M.
Reed
-
May
23, 2000
Event
Summary
PTC (NASDAQ: PMTC), a provider of what they refer to as "collaborative
product commerce (CPC) solutions", today announced Windchill Info*Engine
Release 4.0 that is said to further broaden its capabilities in integrating
data from varied information systems for Web-based collaboration.
Windchill
Info*Engine is designed to allow companies to deploy B2B collaboration
portals that streamline business processes and accelerate the global introduction
of new products. Windchill Info*Engine-based portals are browser-based
composite applications that display, and allow modification of, information
in multiple disparate information systems without having to change the
underlying information systems.
Windchill Info*Engine Release 4.0, released earlier this year, is 100%
Web-based, using industry standard Web servers, Java technology and XML
to deliver platform independence, global language support, enhanced performance,
and scalability. This allows the solution to integrate and scale within
a company's Internet IT infrastructure, hopefully reducing deployment
and maintenance costs. Windchill Info*Engine is now available on Windows
NT and Solaris, HP/UX, and other popular UNIX operating systems.
"Windchill
Info*Engine Release 4.0 builds on its past great success and represents
the next generation B2B enterprise application integration solution,"
said James P. Baum, executive vice president and general manager, Windchill
at PTC. "The shift to a pure-Java architecture enables Web-centric, platform-neutral,
and scalable applications while the utilization of XML technology allows
for application and platform-neutral data representation. These advancements
allow PTC to deliver on customer requirements for Windows NT and European
and Asian language support, and makes Windchill Info*Engine the clear
choice for companies who want to realize the vision and benefits of collaborative
product commerce."
Market
Impact
Under the terms of the acquisition, shares of Parametric Technology common
stock and cash with an aggregate value of approximately $79 million were
exchanged for all outstanding common and preferred shares of Auxilium.
In addition, all outstanding Auxilium stock options will be exchanged
for PTC stock options. Parametric Technology recorded a one-time, non-cash
charge against earnings during its first 1999 fiscal quarter (ending April
3, 1999) related to the write-off of in-process research and development.
PTC
has also announced an alliance with SupplierMarket.com for a Business-to-Business
portal dedicated to the "CPC" market, hosted on Sun Microsystems technology.
According to Dick Harrison, PTC president and CEO, "PTC is dedicated to
delivering the sophisticated portal offerings required to support global
B2B collaboration and procurement for direct materials and services."
XML-based
applications for business-to-business e-commerce are the rage in the industry
right now. TEC expects that Parametric will make inroads in the B2B market
space with this announcement, but the question will remain as to how tightly
the product has been integrated, and how many of the key developers remained
after the acquisition of Auxilium by Parametric.
User
Recommendations
Customers investigating B2B e-commerce solutions should include PTC on
at least a long list of vendors to be considered for enterprise application
integration solutions. Other vendors that should be considered include
Active Software, Extricity Software, STC (Software Technologies), Tibco,
TSI (Mercator), and Vitria Technology. Many customers have acquired Auxilium's
technology (examples are Boeing and Ford), and should be requested as
reference sites for any contemplated implementations. In the B2B market
space, other vendors that should be considered are Ariba, Commerce One,
and applications companies such as Broadvision.
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