PAC expects above-average growth rates for project services in the German manufacturing industry related to product lifecycle management (PLM). This growth will be mainly driven by the ongoing need for manufacturers to increase the efficiency of their product development processes.

What are the major topics project services providers should be aware of?

First of all, PLM project services providers should take into account that top trends such as cloud computing, social media, and mobility will also be part of PLM projects.

Furthermore, PLM project services providers need to be prepared to answer their customers’ major business challenges, such as increasing the overall transparency of product development processes, including the integration of related IT systems (e.g. MRP/ERP, MES, embedded software or electrical and electronic (E/E) components). Additionally, the integration of manufacturers’ after-sales business into PLM solutions will further gain in importance.

Other topics PLM project services providers need to be aware of are their PLM capabilities, which increasingly have to be available globally, or the need to have PLM sales people that are able to sell both CAx/PDM solutions to the manufacturers’ IT departments and comprehensive PLM solutions to the manufacturers’ lines of business.

For further information please also refer to PAC’s Research Note on PLM in Germany.

Post by Stefanie Naujoks