SAN FRANCISCO, April 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Autodesk,
Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) today announced it has signed a definitive
agreement to acquire Upchain, a provider of instant-on, cloud-based
product lifecycle management (PLM) and product data management
(PDM) solutions. The acquisition positions Autodesk to deliver more
value for engineers, manufacturers, suppliers and other product
stakeholders by increasing collaboration across the decentralized
product value chain, regardless of CAD system.
Upchain has created a unified cloud platform that eliminates the
boundaries of traditional PLM and PDM technologies, helping
manufacturers manage complexity across teams by putting data at the
center of the product development process.
"Resilience and collaboration have never been more critical for
manufacturers as they confront the increasing complexity of
developing new products. We're committed to addressing those needs
by offering the most robust end-to-end design and manufacturing
platform in the cloud," said Andrew
Anagnost, President and CEO of Autodesk. "The convergence of
data and processes is transforming the industry. By integrating
Upchain with our existing offerings, Autodesk customers will be
able to easily move data without barriers and will be empowered to
unlock and harness valuable insights that can translate to fresh
ideas and business success."
Autodesk will maintain Upchain's open approach to data,
supporting integration not only with solutions like Inventor,
AutoCAD and Fusion 360, but also with other CAD systems commonly
used in the manufacturing industry.
"The acquisition of Upchain is a big step toward meeting our
customers where they are, removing the barriers to collaboration
and bridging the gap between data management and process
management technologies," said Scott
Reese, Executive Vice President of Product Development and
Manufacturing Solutions at Autodesk. "Disruption has become a
constant in the world of manufacturing. Being equipped with instant
access to data across the product value chain gives companies the
ability to remain agile and bring compelling products to market
quickly and efficiently."
Upchain serves a diversified customer base from across
industries including automotive and aerospace, industrial machines,
transportation, entertainment, and textiles and apparel.
"We've had a singular focus at Upchain to up-level cloud
collaboration across the entire product lifecycle, changing the way
that people work together so that everyone has access to the data
they need, when they need it," said John
Laslavic, CEO and Founder of Upchain. "Autodesk shares our
vision for radically simplifying how engineers and manufacturers
across the entire value chain collaborate and bring a top-quality
product to market faster. I look forward to seeing how
Upchain and Autodesk, together, take that vision to the next
level in the months and years to come."
For more information, please see the accompanying PDF.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and
is expected to close during Autodesk's second quarter of fiscal
year 2022, ending July 31, 2021.
About Autodesk
Autodesk makes software for people
who make things. If you've ever driven a high-performance car,
admired a towering skyscraper, used a smartphone, or watched a
great film, chances are you've experienced what millions of
Autodesk customers are doing with our software. Autodesk gives you
the power to make anything. For more information
visit autodesk.com or follow @autodesk.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties,
including statements regarding: the planned acquisition of
Upchain and the timing thereof, the impact of the acquisition
on Autodesk's business performance; the impact of the transaction
on Autodesk's and Upchain's products and services
capabilities, customers, and partners; and Autodesk's strategic
priorities.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
include the following: Autodesk's ability to successfully integrate
Upchain's business; costs related to the acquisition; the evolution
of cloud-based and traditional PLM and PDM technologies; changes in
the manufacturing industry; the competitive environment in the PLM,
PDM, and manufacturing industries and competitive responses to the
acquisition; Autodesk and Upchain's success developing new
products or modifying existing products and the degree to which
these gain market acceptance; general market and business
conditions; unanticipated impact of accounting for acquisitions;
and the ability to satisfy the conditions to the completion of the
acquisition on the anticipated schedule, or at all.
Further information on potential factors that could affect the
financial results of Autodesk are included in Autodesk's Form 10-K
and subsequent Forms 10-Q, which are on file with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission. Autodesk disclaims any
obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to
reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the
date on which they were made.
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SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.