Systems Modeling Corp acquired by Rockwell

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 7, 2000

Rockwell Automation has acquired the assets of Systems Modeling Corp, a Pittsburgh-based developer of shop floor scheduling, simulation and modeling software.

Rockwell Automation has acquired the assets of Systems Modeling Corp., a Pittsburgh-based developer of shop floor scheduling, simulation and modeling software.

The transaction gives customers additional flexibility in integrating information throughout the enterprise and provides additional products and expertise for the Rockwell Automation Manufacturing BusinessWare initiative.

The Rockwell Automation Manufacturing BusinessWare offering combines a tailored mix of value-added services, software integration tools and manufacturing software applications that provide a complete solution for tightly integrating plant floor production facilities with the business systems that run the corporate enterprise.

"We want to offer our customers a full range of integrated Manufacturing BusinessWare applications," said Rich Ryan, president, Rockwell Software.

"Scheduling is an important application for customers who are looking to optimise plant floor processes, and we are confident that the addition of this leading scheduling software expertise will be beneficial to them." "Leading manufacturers are strategising to consolidate plant IT into more a responsive architecture that can synchronise and coordinate the plant with the supply chain as an enabler to e-business strategies," said Roddy Martin, Research Director, AMR Research.

"A plant scheduling application integrated with manufacturing execution and process control applications will provide an enabler for manufacturers to improve asset utilisation by optimising plant logistics.

This integration will provide a plant architecture that is responsive to supply chain and e-business requirements." Under the agreement related to the transaction, Rockwell Automation acquired the assets of Systems Modeling.

The company's Tempo software is a market leading scheduling software package that focuses on optimising processes for the shop floor.

It will be incorporated as part of the Manufacturing BusinessWare suite of products and services, supporting shop floor to top floor integration.

Arena is a Systems Modeling simulation and modeling software package.

It is considered to be the number one simulation and modeling package in the industry, and will be incorporated as part of Rockwell Automation's production facility design environment.

"Systems Modeling gains a much broader global sales audience, and Rockwell Automation adds a market leading scheduling package," said Systems Modeling President Dennis Pegden.

"This transaction will help Rockwell Automation round out its Manufacturing BusinessWare strategy by adding additional capabilities." Rockwell Software is the leading brand of software technology that helps automate factories and integrate them with the rest of the enterprise.

This includes programming, human-machine interface, communications, information systems, process monitoring and control, and Internet technologies.