French Firm To Acquire IBM's PLM Sales, Support Business

The IBM sales and customer support operations, the latter including customer contracts and related assets, are built around selling and supporting Dassault's DS PLM software. About 700 IBM employees will become Dassault workers under the deal while about 1,000 IBM customers will become Dassault customers.

The two companies expect to complete the transaction in the second quarter of 2010.

The deal clarifies the role of the two companies in joint engagements, the companies said in a statement. Dassault augments its sales force with the IBM personnel who are well-versed in PLM technology while IBM can focus on its core implementation and support services and get away from selling PLM software.

"With this announcement, IBM is evolving its partnership with DS to better align our mutual strengths and better address our clients' PLM needs," said Tom Hawk, general manager of IBM's Global Industrial sector operation, in a statement. "This transaction also helps fuel IBM's focus on PLM integration through middleware, business transformation and application services, and dynamic infrastructure."