From 1995 to 2023, I organized and managed the sendlercircle as a network of managing directors and C-level managers in a very specific industrial sector, namely the providers of software and services for technical processes in industry.
This network has brought a lot of added value to the many companies involved.
Founded with the managing directors of 14 of the world’s leading CAD software providers, the topics covered and the core of the members developed within a few years into the umbrella topic of product lifecycle management (PLM).
A look at the results that have made the circle enormously valuable for its members over almost three decades:
Seeon Monastery was the venue for the 26th sendlercircle in February 2011 (Photo Sendler)
- Market studies
In the nineties, the majority of suppliers still relied on 2D drafting because engineers, especially in Germany and Japan, swore by it and were very skeptical about 3D modeling.
I organized a multi-client market study for the circle, which not everyone had to participate in if they were not interested in the detailed results. The main topic was the development of the 3D CAD market. But users were also asked about the practical use of the software in all engineering processes in the study conducted by the internationally recognized market research institute techconsult in Kassel. I disseminated the most important results of the study in press releases. This was the first time that providers and the public were able to obtain user figures for the still young engineering software market.
Further multi-client market studies followed on CAD, PDM and PLM.
- One voice for the media
For many years, the members of the circle gave me their sales figures and other results from their ongoing business once a year. For the trade press, these figures were of enormous importance as they were the only figures that allowed an assessment of this software market.
In general, the circle soon became the one recognized voice that was heard by the media on behalf of the providers.
- One Contact for the trade fairs
In the nineties and the noughties, there were numerous trade fairs that were a must for providers. In addition to numerous special trade fairs, the most important exhibitions were CeBIT in Hanover, Systec in Munich and CAT in Stuttgart. For the managing directors of these trade fairs, the circle was also the contact to talk about the development of the exhibitions as far as engineering software was concerned.
- Key market trends
At the beginning of the new millennium, engineering software had developed to such an extent that the industry wanted to achieve more with it than just good design support. The data generated during product development was to be made usable for the entire company and for partners. The providers in the circle came up with the common term Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), which became established worldwide. An outstanding example of how effectively technological and industry-strategic developments could be communicated to the market through the circle.
- Center of attraction for the industry
The circle became an important meeting point for the heads of engineering software applications at customers. They were happy to talk about their experiences, both positive and negative, and share their wishes.
Their visits to almost every circle meeting were a good opportunity to get to know the entire supplier industry. And for the providers, they provided valuable input for correctly assessing the needs of the market.
In several meetings in May 2004, the members unanimously agreed on a common definition of the still new term PLM under the title “Liebenstein Theses”. This graphic served as an illustration. (Image Sendler)
The sendlercircle is history. But its work can certainly be an instructive example for other networks in the industry. Where markets develop, such as the CAD market in the 1990s, it can be very useful for suppliers to join forces for topics that are not concerned with the technical development of their own product and its direct marketing. However, as the sendlercircle shows, there is a lot of material that is worth sitting down together a few times a year for beyond these points, which are already excluded under cartel law.
At the moment, the market for open, Linux-based automation platforms could do with such a network. Perhaps when the geopolitical upheavals have been digested and the economic crises in the industry have been overcome.