Service Lifecycle Management Providers Merge

July 7, 2009

Servigistics and Click Commerces Service Network Solutions (SNS) division, both recently acquired by private equity firm Marlin Equity Partners, have been merged to form a new company that will focus on solving the planning, optimization, execution and

Josh Cable

The new company will retain the Servigistics name and deliver a product designed to manage all aspects of the post-sale service processwhat the market now is referring to as service lifecycle management (SLM).

The combination of Click Commerce SNS and Servigistics brings together the pioneer in service parts planning with the leader in strategic service management, said Bruce Richardson, chief research officer at AMR Research. This pairing also brings strong vertical expertise. Click Commerce SNS dominated aerospace and defense, while Servigistics owned high-tech. Together the two will be a strong force in the emerging opportunities in life sciences, consumer goods, retail and logistics.

The new company will serve a global client base of more than 240 marquee companies across motor vehicles, aerospace and defense, heavy equipment, high-tech, consumer and industrial products, and utilities.

The company will be headquartered in Atlanta with operations worldwide, including regional headquarters in Tokyo; Bristol, U.K.; and Gurgaon, India; and field offices in Austin, Texas; Warwick, U.K.; Rochester, N.Y.; Irvine, Calif.; McClain, Va.; and Chicago.

Industry reports indicate 87 percent of all manufacturers still use spreadsheets to manage their mission critical, post-sale service resources, leading to the sub-optimization of enormous investments in field technicians, mobile fleets, spare parts and service knowledge, said Servigistics CEO Eric Hinkle, who will continue as CEO of the new company. Our newly combined company is now the clear market leader and uniquely positioned to deliver unprecedented business value to our clients.

Interested in information related to this topic? Subscribe to our Information Technology eNewsletter.

About the Author

Josh Cable | Former Senior Editor

Former Senior Editor Josh Cable covered innovation issues -- including trends and best practices in R&D, process improvement and product development. He also reported on the best practices of the most successful companies and executives in the world of transportation manufacturing, which encompasses the aerospace, automotive, rail and shipbuilding sectors.

Josh also led the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame, IW’s annual tribute to the most influential executives and thought leaders in U.S. manufacturing history.

Before joining IndustryWeek, Josh was the editor-in-chief of Penton Media’s Government Product News and Government Procurement. He also was an award-winning beat reporter for several small newspapers in Northeast Ohio.

Josh received his BFA in creative writing from Bowling Green University, and continued his professional development through course-work at Ohio University and Cuyahoga Community College.

A lifelong resident of the Buckeye State, Josh currently lives in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. When the weather cooperates, you’ll find him riding his bike to work, exercising his green thumb in the backyard or playing ultimate Frisbee.