PTC, Siebel Take Customization Up The Food Chain

As businesses integrate their systems more frequently along the supply chain, having the ability to tie customer preference into the product lifecycle is becoming more critical.

Recognizing that, Parametric Technology Corp. and Siebel Systems Inc. announced an alliance today that will integrate Siebel eBusiness applications with PTCs Collaborative Product Development software.

An integrated product will be available in about 6 months; the two companies have not decided on a name for the software yet. PTC will build the product, and it will be validated by Siebel. In the interim, PTC and Siebel will be working through their respective APIs on specific customer requirements, officials said.

Siebel, of San Mateo, Calif., provides eBusiness apps that enable multi-channel sales, marketing and customer service systems to be deployed over the Web, in call centers, in the field, through reseller channels, at retail and on dealer networks.

PTC CPD software is based on the companys Windchill technology and enables manufacturers and their customers, suppliers and partners to manage products through their entire lifecycle – from design and engineering through sourcing and manufacturing to service and repair – over the Internet.

The result of the combined technology is that Siebels eBusiness users will have the ability to view rich digital product data like product hierarchy, product attributes, CAD files, manufacturing instructions, test procedures and market literature that resides in PTCs software.

Likewise, through the alliance companies will be able to pull customer preferences into PTCs product development process for better decision-making and product innovation, according to PTC officials, in Needham, Mass.