PTC Inc.

PTC Inc. (formerly Parametric Technology Corporation) is an American computer software and services company founded in 1985 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company was a pioneer in parametric, associative feature-based, solid computer-aided design (CAD) modeling software in 1988, including an Internet-based product for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) in 1998. PTC (NASDAQ: PTC) markets products and services and an Internet of Things (IoT) and augmented reality (AR) platform for partners and developers.

Products

PTC has eight core product families: Creo, Windchill, Mathcad, Integrity, Servigistics, ThingWorx, ServiceMax, Arbortext Editor. The company's technology is primarily used by discrete manufacturers to design, operate and maintain complex products. PTC's technology is also used to connect products to the Internet for the purposes of capturing and analyzing information from them.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

PTC Creo

Template:Main The PTC CAD product provides a set of Computer Aided Design capabilities. PTC CAD is a suite of 2D and 3D product design software used to create, analyze and view product designs. PTC Creo software was released in June 2011 to replace and supersede PTC's products formerly known as Pro/ENGINEER, CoCreate, and ProductView.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

PTC Windchill

Web-based database software that provides access to product information like MCAD and ECAD data files, process documents, and software engineering information.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The PTC Windchill product provides a set of PLM Product Lifecycle Management capabilities and consists of multiple products.

PTC Integrity

PTC Integrity provides a set of Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and Systems Engineering capabilities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

PTC Servigistics

Service lifecycle management SLM software that is used by manufacturers to understand how service planning, customer service, and analysis of returned product data can improve service value over a product's life.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

ThingWorx

A platform for the rapid development of applications designed for smart, connected sensors, devices, and products – or the Internet of Things.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref>

Vuforia

Vuforia is an Augmented Reality Software Development Kit (SDK) for mobile devices that enables the creation of augmented reality applications.

History

Template:Prose 1985 - Company founded by Samuel Geisberg, and Mike Payne formerly from Prime Computer, Computervision, and Applicon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1988 - Steve Walske named CEO.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Company shipped Pro/ENGINEER and was considered first to market with parametric modeling design software.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This positions PTC as a leader in the CAD industry until the mid-1990s when a new generation of low-cost competitors arrive in the market.<ref name=weisberg>Template:Cite book</ref>
1989 - Initial public offering at the NASDAQ exchange.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1992 - Caterpillar Inc. becomes PTC's largest customer.<ref name=weisberg />
1996 - PTC acquires Reflex project modeling and management software technology<ref name=Reflex>Parametric Technology Corporation acquires object-oriented software technology for project modeling and management PTC news release dated 11 July 1996 (archived at FreeLibrary.com). Retrieved: 17 October 2015.</ref> sold the following year to the Beck Group.
1998 - Company ships Windchill and is considered first to market with internet-based solutions for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM).<ref name=weisberg />
1999 - PTC announces it has 25,000 customers. Major industries include aerospace, retail/footwear/apparel, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer products, electronics, and high tech.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1999 - Acquired Division Group (Division Ltd, Bristol Uk, Division Inc) Virtual reality - dVision Head Mounted Display & Software<ref name="medium.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="web.archive.org">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="https">Template:Cite web</ref>

2002 - The company releases Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This is the first CAD system to support web-based services.<ref name=weisberg />
2005 - Acquired Arbortext for technical publishing technology.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Acquired Aptavis for retail, footwear and apparel technology.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2006 - Acquired Mathsoft for its engineering calculation software.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Acquired ITEDO for its 3D technical illustration software.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2007 - Acquired CoCreate for its direct modeling technology.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2008 - Acquired Synapsis for its performance analytics technology to improve environmental performance of products.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2009 - Acquired Relex Software for its reliability engineering software.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2010 - James E. Heppelmann announced as CEO effective October 1, 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Company renames Pro/ENGINEER to PTC Creo and promises the market product design software that is scalable, open, and easy-to-use.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2011 - Acquired 4CS for its warranty, service, support and service parts technology.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Acquired MKS for its application lifecycle management technology for all software development processes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2012 - Acquired Servigistics for its suite of service lifecycle management software.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2013 - Acquired NetIDEAS hosting vendor for more technology deployment options.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Acquired Enigma for its ability to deliver technical content to aftermarket service environments.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Acquired Internet of Things platform developer ThingWorx for their software applications that connect and track network-enabled products.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2014 - Acquired Axeda Corporation<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2014 - Acquired ATEGO Software, a leader in MBSE (model-based systems engineering) tool used in aerospace, transportation, and automotive industries (such as Alstom Transport and Rolls-Royce Defence)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016 - Paid $28 million to resolve probes by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission, alleging PTC subsidiaries paid over $1.5 million in bribes to Chinese government officials between 2006 and 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Companies acquired by PTC

• Prime Computer in 1992.
• CDRS and 3DPaint from Evans & Sutherland on April 12, 1995, for $33,507,000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Rasna Corp., developers of MECHANICA design optimization and simulation software, in May 1995 for $180 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• PTC acquires Reflex project modeling and management software technology in July 1996, for $30m.<ref name=Reflex />
• Computervision, developers of CADDS, MEDUSA and the MPDS Plant Design System in 1998 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Division Group (Division Ltd, Division Inc) dVisor Virtual Reality HMD<ref name="medium.com"/><ref name="web.archive.org"/><ref name="https"/>
• Polyplan, Technologies acquired 2005 for Manufacturing Process Management
• Arbortext in 2005, for $190 million <ref>PTC Acquisition of Arbortext Template:Webarchive managingautomation.com</ref>
• DENC AG and Cadtrain Inc. in late 2005 for an aggregate of $10 million. DENC adds a German consulting practice with expertise integrating PTC applications with enterprise-resource-planning software. Irvine, Calif.-based Cadtrain provides online training modules for PTC software.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Aptavis Technology Corp, Windchill-based technology and expertise for retail, footwear and apparel, in June 2005<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Mathsoft, developers of Mathcad, in April 2006 for $63 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• ITEDO Software GmbH in October 2006 for $17 million. ITEDO developed technical illustration software and had 34 employees mainly in Germany and the United States.<ref>[1] Template:Webarchive</ref>
• NC Graphics in May 2007 for an undisclosed sum.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• NetRegulus, Inc, an Enterprise Study and Quality management software for Medical Devices, in November 2007<ref>PTC Notification ptc.com</ref>
• CoCreate in December 2007 for $250 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Synapsis Technology in December 2008 for an undisclosed sum.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Relex Software in June 2009 for $25 Million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Planet Metrics in January 2010 for an undisclosed sum.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• MKS Software makers of MKS Integrity - May, 2011<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 4CS Software Solutions Inc, a developer of warranty management and service lifecycle management software for an undisclosed sum <ref>Standarts ptc.com Template:Webarchive</ref>
• Servigistics in August 2012
• Enigma in July 2013<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• NetIDEAS in September 2013<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• ThingWorx in January 2014 <ref>Press release ptc.com Template:Webarchive</ref>
• Atego (company), a developer of model-based systems and software engineering applications based in Cheltenham, UK for approximately $50 million in cash in July 2014 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Axeda Corporation - a leader in the M2M / IoT space connecting things with people and other things, based in Foxborough, MA for approximately $170 million in cash in August 2014<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
• Coldlight in 2015<ref name=":0" />
• Vuforia in 2015<ref name=":0" />
• Kepware in 2015 for approximately $100 million, plus up to an additional $18 million based on achievement of certain strategic initiatives and financial results.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Onshape in October 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• intland (Product CodeBeamer) in May 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• IncQuery Group in April 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Support of STEM Education

In 1999, PTC created a Global Academic Program designed to support educational initiatives in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills. The program aims to partner schools and universities with companies to assist students in developing real-world skills needed for careers in manufacturing, technology, and other STEM jobs.<ref name="stemconnector">Template:Cite web</ref> The program also has a direct recruitment program intended to place students in jobs with PTC's commercial customers.<ref name="stemconnector" />

PTC has also been a corporate sponsor of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) since 2008, providing participating students with access to PTC software for use in the FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Lego League, and FIRST World Championship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Awards and accolades

4th Annual Postscapes Internet of Things (IoT) Awards:<ref>Postcapes 2014/2015 Internet of Things AWARDS Template:Webarchive Postcapes</ref><ref>PTC, ThingWorx, Axeda Win 2014 Internet of Things (IoT) Awards in Six Different Categories M2M WorldNews</ref>

External links

• Template:Official website