CIMdata Announces its 2018 PLM Market & Industry Forum Series

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Dec. 12, 2017 - PRLog -- CIMdata, Inc., the leading global PLM consulting and research firm, announces its 2018 PLM Market & Industry Forum schedule and theme. Approaching their twenty-eighth year, these one-day events will be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA on April 5; Frankfurt, Germany on April 12; Pune, India on April 16; Shanghai, China on April 20; and Tokyo, Japan on April 25.

CIMdata's PLM Market & Industry Forum is designed exclusively for PLM solution providers, PLM service providers, PLM systems integrators, and PLM channel partners of all sizes. Forum attendees will explore the challenges currently facing the PLM market. Presentations will offer insights into the current economic climate, leading trends, and their effects on the PLM economy. There will be a detailed look at the state and trends of current and future PLM markets, and the eagerly awaited first public release of CIMdata's 2017 PLM market analysis results.

The theme for 2018 is "Industry 4.0-Its Global Impact & Status." A concept that started in Germany in 2011, the core design principles of Industry 4.0 are interoperability, information transparency, technical assistance, and decentralized decision making. Some people talk about Industry 4.0 as the convergence of information technology (IT) and operation technology (OT); a bridging of digital and physical, cyber-physical production systems enabled by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). At a practical level, however, companies are looking to employ these technologies and processes to enable mass customization, allowing them to make money while serving markets of one. It is important for members of the PLM economy to leverage this new wave and be part of the solution.

Presentations will include the following topics:

•Industry 4.0 – A Regional Update

•Manufacturing in the Built World

•Design for Additive Manufacturing

•Service Lifecycle Management

•Big Data/Analytics

•Virtual/Augmented Reality

The complete agenda will be announced soon.

Participants should expect to gain a solid understanding of the current and emerging PLM market, of the dynamics impacting it, and of the expectations for its continued evolution. Attendees will also gain further insights into opportunities and approaches they can use to navigate the PLM economy in the year to come.

For more information and to register for a 2018 PLM Market & Industry Forum event, please go to: http://cimdata.com/en/education/plm-market-industry-forums

About CIMdata

CIMdata, a leading independent worldwide firm, provides strategic management consulting to maximize an enterprise's ability to design and deliver innovative products and services through the application of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions. Since its founding in 1983, CIMdata has delivered world-class knowledge, expertise, and best-practice methods on PLM solutions. These solutions incorporate both business processes and a wide-ranging set of PLM-enabling technologies.

CIMdata works with both industrial organizations and providers of technologies and services seeking competitive advantage in the global economy. In addition to consulting, CIMdata conducts research, provides PLM-focused subscription services, and produces several commercial publications. The company also provides industry education through PLM certificate programs, seminars, and conferences worldwide. CIMdata serves clients around the world from offices in North America, Europe, and Asia- Pacific. To learn more about CIMdata's services, visit our website at www.CIMdata.com, follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CIMdataPLMNews, or contact CIMdata at: 3909 Research Park Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA, Tel: +1 734.668.9922. Fax: +1 734.668.1957; or at Oogststraat 20, 6004 CV Weert, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 (0) 495.533.666.