Leuven (Belgium) - August 24, 2011- LMS International, the leading partner in Test and Mechatronic Simulation today announced that it has acquired a 60% controlling majority position of SAMTECH, the Liège-based European provider of Computer Aided Engineering and structure analysis software. Under the leadership of Eric Carnoy as CEO, LMS SAMTECH will become the centre of the worldwide aerospace simulation business in the LMS Group. Including SAMTECH, LMS projects combined revenues for 2011 of 175 Million Euro or approximately 250 Million Dollars, and employs 1150 people over 40 offices in Europe, Americas and Asia.

For Dr. Urbain Vandeurzen, Chairman and CEO of LMS International, this is a strategic next step in LMS’ ambition to be the undisputed leader in Test and Mechatronic Simulation and to become the preferred engineering innovation partner for the leading Top Fortune 500 manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace and other advanced manufacturing industries: “LMS is truly unique in delivering mission-critical software and advanced engineering services for product innovation to the advanced high-tech mechanical and mechatronic industries. LMS combines hardware and software platforms for advanced testing with the most complete 1D and 3D platforms for realistic mechatronic simulation. These solutions enable our customers to take full advantage of the emerging model-based systems engineering approach, and to win by superior product innovation. We truly empower our customers by business transformation and next generation processes to develop more attractive, sustainable and smart products.”

“Building on our outstanding results in 2010, 2011 will become an absolute record year in LMS’ history with another year of 20% organic growth in revenues and record profits forecasted. With the addition of SAMTECH, LMS is projected to grow a stellar 65% over 2 years.”

Dr. Vandeurzen adds: “Over the past years SAMTECH has enjoyed healthy double digit growth year after year, and has developed an undisputed leadership position for 3D simulation in the European aerospace industries. The worldwide global presence of LMS and its strong references across all high-end mechanical industries can further accelerate the deployment of SAMTECH’s innovative software in Asia and the Americas. LMS and SAMTECH joining forces creates a win-win opportunity for joint customers across aerospace, automotive and other high-tech industries.”

Freddy Meurs, Deputy General Manager of Meusinvest and Michel Tilmant, former SAMTECH Board President: "After a thorough review of all strategic alternatives the SAMTECH Board of Directors has approved the decision to join LMS. This is truly a unique fit for the international development of SAMTECH, representing excellent opportunities for our customers, staff and shareholders. The international sales network of LMS in Europe, in the Americas and Asia will boost the promotion and the sales capacity of SAMTECH’s software and services business within all the key aerospace clients worldwide. Both companies have the same drive for innovation and growth. The fact that SAMTECH Liège will become the world centre for all further aerospace simulation business of the LMS Group activities is a sign of trust in the combined talent, competences and technologies of the SAMTECH team. We are looking forward to this next stage in the company's successful development.”

Eric Carnoy, CEO of LMS SAMTECH; “The powerful complementarities between SAMTECH and LMS will greatly extend the SAMTECH leading company position in structural analysis, including linear and non-linear CAE simulation, structural optimization and coupled multiphysics. The unique combination of SAMTECH’s simulation solutions with the LMS hybrid engineering portfolio creates tremendous value for really all manufacturing companies.

During the last twenty five years, SAMTECH has developed its aerospace business (with AIRBUS, EADS, SNECMA SAFRAN Group, EUROCOPTER, ALENIA Aeronautica, THALES ALENIA Space, ONERA, SABCA, SONACA, TECHSPACEAERO, ESA, CNES, …). More recently important product diversifications were also started in the automotive sector (with TOYOTA Motor Corporation, PSA, RENAULT, DAIMLER ...), and in the wind energy sector (for example with ALSTOM, REpower, AREVA, …).”

Within this list of customers, AIRBUS is certainly the most significant success story. The first SAMCEF licence was installed in AIRBUS Toulouse in the summer of 1986. During the late eighties, AIRBUS and SAMTECH worked together on parameterized FEA models for fatigue analysis of structures. SAMTECH Toulouse was opened in 1989. During the nineties, SAMTECH and AIRBUS have been working together on composite FEA simulations. In 1998, the first partnership contract was signed for the development and the commercialization of Professional Solutions. It started with the distribution of the SAFE tool for fatigue analysis of aircraft structure. In 2000, another professional application followed for composite structures analysis (Application Composite). In 2004, AIRBUS decided to launch a huge transnational program for the harmonization of its 400 legacy engineering software tools, to enhance its engineering methods for composite design and to share its tools with the Risk Sharing Partners of the new A350 XWB aircraft. In 2005, SAMTECH accessed to a new level of partnership with the new ISAMI project (Improved Structure Analysis Multidisciplinary Integration) on the basis of the engineering framework CAESAM (Computer Aided Engineering by SAMTECH). In parallel, SAMTECH could also put in evidence its BOSS quattro optimization capabilities in the context of the COMBOX project (for the preliminary design optimization of composite wing boxes). In July 2007, a Master Agreement Contract (MAC) was signed for service activity and from July 2008 until now, the deployment of ISAMI is progressing inside the AIRBUS world wide Extended Entreprise, in order to give access to the same engineering environment to all the structure analysis engineers working for or with AIRBUS.

"LMS and SAMTECH are long time and respected partners for ESA, with the products and services of both companies being critical enablers for spacecraft engineering at ESA’s technical centers throughout Europe. I’m convinced that with SAMTECH now part of LMS, the combination has the fantastic potential to further expand its technology and application leadership, and to support the spacecraft industry with its future engineering challenges.”, Dr. Constantinos Stavrinidis, Head of Mechanical Engineering Department, ESA-ESTEC.

LMS becomes the first and the only provider in the industry to deliver a full and unique portfolio of test and mechatronic simulation solutions for model-based system engineering, using 1D- and 3D system simulation and supporting all phases of product development – from the concept and the detailed design stages, through the final refinement and physical prototype validation stages. With the unique LMS-platform strategy, integrating test and mechatronic simulation across the development process, manufacturing companies can realize significant strategic competitive advantages.

About LMS

LMS, the leading partner in test and mechatronic simulation in the automotive, aerospace and other advanced manufacturing industries, helps customers get better products to market faster. With a unique combination of mechatronic simulation software, testing systems and engineering services, LMS tunes into mission critical engineering attributes, ranging from system dynamics, structural integrity and sound quality to durability, safety and power consumption. With multi-domain and mechatronic simulation solutions, LMS addresses complex engineering challenges associated with intelligent system design and model-based systems engineering. More than 1150 LMS professionals serve over 5000 manufacturing companies worldwide.

About SAMTECH

Over the last 25 years, SAMTECH software packages have been recognized by engineering departments and leading industries worldwide to be the reference in the linear and non linear mechanical simulation world. SAMTECH is a major player in the CAE industry and is the editor of the FEA software SAMCEF, the first simulation software editor to efficiently mix Finite Elements (FEA) and Multi Body Simulation (MBS) techniques. The SAMTECH offer ranges from classical linear Finite Elements Analysis to advanced non linear applications, thermal analysis and multi disciplinary optimization. SAMTECH offers software platforms that encapsulate in a common Graphical Interface customers simulation processes and their own tools.  

LMS Press Contacts: 

Peter Vandeborne
Vice-President Marketing and Corporate Communication
LMS International