3D software maker Cimatron sells for $97 million

Cimatron, an Israeli firm that is one of the world’s largest makers of 3D CAD/CAM software products for manufacturing, is being acquired by US company 3D Systems (3DS). Under the deal, 3DS will acquire all outstanding shares of Cimatron, paying about $97 million for its new acquisition.

3DS also serves the manufacturing and industrial market with 3D hardware and software products, so Cimatron’s technology and products will fit right in with his own company’s, said Avi Reichental, president and CEO of South Carolina-based 3DS.

“We believe that the perfect strategic fit between our businesses, combined with expanded capabilities in product development, channel coverage and marketing, could present sizeable synergies that together offer significant long-term customer benefits and shareholder value,” Reichental said.

Since it was first established in 1982 as MicroCAD (the company changed its name in 1987), Cimatron has grown to be a key player in the industrial design market, serving clients from the aerospace, consumer electronics, toys, medical, optics and telecom, and automotive industries. In the latter category, for example, Cimatron, located in Givat Shmuel, is a large supplier of software for the manufacture of plastic molds for the manufacture of car dashboards. According to Danny Haran, CEO of Cimatron, precision is essential in dashboard design.

“There are hundreds of parts that go into making a dashboard, and they all have to be precisely designed and built, so that they can work together,” said Haran in an interview. “Most of the parts are made out of plastic and metal, and for each part to work together, you need precise design, and that’s based on the kind of software we produce.”

Cimatron makes software to produce far smaller items as well, such as connectors for plastic water pipes, along with software for the manufacture of larger, more complicated products, including blades and turbines for planes, which are made out of titanium and other metals. In all cases, said Haran, precision is key, and the company’s sophisticated software ensures that manufacturers are able to mass produce precisely-made products for a large number of uses across many industries.

According to Haran, Cimatron is “delighted to combine our leading 3D CAD/CAM software products with 3DS’ expanding design and manufacturing digital thread. We have always been focused on providing comprehensive, cost-effective solutions that streamline manufacturing cycles and shorten product delivery time, and as part of 3DS we can substantially accelerate our progress and extend our reach and impact.”

“Our entire Board of Directors is proud of Cimatron and its management’s long term success in building a great company with leading products that create sustained customer and shareholder value, and are grateful to have been part of guiding this journey,” said Yossi Ben Shalom, chairman of the board of Cimatron.

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