PTC, SolidWorks and Windchill PLM Success.

I read Martyn Day article The Jim Heppelmann Interview. Mr. Heppelmann shared his thoughts about different aspects related to PTC, CAD, PLM and competitors. Read this interview and make your opinion. Here my favorite passage from this interview related to comparison between Windchill and SolidWorks:

“Windchill is doing exceptionally well and just to put it into perspective – I think we all look at SolidWorks as a great business for Dassault Systemes and Windchill’s substantially more successful than SolidWorks. While SolidWorks was launched in 1996, and I think it’s a $350 million dollar business right now, Windchill was launched in 1998 and it’s going to be a more than $500 million business this year.  So Windchill is 1.5 times more successful than SolidWorks from that perspective.

One of Mr. Heppelman’s conclusions is that PTC becomes a “Windchill company”. Here is the quote:

So, to some extent we really have become the ‘Windchill PLM’ company because that’s become as big now as everything else combined.

What is my take? I have to agree with Mr. Heppelman. SolidWorks is a very successful business. What is also remarkable is the mainstream character of SolidWorks business. I think, the note about Windchill success is an interesting confirmation about mainstream character of PLM business in general and PTC success in PLM business during the past few years. Another interesting question is what role Windchill component will play in the future Creo product line announced by PTC few months ago?

Just my thoughts…
Best, Oleg