Think3 shut down most of its operations in the USA a couple of years ago, but is now looking for a comeback. Says its press release:
Think3 ... wants to expand its sales presence in USA, looking for new VARs.
The company hopes to build a network of American resellers in 2008 offering these products:
* thinkreverse (new) - reverse engineering.
* thinkID - A-class complex surfaces.
* thinkcompensator - mold tooling and sheetmetal.
* thinkdesign - 3D MCAD.
* thinkPLM and thinkteam - PLM.
Same in the UK. I used to be a Think3 customer up until a few years back when they pulled the plug here. I was called by a Uk sales guy and he outlined all the changes - Joe Costello has gone (implied to be a good thing), better products (though the website gives zero evidence of that) and no more annual pricing......wait a minute I thought that was THE BIG USP for Think3? No, apparently there are now just 3 product offerings - ThinkID, ThinkDesign And ThinkTooling with the Global Shape Modelling being the crown jewels of the system.
The big problem for Think3 is that if they are intending to price the product at the levels I was told they are competing head on with CATIA v5. That puts it very much into the "well above SolidWorks" category.
In the current economic climate I just don't see that working myself. Maybe the product is just so fabulous now it surpasses everything - but I seriously doubt it. The thing is I liked using ThinkDesign/ThinkShape but it was very raw round the edges. Maybe it really is a lot better. Time will tell.
Posted by: Kevin Quigley | Apr 14, 2008 at 12:10 PM