Microsoft Joins Velocity Series Consortium

UGS PLM Software, a division of Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) and a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced Microsoft, the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions, as the newest partner in the UGS Velocity Series™ Consortium, an Asia Pacific initiative aimed at stimulating the use of PLM technology among small- to mid-size manufacturing companies.



The Velocity Series Consortium helps mid-market manufacturers drive innovation using PLM software running on efficient, optimized hardware and networking platforms. Microsoft joins existing consortium partners – UGS PLM Software, HP and Intel – to make PLM technology easier for mid-market companies to acquire, deploy and maintain.



UGS Velocity Series is the industry’s first comprehensive, preconfigured portfolio of digital product design, analysis, manufacturing process and data management software for the PLM mid-market. All applications are built on the Microsoft Windows® platform, allowing easy integration into customers’ existing IT architecture, minimizing overhead support costs and maximizing ease of use. For example, UGS TeamcenterTM Express is built on Microsoft standards such as Windows Server® 2003 operating system and SQL Server™ 2005 database software.



“UGS PLM Software and Microsoft have a long-standing commitment to deliver innovative PLM solutions that meet the demands of our joint customers,” said Benoit van Thienen, general manager, Small and Mid-Market Solutions and Partners Group, Microsoft Asia Pacific. “Microsoft is pleased to join the other Consortium partners in a collective effort to reduce the cost of entry for new PLM customers. Mid-market manufacturers can leverage the power of the UGS Velocity Series and support from Consortium partners to transform their process of innovation.”



Microsoft’s addition to the UGS Velocity Series Consortium strengthens its existing partnership with UGS PLM Software, which entails the integration of its solutions onto Microsoft’s business application management platform.



“In order for mid-size manufacturers to innovate, the development of a PLM strategy focused on speed to market is essential,” said Hans-Kurt Lübberstedt, senior vice president, Asia Pacific, UGS PLM Software. “The Consortium is dedicated to providing PLM to mid-size companies with a lower cost of entry and ownership as well as a strong return on investment. Microsoft understands the needs to lower costs while delivering top line revenue growth. Both UGS PLM Software and Microsoft will collaborate on sales and marketing activities. The acquisition costs for PLM solutions are expected to be lowered by the Consortium through software and hardware pricing offers targeted at mid-market manufacturers.”



About UGS Velocity Series



The UGS Velocity Series™ portfolio is a comprehensive family of modular, yet integrated solutions addressing the product lifecycle management (PLM) needs of the mid-market. Consisting of a preconfigured family of digital product design, analysis, manufacturing and data management software offerings, UGS Velocity Series leverages the industry’s best practices to provide significant breakthroughs in ease-of-use and deployment. Mid-size manufacturers can leverage the power of UGS Velocity Series to transform their process of innovation while maintaining a low total cost of ownership; and all UGS Velocity Series products are completely scalable to the full range of UGS’ industry leading, enterprise-level PLM portfolio.



About UGS PLM Software



UGS PLM Software, a division of Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D), is a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services with 4.3 million licensed seats and 47,000 customers worldwide. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, UGS PLM Software’s open enterprise solutions enable a world where organizations and their partners collaborate through global innovation networks to deliver world-class products and services. For more information on UGS PLM Software products and services, visit www.siemens.com/ugs.



About Siemens Automation and Drives



The Siemens Automation and Drives Group (A&D), Nuremberg, Germany, is the leading manufacturer in this field worldwide. Products supplied by A&D include standard products for the manufacturing and process industries and for the electrical installation industry as well as system solutions, for example for machine tools, and solutions for whole industries such as the automation of entire automobile factories or chemical plants. Supplementing this range of products and services, A&D also offers software for linking production and management (horizontal and vertical IT integration) and for optimizing production processes. A&D employs 70,600 people worldwide and in fiscal year 2006 (to September 30) earned a group profit of €1.572 billion on sales of €12.848 billion and orders of €14.108 billion, according to U.S. GAAP. Further information about A&D is available in the Internet at www.siemens.com/automation.