM platform, 3DEXPERIENCE and its associated apps, such as ENOVIA (cPDm), CATIA (CAD), SOLIDWORKS and SIMULIA (simulation and analysis). Along with a good track record overall, TECHNIA is particularly impressive with how well they have succeeded in getting the latest V6 version of 3DEXPERIENCE up and running, which has been difficult to get into efficient operation in several places.
TECHNIA’s expansion has generally been underpinned by its high competence in the above-mentioned areas. This, in turn, is based on an unusually extensive breadth of experience when it comes to the implementation and operation of Dassault’s 3DEXPERIENCE PLM platform in companies and segments ranging from home improvement retail chains and travel agencies to heavy industrial operations and automotive. All this experience has been collected and incorporated into TECHNIA’s proprietary software, of which Dassault itself is a reseller.
An important part of TECHNIA’s strategy, alongside organic growth and technology development, has been to buy companies that could add market stock, technology or special services and expertise. The latter, for example, has been the case for TECHNIA’s powerfully growing CAE area for simulation and analysis.
Today brings to light another example that touches all the pieces of TECHNIA’s growth strategy: the announcement that it is buying out JBL Technologies’ Dassault Systèmes business. This engineering consulting firm, based in Houston, Texas, has broad experience in the oil and gas, medical device, industrial equipment and transportation industries in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In addition, JBL can provide an attractive customer base.
The simulation area been of particular interest to TECHNIA in recent years and, just like the need for competence and software support among the world’s companies, they have invested heavily in company, customer base and technology purchases. As recently as January of this year, for example, they bought Claytex Services, a British-American player in advanced simulation, with more than 20 years of experience in vehicles, motorsports, aviation and defense, industrial equipment, energy and process industries. This acquisition followed an earlier purchase in September 2021 of the Polish simulation company BudSoft. So, this can also be added the simulation pieces that are within the framework of JBL’s Dassault-based operations.
“For TECHNIA’s international clients, this new team and region will provide strategic knowledge and additional coverage. Based on the SIMULIA portfolio, we have assembled an exceptional team with top-level expertise in advanced simulation. We’re very excited to work together in North America to further advance the application of modeling and simulation with global enterprises,” says TECHNIA’s director, Magnus Falkman.
What Is Behind TECHNIA’s Heavy Simulation Bets?
The market-related background to these investments is that the world’s companies have increasingly invested in developing their CAE capabilities, both in terms of software and consulting support. This, among other things, is part of the growing transition from physical prototypes in product development work to digital ones. The costs of changing and the possibilities for extensive tests and validations in digitally simulated Digital Mock-Ups (DMUs) are significantly lower compared to doing the corresponding actions physically, not to mention the lead time gains.
During the last five years, investments in simulation and analysis software by companies around the world have also, according to the CIMdata, increased from 2019’s roughly $7.5 billion dollars to 2021’s figure of $8.3 billion dollars.
In this context, TECHNIA’s consistent investment in building a broad Simulation Center of Excellence looks like a very wise move.
FEA And Advanced Simulation Software
This being said, TECHNIA’s global simulation director Johan Kölfors claims that it has a position as a world leader when it comes to Dassault’s simulation portfolio, SIMULIA.
“TECHNIA Simulation is the global leader in this field, providing comprehensive, holistic consultancy and support for the SIMULIA portfolio and 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Our goal now is to provide even more value to our clients in North America and to open new opportunities for development worldwide,” he says.
More precisely, Kölfors claims that what TECHNIA Simulation offers at the top level in the Dassault environment is Finite Element Analysis, non-linear and advanced simulation software, training and consulting.
The company’s simulation team currently has more than 60 simulation experts in 14 countries.
Strengthens TECHNIA In North America
Overall, the announced purchase strengthens TECHNIA Simulation’s offering as a global provider of premium simulation software, services, training and support. In particular, it expands the local presence for new and existing customers in North America.
TECHNIA’s head of U.K. and North America, Michael Hurst, says that this is of great importance.
“This is an important investment for our North American customers, providing direct access to in-region capability to assist their PLM and Virtual Twin roadmaps through simulation-led design and advanced simulation technologies,” he says. “For both the existing and joining team members, this is a significant step forward in expanding our capability. This move builds on the wider UK & NAM divisional capability as the leading Global Dassault Systèmes Partner, PLM Consultancy, and Systems Integrator.”
The press material says nothing about the purchase price or the value of JBL’s Dassault business revenues.
