HCL to acquire PLM specialist Geometric

HCL has signed an agreement to acquire (through demerger) Geometric Ltd, except for the 58 percent stake that Geometric owns in the joint venture, 3DPLM Software Solutions Limited (3DPLM), with Dassault Systemes (3DS). Geometric is one of India’s leading PLM (product lifecycle management) consulting, mechanical engineering and manufacturing engineering services providers.
 
Under the transaction, the entire business of Geometric Ltd will be transferred to HCL Tech by way of demerger. In return, shareholders of Geometric Ltd will receive shares in HCL Tech in a swap ratio of 10 equity shares of HCL Tech for every 43 equity shares of Geometric Ltd.
   
Simultaneously, Geometric Ltd will be merged into 3DPLM Software Solutions Ltd (3DPLM), thereby giving 100 percent ownership of 3DPLM to Dassault Systemes, the current joint venture partner of Geometric in 3DPLM. In exchange for the ownership in Geometric Ltd, shareholders of Geometric Ltd shall receive one listed redeemable preference share of Rs 68 each carrying dividend of 7 percent per annum in 3DPLM against every one share of Geometric Ltd.
 
HCL’s global engineering services business, with a revenue of around $1.2 billion in 2015, is one of the leading players in hardware & software engineering, product development & testing, embedded, digital and mechanical engineering. The Geometric acquisition will strengthen HCL’s presence significantly, in the PLM consulting as well as mechanical and manufacturing engineering space. It will also significantly strengthens HCL’s automotive and industrial practices.
 
HCL will inherit several unique Geometric processes, methodologies and intellectual properties in PLM and digital manufacturing, along with highly specialised professionals in the PLM consulting as well as mechanical and manufacturing engineering space. The transaction thus creates a unique portfolio of end-to-end engineering and R&D capabilities across the full product lifecycle - hardware, software, mechanical & manufacturing engineering and PLM consulting.
 
G H Rao, president, engineering and R&D services, HCL Technologies, said, “With the broad end-to-end capabilities and rich experience across PLM consulting, mechanical and manufacturing engineering that Geometric brings in, the synergies allow us to take advantage of the rapidly growing manufacturing engineering and PLM services market. It also provides several cross-sell and up-sell opportunities as the customers will benefit from a unique services portfolio of end-to-end engineering, R&D, digital technologies and internet of things capabilities.”