TOYOTA INDUSTRIES CORPORATION Cuts Costs and Development Time with PLM Solutions from IBM and Dassault Systemes

Leading industrial vehicle manufacturer reduces its new “High Pick Lift” forklift development costs by 53% and development cycles by 44%. Forklift design wins prestigious ‘Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturer’s Award’.

Tokyo, Japan and Paris, France - November 20, 2002 - TOYOTA INDUSTRIES CORPORATION (TICO), a world leader in the industrial vehicle market, IBM and Dassault Systemes (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced that TICO has significantly reduced development costs and cycles of its High Pick Lift forklift using IBM Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, including CATIA V5 developed by Dassault Systemes. Dassault Systemes also announced that TICO is currently using its DELMIA solution for the development, simulation and management in real-time of TICO’s factory tools and production processes.

TICO began using PLM solutions from IBM and Dassault Systemes in late 2000. The solutions were implemented to develop forklifts as part of IT Propulsion, a company-wide program designed to improve business reactivity through the use of 3D data and improved information management and sharing. CATIA V5 Knowledgeware technology helped TICO achieve these goals by allowing the company to automatically combine standard design definitions with customer-specific functional requirements. This presents a major advantage in forklift development, commonly dictated by the built-to-order model consisting of many variations and options.

Using the collaborative functions of IBM PLM solutions, TICO has been able to integrate its 3D forklift product information with its manufacturing processes and resources and, design and simulate virtual factories using Dassault Systemes’ DELMIA digital manufacturing solution.

In order to accelerate further global collaboration, TICO will deploy IBM and Dassault Systemes’ SMARTEAM solution to connect selected development sites worldwide. TICO will integrate its 3D models, 2D drawings, technical documentation and BOM (Bill of Materials) using SMARTEAM, which provides powerful collaborative product development and lifecycle management solutions.

“Our high-level product development know-how combined with IBM and Dassault Systemes’ pioneering PLM solutions have brought tremendous synergies to the development of the High Pick Lift,” said Kimpei Mitsuya, director and member of the board, Global IT Division, TICO. “We achieved our original targets both by shortening the High Pick Lift development period from 18 to ten months and by reducing development costs by 53%. In addition, this product won the ‘Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturer’s Award’ for its gentle curved design which was achieved thanks to CATIA V5’s 3D design functionalities.”

“TICO is a real-life example of how companies can implement a full PLM strategy using the powerful combination of applications in the IBM PLM portfolio along with proven PLM methodologies to gain major improvements in their industrial processes. TICO has adopted PLM solutions to integrate the complex design, engineering, and manufacturing technologies used in forklift production across its extended enterprise,” said Raoul Van Engelshoven, vice president, IBM Product Lifecycle Management Asia Pacific. “Not only does that meet the goal of TICO’s IT Propulsion project for improved product quality and business responsiveness, but it also translates into concrete time and costs savings, both immediately and in the years to come.”

"TICO’s success is a perfect example of how companies in the Fabrication and Assembly market can increase their competitiveness by using collaborative 3D product development solutions across all stages of the product lifecycle,” said Etienne Droit, executive vice president sales and marketing, Dassault Systemes. “Dassault Systemes’ 3D PLM technologies enabled a world leader in the forklift market to turn its implicit know-how into explicit knowledge, and in doing so, helped TICO improve its ability to innovate, cut costs, and shorten development time.”

In order to establish paperless communication with its suppliers by the end of 2004, TICO has established a Supplier Support Center at its Takahama Plant in the Aichi Prefecture. The center is equipped with a collaboration room, where suppliers can hold digital design review meetings, as well as 3D CAD rooms for CATIA V5 training.