PLANO, Texas, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 the expansion of its "Fast Track to PLM" SMB (small to medium-sized business) educational seminar series to help manufacturers understand how to improve their value chain synchronization.

The need for value chain synchronization is the focus of a new report issued by management consulting company Cambashi Limited, "Value Chain Synchronization for Mid-sized Manufacturers." The report states that SMBs are seeing significant performance advantages -- including on-time delivery, overall spending, reduction in finished goods inventory and increased communication -- by employing PLM technologies within their value chain. Cambashi explains that the value chain extends the supply chain to include design and research partners as well as the traditional operational partners.

"Value chain relationships that involve product development as well as supply offer growing business value in global markets," said Peter Thorne, director of consulting, Cambashi Ltd. "Both in-house and external communication must be considered. Every group must respond to changes and new information as if they were part of a single unit. For mid-sized manufacturers, PLM is an essential tool for maintaining and improving efficiency and speed even as products, manufacturing processes and supply structures are becoming more complex."

"SMBs recognize that to increase their competitiveness in today's global market they must collaborate with their partners and suppliers in a much more dynamic and effective environment," said Dave Shirk, executive vice president, Global Marketing, UGS PLM Software. "Sixty percent of mid-sized manufacturers already do business in a global supply chain. The most innovative SMBs use PLM to achieve synchronization by giving key players access and visibility into the product information they need to manage processes across the value chain. With this in mind, our company brought PLM to the mid-market through the UGS Velocity Series, the industry's first comprehensive, preconfigured portfolio of digital product design, analysis, manufacturing and data management software for the PLM mid-market. UGS Velocity Series enables SMBs to get on the 'Fast Track to PLM' and synchronize their value chain into a global innovation network to bring the right products to market faster."

AMR Research states in its "Insights into Supply Chain Innovation in Europe" report by Guy Dunkerley, Alexandria Rumble, and the AMR Research Europe Team that "supply chain innovators deliver significant business results quickly, showing more than 30 percent reduction in finished goods inventory and 25 percent improvement in on-time delivery."

For more information or to obtain a list of Value Chain Synchronization webinars, visit UGS PLM Software's SMB Center at http://www.ugs.com/smb. SMBs can also download the Cambashi Report from http://www.ugs.com/valuechain.

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 http://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 euro 1.572 billion on sales of euro 12.848 billion and orders of euro 14.108 billion, according to U.S. GAAP. Further information about A&D is available in the Internet at http://www.siemens.com/automation.

Note: Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. UGS Velocity Series is a trademarks or registered trademark of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. All other products referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Dora Smith, +1-314-264-8480, or dora.smith@siemens.com

Web site: http://www.siemens.com/automation
http://www.ugs.com/smb
http://www.ugs.com/valuechain

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