Last week, I had an opportunity to attain the media meeting of D S SolidWorks Corp. The most exciting was to meet CEO Mr. Bertrand Sicot. The event was organized to have discussion with the Indian media representatives. I am really happy to get opportunity to attain event as an editor of DailyCADCAM along with the media representatives across India.
The event started with the key note presentation by Bertrand Sicot. He officially announced the launch of SolidWorks 2012. It was great to have Mr. Bertrand Sicot to unveil SolidWorks 2012 in India, it is rarely seen that CEO of CAD vendor coming India to have such a wonderful launch for their product. Such initiative would definitely have positive impact on design community in India.
He gave brief introduction about company and its products. He shared the history of company, said that ‘company was founded in 1993 and shipped first SolidWorks seat in 1995. In 1997 company was acquired by Dassault Systems’. Mr Bertrand started his career at DS SolidWorks in 1997 as the regional sales manager; he is ‘second employee’ of DS SolidWorks Europe. Company was primarily working on providing design tool to engineers with the time and through constant feedbacks from clients on their requirement to work more efficiently, making better decisions throughout the product development process have added various products to its portfolio like
• Enterprise PDM – manages and synchronizes design data, enhances collaboration
• SolidWorks Sustainability – helps to design ‘green’ products by controlling key environmental indicators: Carbon footprint, total energy consumed, impacts to air and impacts to water
• SolidWorks Simulation – Tool to perform virtual testing and analysis
• SolidWorks Flow Simulation – CFD Solution
• 3DVIA Composer – technical documentation and communication tool
The most amazing I find about SolidWorks is that it adds up to 200 to 400 new features in every release within the span of just few months for next release. The SolidWorks 2012 has 200 enhancements. Mr. Bertrand gave the overview on the new features introduced in the latest version (Would cover the top enhancements in details separately on my blog)
Visit DailyCADCAM for more articles, videos on SolidWorks 2012 enhancements - http://www.dailycadcam.com/categories/57/tutorials
While taking about SolidWorks World 2011, he remembered about Matt Lombard a renowned blogger who asked him about ‘why he is not Certified SolidWorks Professional even after having a technical background?’ So, he promised Matt that he would get it by next SolidWorks World. Really great he did it! And still few months to go for 2012 event. He told that he failed at second stage, tried again and at last got certified. He thanked Marie Planchard for guiding him for the certification. Signing own CSWP certificate as CEO might have been a wonderful moment!
Next to present was Sharon Toh, GM South Asia Region DS SolidWorks Corp. Sharon has around 25 years of experience in CAD, CAM, PLM industry. She directs the region’s growth strategies by ensuring its sales, technical, marketing and education teams.
Sharon gave an overview on the financial data, revenue by geography and milestones achieved by SolidWorks. Asia Pacific showed very positive response with USD 90.4 million revenue generated in 2010 and said ‘Indian market has showed interesting growth rate for last few years’. She explained the process of handling a customer request for new enhancements.
SolidWorks Market in India
Mr. Manoj Mehta (Country Manager, India and SAARC Operations) gave the overview on the SolidWorks market in India. SolidWorks entered India in 2002. All the activities were handled from Singapore office. In 2006 SolidWorks officially started its work in India. Today, there are 28 VARs and 17 education partners in India. At present 400 employees serve the company and team is expanding very fast.
Coming to educational market, at present 500 reputed engineering colleges are training their students on SolidWorks. Number to be noted as SolidWorks is not providing the free licenses to students still having 500 is a great respect shown to software. I have seen most IITians learning the tool, having projects using SolidWorks and Flow Simulation.
Now, if you are an engineering student and interested in learning SolidWorks, please visit CADD Center in your city. CADD Center is official training partner for SolidWorks.
SolidWorks at present has around 2500 customers across India and the list increases by 20 – 25 new customers adding every month. SolidWoks has proved to be the best option for automotive vendors, SMEs, power sector, and consumer goods moving from 2D to 3D. SolidWorks VARs find 80 percent conversion ratio for 2D customers moving on 3D platform.
It was interesting to know that the ttk Prestige and Hawkins pressure cookers are being designed using SolidWorks. Both companies have launched a wide range of products in Indian market.
The list of client is too big, but to mention few are Bharat Electronics, HMT, ACE Group, ELGI, Crompton Greaves, HNGL, THERMAX, Cethar Vesseles, Voltas, Swaraj Mazda, Tata Marcopolo Motors.
Last few months it was seen that the city buses in Pune are getting better with the time. Better looks, seating, easy access, and interiors. Today, the secret got revealed that those buses are designed and manufactured by Tata Marcopolo Motors using SolidWorks(collaboration between Tata and Marcopolo Motors Brazil)
Next to follow was Mr. Ravi Varadrajan Sr. Country Technical Manager – India & SAARC Countries. He gave brief explanation on the various enhancements in SolidWorks 2012.
Later there was a question answer session with media representatives. Most questions from media were on the market share in India. Mr. Bertrand did not present the figures, but said it is growing market for SolidWorks and happy with the growth in the region.
I am not happy with few media representatives, those who do not care to do their homework on ‘SolidWorks’ and just go on asking anything that comes to their mind! That may be because of lack of experience to cover technical/engineering news. Anyway!
I had opportunity, to ask few questions to CEO.
Sachin: What are your plans for AEC Industry in India?
Mr. Bertrand: We have announced SolidWorks Live Buildings, an offering for the AEC industry. We are working on it. We can’t reveal further details on the product at present.
Sachin: There are around 10,000 engineering colleges in India, you covered around 500. Do you have any plans to give away free educational licenses to reach every student?
Mr. Bertrand: We do not believe in giving away free licenses. Educational licenses are not a source of income for us and sell educational versions at very low price. We believe in quality training and taking maximum efforts to provide proper training by guiding and training faculty members of colleges and see students are benefited. Do you agree?
I said yes! Actually, I am yet to decide about. What is your opinion? But, I agree the fact that the college faculty teaching software to students must be trained. Otherwise it’s of no use.
It was really interesting to know more about SolidWorks. Thanks for giving me opportunity to meet SolidWorks CEO.
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 |
| Mr. Bertrand Sicot |
The event started with the key note presentation by Bertrand Sicot. He officially announced the launch of SolidWorks 2012. It was great to have Mr. Bertrand Sicot to unveil SolidWorks 2012 in India, it is rarely seen that CEO of CAD vendor coming India to have such a wonderful launch for their product. Such initiative would definitely have positive impact on design community in India.
He gave brief introduction about company and its products. He shared the history of company, said that ‘company was founded in 1993 and shipped first SolidWorks seat in 1995. In 1997 company was acquired by Dassault Systems’. Mr Bertrand started his career at DS SolidWorks in 1997 as the regional sales manager; he is ‘second employee’ of DS SolidWorks Europe. Company was primarily working on providing design tool to engineers with the time and through constant feedbacks from clients on their requirement to work more efficiently, making better decisions throughout the product development process have added various products to its portfolio like
• Enterprise PDM – manages and synchronizes design data, enhances collaboration
• SolidWorks Sustainability – helps to design ‘green’ products by controlling key environmental indicators: Carbon footprint, total energy consumed, impacts to air and impacts to water
• SolidWorks Simulation – Tool to perform virtual testing and analysis
• SolidWorks Flow Simulation – CFD Solution
• 3DVIA Composer – technical documentation and communication tool
The most amazing I find about SolidWorks is that it adds up to 200 to 400 new features in every release within the span of just few months for next release. The SolidWorks 2012 has 200 enhancements. Mr. Bertrand gave the overview on the new features introduced in the latest version (Would cover the top enhancements in details separately on my blog)
Visit DailyCADCAM for more articles, videos on SolidWorks 2012 enhancements - http://www.dailycadcam.com/categories/57/tutorials
While taking about SolidWorks World 2011, he remembered about Matt Lombard a renowned blogger who asked him about ‘why he is not Certified SolidWorks Professional even after having a technical background?’ So, he promised Matt that he would get it by next SolidWorks World. Really great he did it! And still few months to go for 2012 event. He told that he failed at second stage, tried again and at last got certified. He thanked Marie Planchard for guiding him for the certification. Signing own CSWP certificate as CEO might have been a wonderful moment!
 |
| Sharon Toh & CEO |
Next to present was Sharon Toh, GM South Asia Region DS SolidWorks Corp. Sharon has around 25 years of experience in CAD, CAM, PLM industry. She directs the region’s growth strategies by ensuring its sales, technical, marketing and education teams.
Sharon gave an overview on the financial data, revenue by geography and milestones achieved by SolidWorks. Asia Pacific showed very positive response with USD 90.4 million revenue generated in 2010 and said ‘Indian market has showed interesting growth rate for last few years’. She explained the process of handling a customer request for new enhancements.
SolidWorks Market in India
Mr. Manoj Mehta (Country Manager, India and SAARC Operations) gave the overview on the SolidWorks market in India. SolidWorks entered India in 2002. All the activities were handled from Singapore office. In 2006 SolidWorks officially started its work in India. Today, there are 28 VARs and 17 education partners in India. At present 400 employees serve the company and team is expanding very fast.
Coming to educational market, at present 500 reputed engineering colleges are training their students on SolidWorks. Number to be noted as SolidWorks is not providing the free licenses to students still having 500 is a great respect shown to software. I have seen most IITians learning the tool, having projects using SolidWorks and Flow Simulation.
Now, if you are an engineering student and interested in learning SolidWorks, please visit CADD Center in your city. CADD Center is official training partner for SolidWorks.
SolidWorks at present has around 2500 customers across India and the list increases by 20 – 25 new customers adding every month. SolidWoks has proved to be the best option for automotive vendors, SMEs, power sector, and consumer goods moving from 2D to 3D. SolidWorks VARs find 80 percent conversion ratio for 2D customers moving on 3D platform.
It was interesting to know that the ttk Prestige and Hawkins pressure cookers are being designed using SolidWorks. Both companies have launched a wide range of products in Indian market.
The list of client is too big, but to mention few are Bharat Electronics, HMT, ACE Group, ELGI, Crompton Greaves, HNGL, THERMAX, Cethar Vesseles, Voltas, Swaraj Mazda, Tata Marcopolo Motors.
Last few months it was seen that the city buses in Pune are getting better with the time. Better looks, seating, easy access, and interiors. Today, the secret got revealed that those buses are designed and manufactured by Tata Marcopolo Motors using SolidWorks(collaboration between Tata and Marcopolo Motors Brazil)
Next to follow was Mr. Ravi Varadrajan Sr. Country Technical Manager – India & SAARC Countries. He gave brief explanation on the various enhancements in SolidWorks 2012.
 |
| Ravi Varadrajan, Sharon Toh, Bertrand Sicot, Manoj Mehta |
I am not happy with few media representatives, those who do not care to do their homework on ‘SolidWorks’ and just go on asking anything that comes to their mind! That may be because of lack of experience to cover technical/engineering news. Anyway!
I had opportunity, to ask few questions to CEO.
Sachin: What are your plans for AEC Industry in India?
Mr. Bertrand: We have announced SolidWorks Live Buildings, an offering for the AEC industry. We are working on it. We can’t reveal further details on the product at present.
Sachin: There are around 10,000 engineering colleges in India, you covered around 500. Do you have any plans to give away free educational licenses to reach every student?
Mr. Bertrand: We do not believe in giving away free licenses. Educational licenses are not a source of income for us and sell educational versions at very low price. We believe in quality training and taking maximum efforts to provide proper training by guiding and training faculty members of colleges and see students are benefited. Do you agree?
I said yes! Actually, I am yet to decide about. What is your opinion? But, I agree the fact that the college faculty teaching software to students must be trained. Otherwise it’s of no use.
 |
| With DS SW CEO |
It was really interesting to know more about SolidWorks. Thanks for giving me opportunity to meet SolidWorks CEO.
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