Siemens Acquires French Computer-Aided Motion Software Company

Siemens recently acquired Kineo CAM, headquartered in Toulouse, France, a leading provider of computer-aided motion software. Today Kineo CAM’s solutions are proven components of Siemens PLM software products, maximizing customer productivity in various industries by optimizing motion, collision avoidance and path planning. Through the acquisition Siemens will be able to further enhance the computer-aided motion capabilities of its software and strengthen Siemens’ ability to grow market share. The newly acquired company has over 200 customers worldwide and after closing will be assigned to the PLM Software Business Unit. The relevant agreement was signed today. The purchase price will not be disclosed.

For twelve years, Kineo CAM has been developing state of the art software solutions for applications in various industries such as automotive, aerospace and shipbuilding by optimizing robotic movements and path planning for the assembly and disassembly of parts. For example, in the automotive industry, by using Kineo CAM software modules a car manufacturer can better plan how to install an item, such as a car seat or a dashboard, and how to disassemble it again for maintenance. In other use cases the software modules from Kineo CAM help to optimize motion and path planning for robotic movements.

“By acquiring Kineo CAM we add another advanced technology to our PLM portfolio. This technology enables our customers to make better informed decisions about their products, and to devise manufacturing, maintenance and repair strategies”, says Chuck Grindstaff, CEO and president of Siemens' PLM Software Business Unit. “Kineo CAM provides key components that are already leveraged in our core products, NX, Teamcenter and Tecnomatix. In addition, we will be gaining a team of world-class specialists into our Open Tools team. These experts will continue to partner with Siemens’ PLM product groups as well as other companies that have standardized on the technology."

Kineo CAM software products are delivered as application software to end-users and as software libraries to CAD and CAM software vendors and OEMs of advanced robotic systems. The two companies plan to continue with all the current Kineo CAM product lines.

“We are proud and enthusiastic to join the Siemens PLM organization which is a worldwide leader in the software component market”, says Laurent Maniscalco, CEO of Kineo CAM. “Being part of such a global organization, which operates in the same markets as we do today, will ensure a stronger proximity with our current customers and a larger audience for our software technology. Enjoying excellent and long relationships with Siemens PLM teams, we are confident of a smooth and efficient integration process that will benefit our customers and our team.”

The Siemens Industry Automation Division has now acquired a number of software companies and, in so doing, has consolidated its leading position in the industrial software market. All the firms concerned are leading suppliers in their respective segment: namely, UGS (USA, 2007), Innotec (Germany, 2008), Elan Software Systems (France, 2009), Active Tecnologia em Sistemas de Automação (Brazil, 2011), Vistagy (USA, 2011), IBS AG (Germany, 2012), Perfect Costing Solutions GmbH (Germany, 2012) and VRcontext International S.A. (Belgium, 2012).