Lectra and IBM sign worldwide partnership agreement

Paris, 23 October 97 Lectra has signed a worldwide partnership agreement with IBM. The agreement aims at providing Lectra Systèmes customers with applications including provision of software and access and use of network computing (the Internet, Intranets and interconnected LANs) through IBM's worldwide network.

Lectra Systèmes makes CAD/CAM systems for the clothing, furniture and technical textile industry. Lectra Systèmes achieves 85% of its consolidated revenue from exports, through its international set-up (32 subsidiaries, 70 agencies), 1,250 staff worldwide and over 6,500 customers in 80 countries.

The partnership with IBM Global Services enables Lectra Systèmes to extend its scope and expertise and propose global services including network services. It allows Lectra Systèmes customers to move from a LAN to a WAN architecture thus gaining businesses involving large numbers of participants. In the clothing industry, for example, a Parisian design office, a technical centre in the provinces, a contact in Hong Kong and manufacturing plants in China can all communicate throughout the entire collection design and manufacturing process.

Access to IBM Global Network will enable Lectra Systèmes customers to send information over Intranets or the Internet. Thus with a Lectra Systèmes CAD/CAM software and browser, access is possible to one of the 1.000 access points in about 100 countries.

Sandra Wermer