SolidWorks eyes Indian 3D design, manufacturing market

New Delhi: SolidWorks Corp, a leading developer of 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) software, has set its sights on the burgeoning Indian design and manufacturing industry — a market that experts estimate to be worth $25 million per year.

SolidWorks specialises in developing and marketing design-centric CAD software for mechanical design, analysis and product data management. The design-centric market is estimated to be about $10 million in India. With SolidWorks'' specialised tools, engineers can now design everything from plastic bottle caps to electric submarine vehicles.

SolidWorks is presently operating through its widespread network of 16 resellers, across India covering regions such as Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Chandigarh and Gujarat. The global leader in 3D CAD design software presently has over 2,45,000 users with 30,000 customers worldwide in over 100 countries.

In India, SolidWorks has acquired over 400 registered commercial users and 150 customers. One of the key target markets for SolidWorks in India is the education sector. The company presently has over 450 licenses around 20 leading educational institutions in India. Some of the key customers of SolidWorks in India are ABB India, Delphi TVS, Makino, Tata BP Solar, BEL, NAL and GE Capital.

Engineering companies in India will not only have a competitive advantage with a product like SolidWorks but will also have a business advantage with SolidWorks'' manufacturing network.

Says SolidWorks director (Asia Pacific operations) Ved Narayan: "We are glad to join hands with Ranal Software Technologies, which is our master distributor across the country. The appointment of Ranal Software as our key partner in this region represents the first phase of this expansion programme. Ranal''s expertise, coupled with SolidWorks'' industry leading software, is an unbeatable combination that will enable us to scale new heights in India''s growing 3D CAD market.

"With our established presence in India and extensive network of certified value-added resellers we are expecting to acquire a 40-per cent market share in Indian 3D-CAD design-centric market over the next three years. As India increasingly becomes a hub for the design of new products ranging from everything from sewing needles to jet aircraft, it is critical that we consolidate our existing gains and exploit new growth opportunities."

Says Ranal Software Technologies director Vijay S Babu: "The team at Ranal Software is extremely happy about being the master distributor in India for SolidWorks, the fastest-growing 3D CAD company in the mainstream design-centric market. With our core strength in mechanical engineering and manufacturing, we expect to take a leadership position in this market."