The CAD reseller consolidation continues
SolidWorks reseller GoEngineer announced on August 13, 2024 its acquisition of reseller, Inceptra. The latter is a Florida-based company mostly for reselling Dassault Systèmes software products and providing related services to enterprise users. This acquisition extends GoEngineer’s lead in selling mostly SolidWorks products, related services and 3D printing services to small and medium sized design, engineering and manufacturing firms.
Ken Coburn, President of GoEngineer, described the acquisition as a significant milestone, stating, “We’re thrilled to welcome Inceptra into the GoEngineer family. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in the journey to offer the most comprehensive and innovative solutions.”
“Joining forces with GoEngineer represents an exciting new chapter for Inceptra, said Inceptra CEO Tim Petersen. GoEngineer brings “greater value and support to engineers, ensuring they have the tools and resources they need to succeed in today’s competitive market,” he added.
Over the past five years, GoEngineer has made several strategic acquisitions to expand its footprint and capabilities in the engineering solutions space, including:
Computer Aided Technology Inc. (CATI). In August 2022, GoEngineer acquired CATI, a Chicago-based provider of 3D software and 3D printing solutions. This acquisition expanded GoEngineer’s presence in the Midwest and Eastern U.S., adding depth to their CAD and additive manufacturing offerings. CATI was particularly strong in serving industries such as healthcare and aerospace. Terms and value of the acquisition were not publicly disclosed.
Proto3000. In October 2021, GoEngineer acquired Proto3000, a Canada-based company that specialized in 3D printing, 3D scanning and metrology solutions. This acquisition strengthened GoEngineer’s position in the additive manufacturing market, providing additional expertise and capabilities in advanced 3D technologies. Again, terms and value of the acquisition were not publicly disclosed.
Rapid Processing Solutions Inc. (Rapid PSI). In September 2023, GoEngineer acquired Rapid PSI, a Kansas-based company offering 3D printing services such as vacuum forming and laser sintering for sectors such as medical and automotive. This acquisition enhanced GoEngineer’s service portfolio in additive manufacturing, although the financial details were not disclosed.
These acquisitions reflect GoEngineer’s strategy of expanding its footprint as a CAD reseller with benefits across North America.
GoEngineer’s acquisition of Inceptra makes the company’s position at the top of all Dassault Systèmes resellers in North America and Europe even more secure.
Here’s a list of some of the biggest SolidWorks resellers in the world — at least in North America and Europe, according to rankings collected via ChatGPT that may not reflect TriMech’s recent acquisitions .
- GoEngineer — As the largest SolidWorks reseller, GoEngineer holds a dominant position in the market, offering a wide range of services including 3D CAD, PLM and 3D printing solutions across the U.S.
- MLC CAD Systems — Based in the Southern U.S., MLC CAD Systems is known for its extensive SolidWorks expertise and strong presence in the market, providing comprehensive CAD, CAM and 3D printing solutions.
- Hawk Ridge Systems — Operating primarily on the West Coast, Hawk Ridge Systems is one of the largest SolidWorks resellers in North America, known for its robust support and training services.
- TriMech — Focused on the East Coast, TriMech offers a full suite of SolidWorks products along with other engineering solutions, including 3D printing and product lifecycle management (PLM).
- CADimensions, Inc. — A strong player in the Northeast U.S., CADimensions specializes in SolidWorks, 3D printing and simulation software, serving a wide range of industries.
GoEngineer’s acquisition of Inceptra offers significant strategic benefits, expanding its reach, product offerings and customer base in multiple ways:
1. Expanded customer base and a bigger footprint.
By acquiring Inceptra, GoEngineer gains access to Inceptra’s design engineers, to which it sold Dassault Systèmes products (not including SolidWorks), including companies in the aerospace, automotive and industrial sectors. The Florida-based Inceptra has a strong presence in the Southeastern U.S. but also parts of Canada, regions where GoEngineer’s had a smaller footprint.
2. Broadened product portfolio.
Inceptra is a leading reseller and service provider for Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which includes products such as CATIA, ENOVIA, DELMIA and SIMULIA. With this acquisition, GoEngineer adds these enterprise CAD, PLM and simulation tools to its existing offerings. This complements GoEngineer’s existing strength in SolidWorks and Stratasys 3D printing solutions, enabling the company to provide more of the Dassault Systèmes products to design engineers across various industries
3. Increased expertise and resources.
Inceptra brings a highly specialized team with deep expertise in Dassault Systèmes’ PLM and CAD software, enhancing GoEngineer’s capabilities in these areas. The integration of Inceptra’s experienced staff into GoEngineer’s operations means that design engineers will benefit from enhanced support, training and consulting services. This additional expertise allows GoEngineer to offer more tailored solutions and better customer support, particularly for larger enterprises with global markets and distributed resources.
4. New market opportunities.
Inceptra’s focus on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform will open many doors previously closed to GoEngineer, particularly in industries where enterprise-sized tools are the standard, such as aerospace and automotive. Going the other way, GoEngineer can offer Inceptra’s design engineers SolidWorks and Stratasys 3D printing technologies.
5. Enhanced competitive position.
This acquisition positions GoEngineer as one of the largest and most diversified providers of engineering solutions in North America. The combined strengths of GoEngineer and Inceptra solidifies (pun intended) the company’s number one position.
The consolidation continues
The acquisition of Inceptra by GoEngineer highlights a broader trend of consolidation among CAD software resellers, a trend that has been increasingly evident in the past few years. This trend is driven by several key factors, including the desire to expand geographic reach, diversify product portfolios and enhance service offerings to better meet the evolving needs of the engineering and manufacturing sectors. It may also reflect a reduced revenue for resellers as software companies increasingly sell directly to design engineers.
Hawk Ridge Systems and MLC CAD Systems, also major resellers, have also been expanding their footprints through strategic acquisitions. Hawk Ridge Systems acquired reseller DesignPoint, the biggest SolidWorks reseller in the Mid-Atlantic U.S., in 2021.
This trend is expected to continue as software resellers become more service providers, offering their engineering expertise, expertise in specialized products, development of custom tools, data conversion, customization, 3D printing as well as business expansion and digital transformation.
About GoEngineer
GoEngineer, headquartered in Midvale, Utah, is a leading provider of engineering solutions, particularly known for its expertise in SolidWorks and Stratasys 3D printing technologies. With more than 40 years of experience, GoEngineer serves more than 75,000 SolidWorks users with more than 220 AEs across various industries, including high-tech, medical and energy sectors. The company operates more than 60 offices across the United States, employing 600 full time staff total. GoEngineer offers services ranging from CAD and PLM to additive manufacturing and simulation. The company prides itself on empowering engineers by providing cutting-edge tools and exceptional support, which includes thousands of training resources, on-demand support and access to a community of engineers. GoEngineer is saw as a top reseller of SolidWorks, having maintained this status for several years and continues to expand its influence in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.
