DS remains strongly active in the Israeli market with a sales office representing the full DS brand and product portfolio. Gilad Friedman will become managing director of DS Israel to develop the growing local market. DS will work closely with artizone to better serve current ENOVIA SmarTeam V5 customers, but also to jointly develop a successful migration path to V6.

"The dedicated company, artizone, provides ENOVIA SmarTeam V5 customers with focused R&D and maintenance support activities to satisfy the requirements of the installed base and new V5 customers", says Etienne Droit, executive vice president, PLM Sales and Distribution, Dassault Systemes. "ENOVIA SmarTeam V5 remains a DS product within the ENOVIA portfolio and continues to be fully supported and enhanced. There will be no change in the ENOVIA V5 roadmap or support lifecycle. All current and future ENOVIA SmarTeam customers will continue to work and interact with DS and its partners in the same manner as in the past, and with the same level of support. In addition, DS will coordinate its V6 migration roadmap with artizone."

Bertrand Sicot, EVP Worldwide Sales, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks adds, "The formation of artizone will offer a clear, seamless and focused support model for the ENOVIA SmarTeam V5 customers within the SolidWorks community. We are happy to see the transition of experienced ENOVIA SmarTeam professionals insuring a continued customer relationship."

About Dassault Systemes

As a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, Dassault Systemes brings value to more than 115,000 customers in 80 countries. A pioneer in the 3D software market since 1981, Dassault Systemes develops and markets PLM application software and services that support industrial processes and provide a 3D vision of the entire lifecycle of products from conception to maintenance to recycling. The Dassault Systemes portfolio consists of CATIA for designing the virtual product - SolidWorks for 3D mechanical design - DELMIA for virtual production - SIMULIA for virtual testing - ENOVIA for global collaborative lifecycle management, and 3DVIA for online 3D lifelike experiences. Dassault Systemes' shares are listed on Euronext Paris (#13065, DSY.PA) and Dassault Systemes' ADRs may be traded on the US Over-The-Counter (OTC) market (DASTY). For more information, visit http://www.3ds.com.

CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, SIMULIA, SolidWorks and 3D VIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.

About artizone LTD

The Israeli software and services provider was established in 2009, by former members of the Dassault Systemes Israel management team, and is currently employing 70 professionals. Built on the strong foundations of PLM expertise, artizone is prepared to develop and support the ENOVIA SmarTeam V5 product-line to the utmost satisfaction of DS customers. In addition to the ENOVIA SmarTeam V5 product-line activities, artizone announced its mission to develop and to provide an easy-to-use and intuitive on-line shopping arena. artizone will focus its development efforts on the simplification of all related processes, from both sellers and buyers points-of-view.

SOURCE: Dassault Systemes

Artizone Press Contacts 
artizone corp 
Lior Lavy, +972 (54) 339-7821 
lior.lavy@artizone.com 
or 
Dassault Systemes Press Contacts 
DS Americas 
Derek Lane, +1 (818) 673-2243 
derek.lane@3ds.com 
or 
DS AP 
CJ Lin, +86 21 3856 8039 
cj.lin@3ds.com 
or 
DS EMEA 
Arnaud Malherbe, +33 (1) 61 62 87 73 
arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com

The operations include IBM's Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software application portfolio as well as customer contracts and related assets.

Deal Value (US$ Million) 600
Deal Type                Acquisition
Sub-Category             Asset Purchase
Deal Status              Announced: 2009-10-26

Deal Participants

Target (Company)   International Business Machines Corporation - sales and client support operations
Acquirer (Company) Dassault Systemes S.A.
Vendor (Company)   International Business Machines Corporation

Deal Rationale

The acquisition will allow Dassault Systemes to bring significant potential to the global marketplace with extended IBM resources and expertise to help transform client PLM environments, leveraging the DS V6 portfolio. It will also allow the businesses to strengthen and extend their cooperation in the areas of professional services, cloud computing, middleware, flexible financing, hardware, and sales and distribution.

The enhanced services agreement is expected to bring significant potential with extended IBM resources and expertise to help transform client PLM environments, using the DS V6 portfolio.

Both companies are dedicated to strengthening and extending their cooperation in the areas of professional services, cloud computing, middleware, flexible financing, hardware, and sales and distribution, DS said.

Bernard Charles, president and CEO of Dassault Systemes, said: "The adoption and integration of PLM and 3D collaboration by a growing number of enterprises require deep industry knowledge. The planned integration of the IBM sales force and related business operations represents the largest investment in our corporate history.

"We are putting our customers and partners first, creating a globally efficient sales organization to bring the value of V6 PLM applications to every enterprise in every industry."

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The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2010, subject to the execution of local agreements and completion of regulatory processes and applicable labor relations requirements in various countries.

While the transaction is being completed, both companies expect their existing operations, including customer service and product availability, to continue as usual. After completion of the transaction and integration of the two companies' PLM operations, DS PLM customers will benefit from simplified engagement and support processes for DS's PLM product portfolio.

"The adoption and integration of PLM and 3D collaboration by a growing number of enterprises require deep industry knowledge," said Bernard Charles, president and CEO of Dassault Systemes. "The planned integration of the IBM sales force and related business operations represents the largest investment in our corporate history. We are putting our customers and partners first, creating a globally efficient sales organization to bring the value of V6 PLM applications to every enterprise in every industry.

"We are reaching a new level of customer engagement built on commitment, multi-industry knowledge and high-value solutions for sustainable innovation. Looking forward, the wide adoption of 3D lifelike experience and PLM will require the combination of direct sales, our network of partners and online communities."

Pursuant to the planned global alliance agreement, IBM and DS expect to continue to jointly invest in developing, deploying and supporting client PLM environments, delivering integrated PLM solutions to their clients.

"With this announcement, IBM is evolving its partnership with DS to better align our mutual strengths and better address our clients' PLM needs," said Tom Hawk, general manager, IBM Global Industrial Sector. "This transaction also helps fuel IBM's focus on PLM integration through middleware, business transformation and application services, and dynamic infrastructure."

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