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Kernel concerns: Dassault buys ACIS, UGS ships Parasolid v1 2
Spatial Technologies sold its ACIS geometric modeling kernel and other component technology to Dassault Systemes for $21.5 million in cash. Spatial will focus on its Internet activities and will now be known as PlanetCAD Inc.
The companies will share model healing and data translation technology used in PlanetCAD's 3DShare service (www.planetcad.com). Dassault will develop a CATIA/ACIS translator that will be available at 3DShare and to OEM customers. Dassaint will keep the Spatial name and plans to use the Spatial technology as a foundation for building its own component business focused on providing 3D tools for Internet-based business-to-business e-commerce. "Our focus is to provide best-of breed 3D software components to anyone who needs them, to grow existing Spatial relationships, and to create an industry standard to simplify 3D data exchange in the industry. With this economy of scale, new companies will accelerate their development of services over the Web," said Bernard Charles, president of Dassault Systemes.
For PlanetCAD, the sale helps fund further development of its Web services. Since the sale, PlanetCAD acquired Prescient Systems, a developer of product quality assurance tools.
Bruce Morgan, PlanetCAD CEO, explained that the ACIS kernel "was not a business that we would be able to expand based on revenue. We perceive future growth and revenue to come from the Internet." Spatial Technology reported $14.9 million revenue...